<span style="color: #222222;">Odisha today is celebrating the 100th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi's first ever visit to the state.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">On the occasion, Union Minister Sanjay Dhotre today digitally released a commemorative postage stamp on 100 years of the first visit of Gandhiji to Odisha.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">A public function had been organised for the purpose in the historic city of Cuttack.</span><br />'' <b><span style="color: #222222;"> </span></b><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">The First Day Cover of the commemorative postage stamp released today portrays Swaraj ashram at Cuttack where Mahatma Gandhi had stayed during his first visit to the state on 23rd March 1921.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">This apart,  Odisha Assembly today paid rich tribute to the father of the nation while commemorating the centenary of his first ever visit to the state.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Participating in a discussion in the house, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said Gandhiji's multiple visits to the state had created a greater awareness about various social issues in Odisha, apart from energising the freedom movement.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">The house today also passed a resolution on the inclusion of the word 'ahimsa' in the preamble of the Constitution of India, stating that it would be the greatest tribute to Mahatma Gandhi.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">The state government had earlier decided to celebrate the event round the year. </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Meanwhile, the Regional Outreach Bureau, Bhubaneswar has organised a 5 days long photo exhibition beginning today at Telangapentha in the Cuttack district of Odisha to commemorate Gandhiji's first ever visit to the state as part of the 'Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav'.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Gandhiji, who had visited Odisha as many as eight times between 1921 and 1946, had spent a night at Telangapentha in 1934.</span>