Non-stop speeches for 24 hours, a new record!

It was record-making attempt with a difference. Not only was there a non-stop 24 hour speech session by different orators, but the audience too were provided with tea, snacks, lunch and dinner and special cots for those listeners who needed some sleep.

The brain behind this unique venture, Dileep Deodhar, is the chief of Maharashtra's traders, industrialists and businessmen's clubs. Obviously fascinated by the spoken word, Deodhar earlier dabbled with mini-records like 100 speeches in one year, seven speeches in a week, 51 speeches in 13 hours, nine and seven speeches respectively in three hours.

This particular session began at 9.30 am, July 20, with Professor P V Khandelkar's speech at Dhanatoli's Welcome Hall, Nagpur, and ended at the same time the next day. The topics dealt with scientific perspectives, Samarth Ramdas, the Upanishads, Mahatma Gandhi, Dr Ambedkar, Dr Hedgewar, the synthesis of kirtan, the origin of the river Saraswati, the Rig Veda and prosperity through the share markets.

Compiled by Prasanna D Zore from the Marathi press