KATHMANDU: Various events were organised on Sunday to mark the 69th birth anniversary of the the then Secretary-General of erstwhile CPN-UML, late Madan Bhandari.

The programmes will be held taking preventive measures considering the COVID-19 pandemic.

Prime Minister and Nepal Communist Party Chair KP Sharma Oli addressed a special event at his official residence in Baluwatar which was organised by the Madan Bhandari Foundation this afternoon.

The NCP's standing committee meeting to be held today was postponed as it coincided with the birth anniversary of late Bhandari.

The foundation has organised a variety of programmes including planting of trees and fruit saplings, distributing fruits, and helping the poor, daily wage labourers, landless settlers, people with disabilities and senior citizens since June 21, said foundation's Secretary Pemba Lama.

Likewise, various awareness-oriented events have been planned to be held virtually including the establishment of a Madan Bhandari Blood Donation Fund, interaction of 'janatako bahudaliya janabad' founded by Bhandari and creative programmes on nationalism, democratic republic and livelihood, governance, organisation mobilization etc.

Born in Dhungesanghu of Taplejung on 14 Asar, 2009 Bikram Sambat/ June 27, 1952 AD, the then General Secretary of the CPN-UML Madan Bhandari died in a jeep accident at Dasdhunga of Chitwan on 3 Jeth, 2050 BS (1993, May 16), along with organisation department chief of the party Jeevraj Ashrit.