As COVID-19 cases fall, Kishore Kumar's college to celebrate his birth anniversary

INDORE: The college in Indore in Madhya Pradesh in which legendary singer-actor Kishore Kumar studied in the 1940s on Friday said it would celebrate his birth anniversary on August 4 as the coronavirus situation was now under control.

The celebration at Christian College, a much-awaited annual affair, which sees new and old students regale the audience with songs and anecdotes of Kumar, could not be held last year due to the pandemic, said Principal Amit David.

"This year, as COVID-19 cases have come down, we have decided to celebrate Kishore Kumar's birth anniversary on August 4," he told PTI.

Kumar, who was born in Khandwa in 1929, studied in the college between 1946 and 1948, and stayed in a hostel in the campus, before following his elder brother Ashok Kumar to Mumbai to make his mark in tinsel town.

By the time Kumar died on October 13, 1987, he was among the most famous film personalities the country had ever seen.

The state on Friday recorded 11 COVID-19 cases that raised its tally of infections to 7,91,732, an official from the state health department said.

The count of recoveries reached 7,81,048, while the toll stood at 10,512, as no fresh fatalities were reported, the official said, adding that the central state currently has 172 active cases.

With the addition of 73,709 swab samples tested during the day, the total number of tests conducted in the state rose to 1,38,53,243, the official said.

As per the official release, 2,68,58,028 COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered so far, of which 18,571 were given on Friday.

Coronavirus figures in MP are as follows: Total cases 7,91,732, new cases 11, death toll 10,512 (no change), recovered 7,81,048, active cases 172, number of tests so far 1,38,53,243.