Udhagamandalam: With an appeal to extend a helping hand to the district administration in combating the deadly corona virus the Nilgiris Collector J.Innocent Divya led the district in commemorating the 232nd birth anniversary of John Sullivan, the founder of modern Nilgiris on Monday.

With a protective mask firmly in place and a handful of people, mainly officials, looking on Ms.Divya paid floral tributes to a bust of Mr.John Sullivan near the John Sullivan Memorial at Kannerimukku near Kotagiri.

Pointing out that owing to the pandemic triggered lockdown and the measures in place to keep the virus at bay, the observance of the anniversary had to be kept low key, she urged the villagers to protect themselves round the clock by practicing social distancing and wearing masks.

Adverting to the work in progress on the creation of a park, extending over about 9.34 acres, in the name of Mr.Sullivan at the village, she said that it will be ready in a couple of months.

Though the lockdown took the fanfare out of the commemoration of the occasion , its significance was not lost sight of.

Mr.Sullivan’s contributions were remembered.

About two centuries ago, John Sullivan, as Collector of Coimbatore of which the Nilgiris was then part, had sown the seeds for the development of the district.