New Delhi: India’s military might and cultural diversity will be showcased Wednesday as the country celebrates its 73rd Republic Day. Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeted the nation by tweeting, “Wishing you all a happy Republic Day. Jai Hind!”
The parade at Rajpath will begin at 10:30 am, half-an-hour later than usual, for better visibility.
This year’s parade will feature a grand flypast by 75 Indian Air Force aircraft and helicopters, cultural performances by 480 dancers selected through a nationwide Vande Bharatam dance competition and a National Cadet Corps ‘Shaheedon Ko Shat Shat Naman’ programme that will be beamed on large LED screens.
People were asked to register on the MyGov portal to watch the live event online. They will also be able to vote for the best marching contingent and tableau in the popular choice category.
Only double-vaccinated adults and single-dose vaccinated children of 15 and above will be allowed at the parade. Due to the pandemic, there will be no foreign contingent this year.
The parade will start with Prime Minister Narendra Modi paying tribute to the nation’s fallen soldiers at the National War Memorial. The Prime Minister and other dignitaries will then proceed to Rajpath, the ceremonial road in the heart of the capital.
The parade will feature numerous contingents of the Indian Army, with the progression of their uniform and weapons over the last 75 years.
A total of 96 young sailors and four officers will make up the Naval contingent. It will be followed by the Naval Tableau, which will highlight the Indian Navy’s multi-dimensional capabilities.
There will be 96 airmen and four officers in the Air Force contingent. ‘Indian Air Force, Transforming for the Future’ is the theme of the tableau.
Two tableaux representing the country’s defence technical accomplishments will be displayed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
The parade will also feature contingents from the Indian Coast Guard, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Delhi Police, Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), Border Security Force (BSF), National Cadet Corps (NCC) Boys Marching contingent, NCC Girls Marching contingent, and National Service Scheme (NSS).
The tableaux of 12 states and Union Territories – Arunachal Pradesh, Haryana, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Meghalaya, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand – will glide down Rajpath. There will also be tableaux of nine ministries and departments.
This will be followed by cultural performances and the popular act by motorcycle riders.
The ceremony will end with the National Anthem and the release of tricolour balloons.