75th Republic day parade brings old tradition after 40 years gap; program schedule released

75^th Republic day parade brings old tradition after 40 years gap; program schedule released

Kanwar Inder Singh/ royalpatiala.in News/ January 25,2024

All arrangements in place for 75th Republic Day parade; Kartavya Path set to be painted with Viksit Bharat’s rich cultural diversity, ‘Aatmanirbhar’ military prowess & growing Nari Shakti

President  Droupadi Murmu will lead the Nation in celebrating the 75^th Republic Day from Kartavya Path in New Delhi on January 26, 2024. French President  Emmanuel Macron will be the Chief Guest at the parade, which is set to showcase India’s rich cultural diversity, unity & progress; its military prowess on the back of increasing indigenous capabilities, and the growing Nari Shakti.

Based on the twin themes of ‘Viksit Bharat’ and ‘Bharat – Loktantra ki Matruka’, this year’s parade will witness the participation of around 13,000 Special Guests – an initiative which will provide an opportunity to people from all walks of life to take part in the celebrations and encourage Jan Bhagidari in this national festival.

For the first time ever, the parade will be heralded by over 100 women artists playing Indian musical instruments. The parade would commence with the music of Sankh, Naadswaram, Nagada, etc. to be played by these women artists. It will also witness the maiden participation of an all-women Tri-Service contingent marching down the Kartavya Path. Women pilots will also enthrall the audience during the Fly-past, representing Nari Shakti. The contingents of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) will also consist of only women personnel.

The parade

The Republic Day parade will commence at 1030 hrs and run for a duration of approx. 90 minutes. The ceremony will start with the visit of Prime Minister  Narendra Modi to the National War Memorial, where he will lead the nation in paying solemn tributes to the fallen heroes by laying a wreath. Thereafter, the Prime Minister and other dignitaries will head to the saluting dais at Kartavya Path to witness the parade.

The arrival of the President of India and her French counterpart will be escorted by the President’s Bodyguard – ‘Rashtrapati Ke Angrakshak’. The President’s Bodyguard is the senior most Regiment of the Indian Army. This Republic Day is special for this elite Regiment as the ‘Angrakshak’ have completed 250 years of service since its raising in 1773. The two Presidents will arrive in the ‘Traditional Buggy’, the practice which is making a comeback after a gap of 40 years.

As per tradition, the National Flag will be unfurled followed by the National Anthem with a booming 21-gun salute given with indigenous gun system 105-mm Indian Field Guns. Four Mi-17 IV helicopters of 105 Helicopter Unit will shower flower petals on the audience present at Kartavya Path. This will be followed by ‘Aavaahan’, a band performance by over 100 women artists playing various types of percussion instruments, symbolising Nari Shakti.

The parade will then commence with the President taking the salute. The parade will be commanded by Parade Commander, Lieutenant General Bhavnish Kumar, General Officer Commanding, Delhi Area, a second-generation Army officer. Major General Sumit Mehta, Chief of Staff, HQ Delhi Area will be the Parade Second-in-Command.

The proud winners of the highest gallantry awards will follow. They include Param Vir Chakra winners Subedar Major (Honorary Captain) Yogendra Singh Yadav (Retd) & Subedar Major Sanjay Kumar (Retd), and Ashok Chakra winners Major General CA Pithawalla (Retd), Colonel D Sreeram Kumar & Lt Col Jas Ram Singh (Retd). The Param Vir Chakra is awarded for the most conspicuous act of bravery and self-sacrifice in the face of the enemy, while the Ashok Chakra is awarded for similar acts of valour and self-sacrifice but, other than, in the face of the enemy.

French Contingent           

Kartavya Path will be witness to a march past by a combined Band and Marching contingent of the French Armed Forces. A 30-member band contingent will be headed by Captain Khourda, which will be followed by a 90-member marching contingent, led by Captain Noel. One Multi-Role Tanker Transport aircraft and two Rafale fighter jets of the French Air & Space Force will fly above the contingents while they march past the saluting dais.

Indian Army Contingent

The first Army contingent leading the Mechanised Column will be of 61 Cavalry, led by Major Yashdeep Ahlawat. Raised in 1953, the 61 Cavalry is the only serving active Horsed Cavalry Regiment in the world, with the amalgamation of all the ‘State Horsed Cavalry Units’.It will be followed by 11 Mechanised Columns, 12 marching contingents, and a fly past by Advanced Light Helicopters of Army Aviation Corps.

Tank T-90 Bhishma, NAG Missile System, Infantry Combat Vehicle, All-Terrain Vehicle, Pinaka, Weapon Locating Radar System ‘Swathi’, Sarvatra Mobile Bridging System, Drone Jammer System, and Medium Range Surface-to-Air Missile System among others will be the main attractions in the mechanised columns.

Marching down the Kartavya Path for the first time would be an all-women Tri-Service contingent, led by Captain Sandhya of Military Police, with three supernumerary officers Captain Sharanya Rao, Sub Lieutenant Anshu Yadav & Flight Lieutenant shti Rao, and an all-women Armed Forces Medical Services contingent, headed by Major Srishti Khullar with Captain Amba Samant of Army Dental Corps, Surgeon Lieutenant Kanchana of Indian Navy & Flight Lieutenant Dhivya Priya of Indian Air Force.

The Army Marching Contingents will include The Madras Regiment, The Grenadiers, Rajputana Rifles, Sikh Regiment and the Kumaon Regiment.

Indian Navy Contingent

The Indian Navy contingent will consist of 144 men and women Agniveers, led by Lt Prajwal M as Contingent Commander and Lt Mudita Goyal, Lt Sharvani Supreiya & Lt Devika H as Platoon Commanders. It will be followed by the Naval Tableau, depicting the themes ‘Nari Shakti’ and ‘Sea Power Across the Oceans Through Indigenisation’.

The first part of the tableau showcases the women in the Indian Navy in All Roles and in All Ranks across the Navy while the second depicts the very first indigenous Carrier Battle Group, comprising the Aircraft Carrier Vikrant, her highly capable escort ships Delhi, Kolkata and Shivalik, the Light Combat Aircraft and Advanced Light Helicopter, the Kalvari Class Submarine and the GSAT-7, Rukmani Satellite.

Indian Air Force Contingent

The Indian Air Force (IAF) will comprise 144 airmen and four officers, led by Squadron Leader Rashmi Thakur. Squadron Leaders Sumita Yadav & Pratiti Ahluwalia and Flight Lieutenant Kirti Rohil will march past as supernumerary officers behind the Contingent Commander. The IAF tableau is on the theme ‘Bharatiya Vayu Sena: Saksham, Sashakt, Aatmanirbhar’.

The tableau depicts LCA Tejas and Su-30 flying over the IOR, and a C-295 transport aircraft being flown by women aircrew in the cockpit. The GSAT- 7A positioned on the tableau represents the IAF’s incorporation of space technology in its operations. The tableau shows that IAF has been at the forefront of rendering humanitarian aid, both within and across borders.

Veterans’ Tableau

Another highlight of the parade would be the Veterans’ Tableau on the theme ‘Rashtra Nirmaan: Pehle Bhi, Ab Bhi, Aage Bhi aur Hamesha’. It will showcase the bravery and sacrifices of the Ex-servicemen in the service of the nation.

DRDO Tableau & Equipment

Many critical systems/technologies developed by DRDO will be showcased during the parade. As an enabler of ‘Aatmanirbharta’, the valuable contribution of women scientists of DRDO in core areas of Defence Research has been significant. The DRDO tableau is based on the theme ‘Women power in protecting the nation by providing the defence shield in all 5 dimensions namely Land, Air, Sea, Cyber, and Space’.

Women’s involvement in Defence R&D will be prominently highlighted in the tableau. Outstanding Scientist  Sunita Devi Jena will be the Contingent Commander, with  P Laxmi Madhavi,  J Sujana Choudhary and  A Bhuvaneswari also present on the tableau. The tableau displays Man Portable Anti-tank Guided Missile (MPATGM), Anti-Satellite (ASAT) Missile, Agni-5, Surface-to-Surface Ballistic Missile, Very Short Range Air Defence System (VSHORADS), Naval Anti-Ship Missile–Short Range (NASM-SR), Anti-Tank Guided Missile ‘HELINA’, Quick Reaction Surface-to-Air Missile (QRSAM), Astra, Light Combat Aircraft ‘Tejas’, ‘Uttam’ Active Electronically Scanned Array Radar (AESAR), Advanced Electronic Warfare System ‘Shakti’, Cyber Security systems, Command Control Systems and the Semi Conductor Fabrication Facility.

Indian Coast Guard

The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) contingent will be led by Assistant Commandant Chunauti Sharma followed by officers of the guard Assistant Commandants Priya Dahiya, Hardik and Pallavi. The ICG, with a fleet of 154 ships & 78 aircraft, is capable of countering threats at & to the sea. It is also the nodal agency for coordinating Maritime Search & Rescue in 4.6 million square km Indian Search & Rescue Region. It has saved about 11,516 lives at sea since inception which translates to saving one life every second day.

Contingents of CAPF & Delhi Police

The contingents of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) and Delhi Police will be led by women personnel. Border Security Force marching contingent will be headed by Assistant Commandant Monika Lakra; Central Industrial Security Force by Assistant Commandant Tanmayee Mohanty; Central Reserve Police Force by Assistant Commandant Megha Nair; Indo-Tibetan Border Police by Assistant Commandant Moniya Sharma; Sashastra Seema Bal by Deputy Commandant Nancy Singla; and Delhi Police by Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Shweta K Sugathan.

The Camel Contingent of Border Security Force will be led by Deputy Commandant Manohar Singh Kheechee. For the second time, female camel riders on their decorated camels will be taking part in the parade.

NCC Contingents

Various contingents of the NCC will witness female representation. For the first time, there will be all-girl Tri-Service Marching contingent, which will be headed by Senior Under Officer Tanu Tevatia of Uttar Pradesh Directorate. The Girls Marching contingent (Army), comprising 148 cadets, will be led by Senior Under Officer Punnya Ponnamma from Karnataka & Goa Directorate. The NCC band will also have an all-girl representation. The Combined Band consisting of Girls from Birla Balika Vidya Peeth Pilani, Rajasthan and North-Eastern Region will be headed by Senior Under Officer Yashasvica Gaur and Ankita Sharma.

NSS contingent

Two hundred (200) female volunteers will form the National Service Scheme (NSS) contingent. It will be led by Ragina Tamang from Sikkim, Regional Directorate of NSS, Guwahati.

Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar winners

Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar are conferred on children with exceptional abilities and outstanding achievement in the fields of bravery, art & culture, sports, science & technology, innovation and social service. The awardees this year are as follows:

Eighteen winning children, in jeeps, will be driven down the Kartavya Path this year.

Tableaux

Tableaux of 16 States/Union Territories (UTs) will roll down the Kartavya Path, showcasing India’s rich cultural diversity and creativity. These are:

In addition, nine Ministries/Departments/Organisations will display their achievements and progress through innovative tableaux. These are:

Vande Bharat 3.0

For the third consecutive year, Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Culture will present a cultural extravaganza ‘Vande Bharatam’ on the theme ‘Cultural expression of women power – accomplishment through resolve’. Around 1,500 female dancers will mesmerise the audience with a colourful performance, giving the message of unity in diversity. The grand performance includes 30 folk dance styles uniquely prevalent in different states, as well as contemporary classical dance and Bollywood styles. The artists include tribal dancers, folk dancers, and classical dancers.

Motorcycle Display

The women personnel of CRPF, BSF & SSB will exhibit the country’s Nari Shakti by carrying out daredevil stunts during the motorcycle display. Over 260 women will showcase their bravery, valour and determination through varied formations, including Chandrayaan, Sarvatra Suraksha, Abhivadan and Yog Se Siddhi.

Fly-past

And then the eyes will shift from Kartvyapath to the sky where IAF’s most eagerly awaited ‘Fly-past’ will commence with a breath-taking air show by 54 aircraft/helicopters. These include three aircraft from the French Air & Space Force, 46 from the Indian Air Force, one from the Indian Navy, and four helicopters from the Indian Army.

Vintage as well as modern aircraft such as Light Combat Aircraft ‘Tejas’, Rafale, Su-30, MiG-29 Upgrade, P-8I, Jaguar, Dakota, Dornier, C-17, C-130J as well as Light Combat Helicopter ‘Prachand’, Advanced Light Helicopters and Apaches will display various formations, including Tejas, Netra, Varuna, Vajraang, Trishul, Ait, Prachand, Arjan and Tangail. The concluding Vertical Charlie maneuver will be performed by a Rafale fighter aircraft.The ceremony will culminate with the national anthem and the release of Tri-colour balloons.

As the nation is celebrating 75^th Republic Day, a number of unique activities have been organised. The details are given below:

Special Guests

Around 13,000 Special Guests invited to witness the parade this year include best performers in various fields and those who made best use of various schemes of the Government such as Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Rural & Urban), PM Ujjwala Yojana, PM Street Vendor’s Aatmanirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi), PMKrishi Sinchayee Yojana, PM Fasal Bima Yojana, PM Vishwakarma Yojana, PM Anusuchit Jaati Abhyuday Yojna, PM Matsya Sampada Yojana, Stand-Up India scheme, Pre-Matric Scholarship Scheme and Rashtriya Gokul Mission. Sarpanches of Vibrant Villages, women workers of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Electronic Manufacturing sectors & Central Vista Project, women Space Scientists of ISRO, Yoga Teachers (Ayushman Bharat), winners of international sports events and Paralympic medalists

In addition, Best Self-Help Groups, Farmers Producer Organisations, references of PM Mann ki Baat programme, and ‘Super-100’ of Project Veer Gatha 3.0 & winners of National School Band Competition will attend the parade. These special guests will be prominently seated at Kartavya Path.

Anant Sutra

The Ministry of Culture will be showcasing ‘Anant Sutra – The Endless Thread’ textile installation at Kartavya Path during the parade. It will be installed behind the spectators seated in the enclosures. Anant Sutra is a visually-stunning tribute to the saree, India’s timeless gift to the world of fashion. This unique installation will showcase nearly 1,900 sarees and drapes from every corner of the country, mounted at a height with wooden frames along the Kartavya Path. It will have QR codes which can be scanned to know the details about weaving and embroidery arts used in it.

National School Band Competition

The Ministry of Defence, in collaboration with Ministry of Education, conducted a National School Band Competition at All-India level for Republic Day Celebrations 2024 in order to evoke feelings of patriotism, unity and evoke a deep sense of pride among the school children towards their country. The Grand Finale of the competition took place at Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium, New Delhi on January 21 & 22, 2024. PM  School Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Suratgarh, Sriganganagar, Rajasthan; St. Teresa’s Higher Secondary School, Kannur, Kerala; Droupadi Girls High School, Nishaposi, Mayurbhanj, Odisha and Govt. Sr. Secondary School, West Point, Gangtok, Sikkim were declared winners in Pipe Band Boys, Brass Band Girls, Pipe Band Girls and Brass Band Boys categories respectively.

Veer Gatha 3.0

The third edition of Project Veer Gatha was organised as a part of Republic Day Celebrations 2024 to inspire and spread awareness among children about the gallant deeds and sacrifices of the Armed Forces. The event was organised by Ministry of Defence in collaboration with Ministry of Education between July 13 to September 30, 2023. A record 1.36 crore students from 2.42 lakh schools pan-India participated in Veer Gatha 3.0. A total of 100 school students called ‘Super-100’ were declared as winners. They were felicitated by Raksha Mantri  Rajnath Singh and Education Minister  Dharmendra Pradhan in New Delhi on January 25, 2024.

Bharat Parv & Parakram Diwas

Prime Minister  Narendra Modi participated in Parakram Diwas celebrations at the Red Fort in Delhi on January 23, 2024, coiciding with the birth anniversary celebrations of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. He also launched Bharat Parv which will showcase the nation’s rich diversity with Republic Day Tableaux and cultural exhibitions.

In line with the Prime Minister’s vision to take steps to duly honour the contribution of luminaries who played a significant role in the freedom struggle, the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose is being celebrated as Parakram Diwas. The program being held this year at Red Fort will be a multifaceted celebration seamlessly weaving together historical reflections and vibrant cultural expressions. The activities will delve into the profound legacy of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and the Azad Hind Fauj. The celebrations will continue till 31st January, 2024.

Bharat Parv, which will also continue till January 31, will showcase the country’s rich diversity with Republic Day Tableaux and cultural exhibits, featuring efforts of 26 Ministries and Departments, highlighting citizen-centric initiatives, vocal for local, diverse tourist attractions, among others.

Park & Ride and Metro Facility

Free of cost Park & Ride and Metro Facility would be provided to the public for witnessing the Republic Day Parade. Metro will be operational on January 26, 2024 beginning 0400 hrs. Guests and ticket holders may avail metro facility free of cost by displaying their invitation/ticket. Free of cost Park & Ride bus facility may be availed by the guests and ticket holders from JLN Stadium and Palika Bazaar Parking area.

PM’s NCC Rally

The PM’s NCC rally is scheduled to be held at Cariappa Parade Ground, Delhi Cantt. on January 27, 2024 where Prime Minister  Narendra Modi will review the multifarious activities of the NCC.

Beating Retreat

Beating Retreat ceremony, which will be held at Vijay Chowk on January 29, 2024, will witness all Indian tunes to mark the culmination of Republic Day celebrations. The tunes, including Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon, Kadam Kadam Badhaye Ja, Foulad Ka Jigar, Taqat Watan Ki Humse Hai, Kargil and Shankhnaad, will be played by bands of Indian Army, Indian Navy, Indian Air Force & CAPF before a distinguished audience comprising of President  Droupadi Murmu, Vice President  Jagdeep Dhankhar, Prime Minister  Narendra Modi, Raksha Mantri  Rajnath Singh, other Union Ministers, senior officials and the general public.

In order to take these Indian tunes to the people, the Ministry of Defence has organised an online contest, in coordination with MyGov. During the contest, which commenced on January 22^nd and will continue till January 29^th, participants can make their video clips on the tunes of Beating Retreat Ceremony 2024 by Vocal or Instrumental mode and upload their entries on a dedicated platform on MyGov portal.

The link of the tunes (along with lyrics) will be available on MyGov Platform. The length of the video clip to be uploaded by the participants should be between 45-60 seconds. The best three participants (in each category) will be given prize money as follows: