India is celebrating its 67th Republic Day today. President Pranab Mukherjee, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Francois Hollande, who is the chief guest, will be witnessing the Republic Day parade at Rajpath alongwith thousands of people.
India celebrates 67th Republic Day with majestic parade
India's military prowess and multi-hued images of the country's rich cultural diversity and achievements in various fields were on display at the majestic Rajpath on Tuesday during 67th Republic Day parade which was graced by French President Francois Hollande as the chief guest. Thousands of people on both sides of the imposing Rajpath, India's ceremonial boulevard facing the seat of power Raisina Hills, braved the winter chill and cheered loudly as the marching contingents and tableux went past them. The national capital, particularly the Central and New Delhi areas, were brought under unprecedented security blanket as thousands of personnel kept a hawk-eye vigil to thwart any untoward incident. There were intelligence inputs that terror groups may target some important installations in the city. Hollande was seated between President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi who wore a marigold coloured 'safa'(turban). Modi was seen explaining things to Hollande on several occasions during the one-and-a-half-hour-long event. This year the duration of the parade has been curtailed from more than two hours to 90 minutes. A French military contingent also marched down the Rajpath, a first by any foreign armed force. In 2009, an Indian contingent had also participated in France's annual Bastille Day parade. Apart from India's missile firing capability T-90 'Bhishma' tank, Infantry Combat Vehicle BMP II (Sarath), Mobile Autonomous Launcher of the BrahMos Missile System, Akash Weapon System, Smerch Launcher Vehicles, the highlights of the parade also included a canine squad. The synchronised military and police contingents led by General Officer Commanding (Delhi), Lt General Rajan Ravindran marched proudly to the lilting tunes of the bands through Rajpath where Mukherjee, the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, took the salute from a specially erected dais. Earlier, Hollande, who is on a three-day state visit, arrived with Mukherjee and was received by Modi who introduced him to the three services chief - Army, Air Force and Navy. Alongside Hollande, the fifth French President to attend the celebrations, the parade was watched by Vice-President Hamid Ansari, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress president Sonia Gandhi, BJP president Amit Shah and the country's top political and military brass, besides the diplomatic community. Minutes before the parade began, Modi, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and the three service chiefs laid wreaths at 'Amar Jawan Jyoti', the war memorial at the India Gate where an eternal flame burns in memory of those who laid down their lives defending the frontiers of the nation. Before the start of the ceremonial parade, Mukherjee presented the Ashok Chakra (Posthumous), highest peacetime gallantry award, to Lance Naik Mohan Nath Goswami of 9 Para (Special Force) for his bravery in fighting with terrorists on the intervening night of September 2/3 last year in Haphruda forest at Kupwara district of Jammu and Kashmir. The award was received by his wife Bhavna Goswami. Watch: Must read: Massive security arrangements for Republic Day in New Delhi Republic Day celebrations in Dubai
Virender Sehwag attends India's Republic Day celebrations at the Indian High School, Dubai Read: Indian expats in UAE experience patriotic rush Photo by Rahul Gajjar/Khaleej Times Photo by Rahul Gajjar/Khaleej Times
Student band playing in The Indian High School, Dubai.- Photo by Rahul Gajjar/Khaleej Times Students perform during the celebrations.- Photo by Rahul Gajjar/Khaleej Times Students enacting a play.- Photo by Rahul Gajjar/Khaleej Times Students create the Indian flag in school.-Photo by Rahul Gajjar/Khaleej Times Republic Day Greetings! Proud to unfurl the National Flag pic.twitter.com/AEJJi34hvw - India in Dubai (@cgidubai) January 26, 2016
Also read: Dubai residents on being proud Indians ................................................................................................................................................... Peace cannot be discussed under shower of bullets: Indian President President Pranab Mukherjee said on the eve of Republic Day that ideally dialogue should be a continual engagement for resolving disputes among nations but peace cannot be discussed under a "shower of bullets". In significant remarks that come against the backdrop of the Pathankot attack, he also said terrorism is a war beyond any doctrine and is a "cancer which must be operated out with a firm scalpel". "There is no good or bad terrorism; it is pure evil," the President said in his address to the nation on the eve of 67th Republic Day. Mukherjee said nations will not agree on everything but the challenge today is existential because terrorists seek to undermine order by rejecting the very basis of strategic stability which are recognised borders. "If outlaws are able to unravel borders, then we are heading towards an age of chaos. There will be disputes among nations; and, as is well known, the closer we are to a neighbour, the higher the propensity for disputes. "There is a civilised way to bridge disagreements; dialogue, ideally, should be a continual engagement. But we cannot discuss peace under a shower of bullets," he said.
There will be disputes among nations; the closer we are to a neighbour the higher the propensity for disputes #PresidentMukherjee - President of India (@RashtrapatiBhvn) January 25, 2016
Tribute to brave soldiers who made supreme sacrifice of their lives in defending India's territorial integrity #PresidentMukherjee - President of India (@RashtrapatiBhvn) January 25, 2016
Warm grtgs to all in India & abroad; special grtgs to Armed Forces, Para-military Forces & Internal Security Forces #PresidentMukherjee - President of India (@RashtrapatiBhvn) January 25, 2016
26 January 1950 saw the culmination of heroic struggle of an extraordinary generation of leaders #PresidentMukherjee - President of India (@RashtrapatiBhvn) January 25, 2016
............................................................................................................................................................... Modi greets nation on Republic Day Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeted the nation on Republic Day on Tuesday and said he saluted "all great personalities who framed our constitution".
Republic Day greetings to all my fellow Indians. ??? ?????????? ?? ??????? ???? ?? ??????????...?? ????? - Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 26, 2016
"Republic Day greetings to all my fellow Indians," Modi tweeted.
Tributes to all great personalities who framed our Constitution. I salute Dr. Ambedkar for his efforts as Chairman of Drafting Committee. - Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 26, 2016
"Tributes to all the great personalities who framed our Constitution. I salute Dr. Ambedkar for his efforts as chairman of the Drafting Committee," he added.
Five facts about India's Republic Day parade French President Francois Hollande is the chief guest at India's Republic Day parade on Tuesday, a spectacular showcase of the nation's military power and cultural diversity to celebrate the adoption of the constitution in 1950. Here are five facts about India's 67th Republic Day:
After a gap of 26 years the Indian army's unsung - or unbarked - heroes are returning to the parade. A dog squad drawn from the Army's Remount Veterinary Corps will perform a march past wearing striped coats in their unit's colours of maroon and gold. The Labradors and German Shepherds usually work in the restive northern region of Kashmir detecting explosives and landmines or tracking in avalanches. Reportedly just 36 dogs out of 1,200 were chosen for the big day and underwent weeks of training.
For the first time in Republic Day history foreign troops will join the celebrations as soldiers from France's 35th Infantry Regiment, one of the country's oldest active regiments, march alongside their Indian counterparts. It is a reciprocal gesture after Indian troops marched down Paris's Champs d'Elysees on Bastille Day in 2009. But rehearsals haven't gone entirely smoothly. "Indian troopers march a little faster than us. After rigorous practice for over a week, we have tried our best to synchronise," Lieutenant Colonel Paul Bury, who is leading the contingent, told India's Firstpost.
Instead of the usual stunt men on two-wheelers - picked out as a highlight by President Obama during last year's parade - daring female motorcyclists from the Women Daredevils Central Reserve Police Force and Rapid Action Force will for the first time show off their skills on Royal Enfields in front of the crowds at Rajpath. The white-and-red helmeted daredevils were seen practising their stunts - which include the human pyramid and lotus formation - near Rashtrapati Bhavan, the presidential residence.
There was a small outcry after various newspapers suggested the camel contingent, usually a mainstay of the parade, may be dropped this year - but officials later reassured the public that the dromedaries would perform as normal. The camels, used to patrol the Thar Desert near the border with Pakistan, make the journey from Rajasthan every year to participate in the parade, accompanied by moustached border guards. They will also be seen by millions online in India in the form of a special Google Doodle showing brightly decked-out camels carrying bandsmen to mark the day.
It rained on the Republic Day parade last year, forcing President Obama to take shelter under a large umbrella, in what was said to be an embarrassment for organisers. This year the VVIP enclosure - Indian shorthand for very, very important people, including Hollande and other dignitaries - will have a motorised sliding glass roof to keep them dry, according to the Indian Express. But the roof will be rolled back for the Air Force fly past - which unfurls a vapour trail in the saffron, white and green colours of the national flag - to give them a clear view of the spectacle.
................................................................................................................................................................... French soldiers take part in parade French soldiers on Tuesday took part in the Republic Day parade at the Rajpath, creating history as it was for the first time that a foreign army contingent took part in the celebrations.
The soldiers of the 35th Infantry Regiment, which was deployed in India between 1781 and 1784, was led by Lieutenant Colonel Paul Bury. The French contingent marched on the Rajpath and they followed Lt. Gen. Rajan Ravindran, General Officer Commanding, Delhi Area. They were preceded by a band, including 48 musicians, led by Major Jean-Claude Leberruyer. The infantry contingent had 75 soldiers. ........................................................................................................................................................... Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu celebrated the 67th Republic Day with patriotic fervour on Tuesday, with Governor K. Rosaiah unfurling the tricolour at the Marina beach here. He also took the salute from the armed forces and other security forces. Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa, her ministers and a large number of people enjoyed the colourful floats.
Also read: UAE, India eye stronger trade, ties ......................................................................................................................................................... Karnataka governor unfurls tricolour in Bengaluru Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala on Tuesday unfurled the tricolour and received guard of honour to mark the 67th Republic Day here. Clad in a light grey suit, Vala boarded an open jeep and went around the Field Marshal Manekshaw parade ground in the city centre waving to about 8,000 people, including women and children who flocked to the venue on a sunny day with wintry chill still in the air.
As the white jeep went around in the rectangular shaped ground, military and police bands played and the crowds cheered Vala. Besides state Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Home Minister G. Parameshwara and Bengaluru Development Minister K.J.George, a host of VIPs, dignitaries and officials, including top police officers were present. ..............................................................................................................................................................
BSF camel contingent march on Google doodle
As a tribute on 67th Republic Day, search giant Google's doodle on Tuesday showed a march of a richly caparisoned camel contingent of the Border Security Force, a major attraction at the annual parade at the Rajpath on January 26. The doodle presents six colourfully bedecked camels with bandsmen riding their back and playing martial music, marching elegantly in one neat row as they do on the ceremonial boulevard. Each of the six camels carries a letter of the word 'Google' on their golden caparison. The BSF is the only force in the country to have these majestic and elegantly dressed four-legged animals for both operational and ceremonial duties. They are used by BSF personnel for patrolling along the Thar Desert running along the Indo-Pak International Border in Rajasthan. The 90-camel contingent, 54 with troops and the rest with band personnel, first became part of this national festival celebration in 1976 after it replaced a similar squad of the army which had been participating in the Republic Day parade since it first took place in 1950. Incidentally, the contingent this year were made to skip the Republic Day dress-rehearsals initially, sending out a signal that they won't be part of the annual parade, but the contingent were brought in for the exercise a few days before the grand event where French President Francois Hollande is the chief Guest. According to tradition, the lead camel contingent on Republic Day showcases smartly dressed and large-moustached and armed BSF border guards, the second follows with bandsmen in beautiful multi-colour dresses on the back of the camels playing martial music. The BSF camel contingent is the inheritor of the heritage of the Bikaner Royal Camel Force, known as 'Ganga Risala', and is based in the border town of Jaisalmer in Rajasthan. Every year it travels to Delhi in November to participate in the Raising Day event of the BSF on December 1 and the Republic Day parade after which it retreats to its base. The contingent is much sought after for ceremonial duties rendered by the government protocol to greet and honour foreign heads and dignitaries many times in the past and was present for welcoming US President Barack Obama at the last Republic Day parade and for entertaining the guests during the Afro-India summit held last year. Google had marked the 65th Republic Day with a doodle featuring 'Jaanbaaz', BSF's motorcycle daredevils who delight the crowd at Rajpath every January 26, in their famous pyramidal formation. ....................................................................................................................................................................
Maharashtra
The Republic Day was celebrated across Maharashtra on Tuesday with Governor C.V. Rao unfurling the national tricolour at the main state function in Shivaji Park and taking the salute at a ceremonial parade in Mumbai. Lakhs of people enthusiastically participated in various events in Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Nashik and other parts of the state. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, legislative council Chairman Ramraje Naik-Nimbalkar, legislative assembly Speaker Haribhau Bagde, Mumbai Mayor Snehal Ambekar and top officials of the armed forces and police were present at the main event here. Various units of the Indian Navy, Indian Coast Guard, CISF, State Reserve Police Force (SRPF), Mumbai Armed Police, Mumbai Women Police, Mumbai Fire Brigade, National Cadet Corps, Road Safety Patrol, Bharat Scouts and Guides and others took part in the lively march past. Attractive and colourful floats of various government departments highlighting their achievements in different fields evinced much interest in the gathering. The Mumbai Regional Congress Committee (MRCC) and the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee also organised programmes at their headquarters in Mumbai. The Western Railway, Central Railway and Konkan Railway also held their own functions in which top officials and staffers participated enthusiastically in the celebrations. Functions were also held in various government buildings, schools and colleges, housing complexes, social organisations, and at various district collectorates across the state. Major buildings in Mumbai like Mantralaya, the Western Railway and Central Railway headquarters, important landmarks and private buildings were colourfully illuminated. ....................................................................................................................................................... Bihar Bihar on Tuesday celebrated the 67th republic Day, with Governor Ram Nath Kovind hoisting the tricolour in the state capital city. The governor took salute at an impressive parade by security forces and, in a short speech, lauded the state government for development activities and combating corruption and crime. Kovind said rule of law prevailed in Bihar and motto of the Grand Alliance-led government was development of the state. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar hoisted the tricolour at his official residence in Patna. .................................................................................................................................................................. Jharkhand Jharkhand on Tuesday celebrated the 67th Republic Day, with Governor Draupdi Murmu hoisting the tricolour at Morabadi Ground here. Murmu became Jharkhand's first women governor to hoist the flag on Republic Day. She also took salute of the armed forces and other security forces. Chief Minister Raghubar Das hoisted the tricolour at the second capital, Dumka. ............................................................................................................................................................... Odisha The 67th Republic Day was celebrated in Odisha on Tuesday, with Governor S.C. Jamir hoisting the Tricolour and taking salute at a parade here. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik hoisted the national flag at the Barabati stadium in Cuttack.
In his speech, Patnaik described Odisha as a model state in the field of social security. Bollywood celebrates Republic Day Bollywood celebrities Amitabh Bachchan, Rishi Kapoor, Akshay Kumar, and Anupam Kher among others on Tuesday wished their fans and friends a Happy Republic Day, hoping that there be progress and equality in the country in the years to come.
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