The nation celebrated its 65th Republic Day on Sunday with a colorful parade that dazzled magnificent Rajpath displaying the cultural kaleidoscope and military prowess leaving thousands of spectators awestruck who cheered the contingents as they marched through the stretch from Rashtrapati Bhawan to India Gate.
Braving the fog and winter chill, people thronged either sides of the Rajpath in large numbers to witness the spectacular show. Cheer and enthusiasm ran through the crowd as President Pranab Mukherjee unfurled the tricolour to the National Anthem followed by the customary 21 gun salute. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was the chief guest on the occasion.
The well-turned out and synchronised military and police contingents led by General Officer Commanding (Delhi), lt General Subroto Mitra, marched proudly to the lilting tunes of bands through Rajpath where the Supreme Commander of the three division of Indian Armed Forces, Pranab Mukherjee, took the salute. It was also watched by Vice President Hamid Ansari, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and the country’s top political and military brass, besides the diplomatic community. Among others who witnessed the parade at Rajpath was Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal who was comfortably ensconced in the VVIP V1 enclosure along with Gandhi and Delhi’s lieutenant-Governor Najeeb Jung.
Minutes before the parade began, the Prime Minister, Defence Minister AK Antony and Chiefs of Army, Navy and Air Force 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. A massive ground-to-air security apparatus was put in place in the national Capital to ensure an incident-free Republic Day pageantry. Snipers of National Security Guard (NSG) were deployed at all highrises along the parade route.
The marchpast by various regiments like Rajputana Rifles, Assam Rifles, 9 Gorkha training centre and paramilitary forces like CRPF, BSF, CISF and others, was an enthralling experience for the crowd. The BSF camel contingent with their caparisoned ungulates kept spectators glued to their seats.
The much awaited military contingent soon followed with supersonic light Combat Aircraft, Tejas, stealing the show. Introduced as a replacement to the ageing MiG-21 fighter plane, Tejas, built by the DRDO, is believed to be the game changer for India’s defence preparedness.
Other military weapons showcased were Arjun MK-II, the mark II version of Indian Main Battle Tank; a tableau displaying Astra and Helina missiles and another tableau exhibiting unmanned systems.
Also on display were transport aircraft C-130J Super Hercules and C-17 Globemaster, the recently acquired gems in the Indian military arsenal. Indian
Army showcased T-90 tank Bheeshma, multi-launcher rocket system Smerch, BrahMos weapon system and transportable satellite terminals.
Eighteen tableaus proudly presented the vivid cultures of States like Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Maharashtra and many more. However, the Karnataka tableau stole the show depicting the valiant warrior Tipu Sultan and his life. Children from various schools kept spectators entertained with their power-packed folk dances. The tribal Hega Naga dance performed by Maharaja Agrasen school and Badhe Chalo performed by Navy Children School (Chanakyapuri) won the loudest applause. Twenty five kids, who won the National Bravery Awards 2013, participated in the parade by arriving in open Jeeps.
The spirit of the Republic Day reached its peak with the spellbinding flypast by the Indian Air Force planes and daredevil motorcycle performance by BSF men. The crowd climbed up the chairs in joy to wave at the flying heroes and the 30 bikers who displayed their derring-do. The impressive parade culminated at the Red Fort, a magnificent Mughal era monument. As the spectacular air and roadshow ended, just like the beginning, the National Anthem marked the closure of the 65th Republic Day celebrations. Just as people were about to disperse, hundreds of tricoloured gas balloons were released up in the air.