With the themes of ‘Viksit Bharat’ and ‘Bharat-Loktantra ki Matruka,’ the 75th Republic Day Parade at Kartavya Path will be women centric, Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane said here on Friday. President of France Emmanuel Macron will be the chief guest at the parade.
A 95-member marching contingent and 33-member band contingent from France will also take part in the parade. Along with the aircraft of Indian Air Force, one Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircraft and two Rafale aircraft of the French Air Force will participate in the Fly-past.
Giving details of these highlights of the Republic Day at Kartavya Path, the defence secretary said women marching contingents will form the major chunk of the parade, with most of the tableaux of States, Union Territories (UTs) and Central Ministries and Organisations showcasing the country’s rich cultural diversity, unity and progress.
He reiterated that the themes have been selected in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s views that ‘ India is truly a mother of democracy.’
For the first time, the parade will be heralded by 100 women artists playing Indian musical instruments. The parade will commence with the music of sankh, naadswaram and nagada to be played by women artists.
The parade will also witness an all-women Tri-Service contingent marching down Kartavya Path for the first time. The CAPF contingents will also consist of women personnel. “Best representation of women will be seen in this year’s Republic Day parade,” the Defence Secretary said.
The parade will start at 1030 hrs and run for a duration of approximately 90 minutes. The seating capacity at Kartavya Path is 77,000, of which 42,000 is reserved for the general public.
Around 13,000 Special Guests have also been invited to witness the parade this year. Aramane said the objective is to provide an opportunity to the people from all walks of life to take part in the national festival, in line with the Government’s vision of jan bhagidari. He quoted the Prime Minister by saying that these guests are the pride of the country.
These Special Guests include best performers of 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), PM Krishi 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 and Central Vista Project, women Space Scientists of ISRO, Yoga Teachers (Ayushman Bharat), winners of international sports events and Paralympic medalists will also attend the parade, in addition to 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. These special guests will be prominently seated at Kartavya Path.
Aramane stated that given their tough livelihood, special emphasis was laid to include Vibrant Villages in the list of Special Guests for them to be part of the Republic Day celebrations of the country.
A total of 25 tableaux - 16 States/UTs and nine Ministries/Departments – will roll down the Kartavya Path during the parade.
Like each year, the tableaux have been selected by an expert committee comprising eminent persons in the fields of art, culture, painting, sculpture, music, architecture and choreography besides others.
The Defence Secretary informed that to address the concerns of some States/UTs over the non-inclusion of their tableau in the parade, Ministry of Defence has devised a unique three-year roll-over plan, which ensures equitable participation on a rotational basis of all states and UTs over a period of three years.
The Ministry of Culture will be showcasing ‘Anant Sutra - The Endless Thread’ textile installation at Kartavya Path. 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.
As the Nation is celebrating 75th year of its Republic this year, Ministry of Defence will release a Commemorative Coin and Commemorative Stamp during the celebrations.