Thousands of hearts beat in unison as India’s military might and rich cultural diversity unfolded during the sparkling Republic Day celebrations at Rajpath on Thursday. Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Guest of Honour at the 68th Republic Day parade, was seen applauding the smartly turned out contingents as India displayed its military might with indigenously made advanced weapon systems.
light rain and overcast skies failed to dampen the enthusiasm of thousands of spectators, who witnessed the nearly one-and-half hour-long parade that marched down the majestic Rajpath, India’s ceremonial boulevard, amid unprecedented security cover. A major highlight of the parade was 149-member marching contingent from UAE — comprising personnel from Presidential Guards, the Air Force, the Navy and Army. They were led by a band comprising 35 musicians from that country.
Minutes before the parade began, Prime Minister Narendra Minister, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar 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 the memory of those who laid down their lives defending the nation’s frontiers.
The 68th Republic Day was not only a debut for Tejas, an indigenous fighter jet and the National Security Guards (NSG), especially selected from an array of tough personnel from the Armed Forces, the smart turnout and immaculate march-past by different contingents brought rapturous applause from the spectators and the VVIPs.
love for the nation and the rights of the people, these two factors were the key emotions which dominated the lush greenery of historic Rajpath on a sultry Thursday morning.
Despite an inclement weather in the national Capital a night before the 68th Republic Day, there was a huge turnout from the all walks of life, who incessantly clapped during the 90-minute impressive parade of the Indian Armed Forces with full regalia.
The influx of the visitors was facilitated by an air tight security cover and traffic arrangements by the Delhi Police. Seated amid an overflowing crowd, which swelled by each passing minute, it was the entry of Prime Minister Narendra Modi that caught the attention of the people as they greeted him with a thunderous applause.
Ceremony began with the arrival of the Chief Guest, Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan of the UAE, who is also the Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces. The Crown Prince was accompanied by President Pranab Mukherjee.
The President also gave away the Ashoka Chakra, India’s highest peacetime gallantry award, to Hangpan Dada of Rashtrita Rifles posthumously.
Beginning from the display of the Armed Forces, the Indian Navy, the Indian Air Force and their technological advancements, the people, standing atop the chairs, lustily cheered the NSG Black Cat Commandos as they marched past the Saluting Pad.
The grandeur of the parade was further heightened by the perfectly coordinated men in uniform marching from the Vijay Chowk till the end of the parade route at Red Fort. A sight for the common man, the maximum cheers were accorded to the bearded personnel from the Rajasthan Regiment strutting with their camels.
The desert king too was decked in hues of vibrant colours and their walk synchronised with the men atop the camels.
The grand finale of the parade was a spectacular flypast by the Indian Air Force which displayed various formations like ‘Chakra’ and ‘Vic’ leaving the spectators spell-bound. The ‘Hercules’ formation comprising three C-130J Super Hercules aircraft also drew loud cheers.
The theme of IAF tableau was “Air Dominance Through Network Centric Operations” and it displayed the scaled down models of Su-30 MKI, Mirage-2000, AWACS, UAV, Apache and Communication Satellite.
The Indian Navy’s tableau showcased the lethal Marine Commandos proceeding for action, the indigenously built Kolkata Class Destroyer and the Kalvari Class next generation attack submarines. It also showcased a model of the P-8I long Range Maritime Patrol Aircraft.
As per tradition, after unfurling the National Flag, the National Anthem was played followed by a 21 gun salute.
The parade was commanded by lt General Manoj Mukund Naravane, General Officer Commanding, Delhi Area.
The marching contingents of Army included horse-mounted columns of the 61st Cavalry, the Mechanised Infantry Regiment, the Bihar Regiment, the 39 Gorkha Training Centre, 58 Gorkha Training Centre, the Madras Engineering Group and Centre and 103 Infantry Battalion.
The Navy contingent comprised 144 young sailors and was led by lieutenant Aparna Nair.
The paramilitary and other auxiliary civil forces and Delhi Police participated in the magnificent parade that filled the hearts of each and every present at the rajpath with pride.
Post the march past by the regiments from the Gorkha Regiment, Punjab Regiment and the Bihar Regiment, the vibrant hues of the Republic Day celebrations were also seen in the magnificent display of the different States. Starting from Orissa, it was the tableaux of Arunachal Pradesh, the Yak Dance, which caught the attention of the masses. Followed by which, the tableaux of the selected States, which featured Delhi for the first time, drew a lot of interest from the masses. However, maximum cheers were received by the tableaux of the States of lakshwadeep and Goa, followed by Punjab, Himachal Pradesh.
Post the exit of the tableaux, it was the patriotic dances exhibited by the schoolchildren from Chirag Dilli which was also duly applauded.
The cultural diversity exhibited by the tableaux drew a lot of cheers. The fervour was equally maintained when the security personnel in white uniform dazed and left everyone amazed with their breath-taking bike stunts.
Amidst cheers, a woman giving a voice over slightly mentioned, “Maza aaya na,” to which the crowds erupted into fits of laughter.
Standing atop the stools placed by the CPWD, the crowd who had been patiently waiting for the Tejas, the indigenous fighter jet, glanced at the foggy sky. The wait for Tejas ended on a happy note when the crowds witnessed the entry of three jet planes piercing through the dimly lit sky.
Within a few minutes of the debut of Tejas, the Rain Gods too expressed their content and it started pouring like cats and dogs 15 minutes after the fighter jets and its accompanying contingents left the air space.
Jostling for a perfect capture, it was the undeterring spirit of the common man to keep going irrespective of the harsh weather conditions which further motivated the spirits of the security agency personnel in place.
While the tableaux exhibited our varied cultural heritage, it was campaigns like Skill India which also mesmerised the masses. The Skill India Campaign, one of the key highlights during the Republic Day celebrations showcased the convergence, coordination, implementation and monitoring skill activities across India. The Campaign completed a pilot project to skill and imparts training to 56 retired IAF personnel and another project where 70 sailors of the Indian Navy have been trained.