India’s Republic Day celebrations began from January 23 with the celebration of Parakram Divas, which marks the birthday of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.
On the occasion of Netaji’s 126th birth anniversary, Prime Minister Narendra Modi named 21 islands of Andaman and Nicobar after Param Vir Chakra awardees.
ALSO READ: ‘No Sir…I Will Get These Bastards’: Read Tales of Valour of Param Virs Honoured With Island Names
The Republic Day rehearsals also took place on Monday starting from Vijay Chowk and the parade passed via the Kartavya Path, C-Hexagon, the roundabout statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Tilak Marg, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, and Netaji Subhas Marg before concluding at the Red Fort.
Here’s why Republic Day Parade on January 26 will be different this time:
- This will be the first Republic Day celebrations hosted at the ceremonial boulevard after Rajpath was renamed Kartavya Path last year.
- The government has allowed only 45,000 spectators – around 64% cutback from pre-Covid number of 1.25 lakh. As many as 32,000 seats are available for the people. For the first time, all official invites for the ceremonial event will be sent online.
- The Garud Special Forces of the Indian Air Force will be marching on the Kartavya Path during the parade for the first time. Squadron Leader PS Jaitawat will be leading the Garud team as part of the IAF contingent and Squadron Leader Sindhu Reddy will be the contingent commander, ANI reported.
- Around 1,000 special invitees for the parade include workers of the Central Vista project, maintenance workers of Kartavya Path, vegetable vendors, rickshaw pullers, small grocery shop owners, and milk booth workers.
- For the first time the Egyptian Army is participating as a Foreign Contingent. The contingent will have 144 personnel participating in the parade. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi is the Chief Guest of the 74th Republic Day celebrations.
- All Indian Army equipment on display at the Republic Day parade this year is ‘Made in India’. The 21 Gun Salute will be through indigenously made 105 mm Indian Field Guns (IFGs). The ammunition has also been produced indigenously, the Army said in a statement.
- Out of fifty aircraft that will take part in the Republic Day celebrations this year include the Navy’s IL-38 which will be showcased at the event for the first and perhaps the last time. IL-38 is a maritime reconnaissance aircraft of the Indian Navy that has served for nearly 42 years. “It will be showcased during the Republic Day celebrations here for the first time and perhaps the last time. It will be among the 50 aircraft that will take part in the event,” a IAF official said.
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