As India is set to to showcase its rich cultural diversity, unity and progress, President Droupadi Murmu will lead the Nation in celebrating the 75th Republic Day from Kartavya Path, here on Friday. This year’s Republic Day will also showcase the country’s military prowess on the back of increasing indigenous capabilities, and the growing Nari Shakti. French President Emmanuel Macron will be the Chief Guest at the parade, an official statement said. Based on the twin themes of ‘Viksit Bharat’ and ‘Bharat – Loktantra ki Matruka’, this year’s parade will witness the participation of around 13,000 special guests – an initiative which will provide an opportunity to people from all walks of life to take part in the celebrations and encourage Jan Bhagidari in this national festival. For the first time ever, the parade will be heralded by over 100 women artists playing Indian musical instruments. The parade would commence with the music of Sankh, Naadswaram, Nagada, etc to be played by these women artists. It will also witness the maiden participation of an all-women Tri-Service contingent marching down the Kartavya Path. Women pilots will also enthrall the audience during the fly-past, representing Nari Shakti. The contingents of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) will also consist of only women personnel. The Republic Day parade will commence at 1030 hrs and and will be about 90 minutes. The ceremony will start with the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the National War Memorial, where he will lead the nation in paying solemn tributes to the fallen heroes by laying a wreath. Thereafter, the Prime Minister and other dignitaries will head to the saluting dais at Kartavya Path to witness the parade.
The arrival of the President of India and her French counterpart will be escorted by the President’s Bodyguard – ‘Rashtrapati Ke Angrakshak’, which is the senior most Regiment of the Indian Army. This Republic Day is special for this elite Regiment as the ‘Angrakshak’ have completed 250 years of service since its raising in 1773. The two Presidents will arrive in the ‘Traditional Buggy’, the practice which is making a comeback after a gap of 40 years. As per tradition, the National Flag will be unfurled followed by the National Anthem with a booming 21-gun salute given with indigenous gun system 105-mm Indian Field Guns. Four Mi-17 IV helicopters of 105 Helicopter Unit will shower flower petals on the audience present at Kartavya Path. This will be followed by ‘Aavaahan’, a band performance by over 100 women artists playing various types of percussion instruments, symbolising Nari Shakti. The parade will then commence with the President taking the salute. The parade will be commanded by Parade Commander, Lieutenant General Bhavnish Kumar, General Officer Commanding, Delhi Area, a second-generation Army officer. Major General Sumit Mehta, Chief of Staff, HQ Delhi Area will be the Parade Second-in-Command. The proud winners of the highest gallantry awards will follow. They include Param Vir Chakra winners Subedar Major (Honorary Captain) Yogendra Singh Yadav (Retd) & Subedar Major Sanjay Kumar (Retd), and Ashok Chakra winners Major General CA Pithawalla (Retd), Colonel D Sreeram Kumar & Lt Col Jas Ram Singh (Retd). The first part of the tableau showcases the women in the Indian Navy in All Roles and in All Ranks across the Navy while the second depicts the very first indigenous Carrier Battle Group, comprising the Aircraft Carrier Vikrant, her highly capable escort ships Delhi, Kolkata and Shivalik, the Light Combat Aircraft and Advanced Light Helicopter, the Kalvari Class Submarine and the GSAT-7, Rukmani Satellite.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) will comprise 144 airmen and four officers, led by Squadron Leader Rashmi Thakur. Squadron Leaders Sumita Yadav and Pratiti Ahluwalia and Flight Lieutenant Kirti Rohil will march past as supernumerary officers behind the Contingent Commander. The IAF tableau is on the theme ‘Bharatiya Vayu Sena: Saksham, Sashakt, Aatmanirbhar’. The tableau depicts LCA Tejas and Su-30 flying over the IOR, and a C-295 transport aircraft being flown by women aircrew in the cockpit. The GSAT- 7A positioned on the tableau represents the IAF’s incorporation of space technology in its operations. The tableau shows that IAF has been at the forefront of rendering humanitarian aid, both within and across borders. Another highlight of the parade would be the Veterans’ Tableau on the theme ‘Rashtra Nirmaan: Pehle Bhi, Ab Bhi, Aage Bhi aur Hamesha’. It will showcase the bravery and sacrifices of the Ex-servicemen in the service of the nation. Many critical systems and technologies developed by DRDO will be showcased during the parade. As an enabler of ‘Aatmanirbharta’, the valuable contribution of women scientists of DRDO in core areas of Defence Research has been significant. The DRDO tableau is based on the theme ‘Women power in protecting the nation by providing the defence shield in all 5 dimensions namely Land, Air, Sea, Cyber, and Space’. Women’s involvement in Defence R&D will be prominently highlighted in the tableau. Outstanding Scientist Sunita Devi Jena will be the Contingent Commander, with P Laxmi Madhavi, J Sujana Choudhary and A Bhuvaneswari will also be present on the tableau.
The tableau displays Man Portable Anti-tank Guided Missile (MPATGM), Anti-Satellite (ASAT) Missile, Agni-5, Surface-to-Surface Ballistic Missile, Very Short Range Air Defence System (VSHORADS), Naval Anti-Ship Missile–Short Range (NASM-SR), Anti-Tank Guided Missile ‘HELINA’, Quick Reaction Surface-to-Air Missile (QRSAM), Astra, Light Combat Aircraft ‘Tejas’, ‘Uttam’ Active Electronically Scanned Array Radar (AESAR), Advanced Electronic Warfare System ‘Shakti’, Cyber Security systems, Command Control Systems and the Semi Conductor Fabrication Facility. The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) contingent will be led by Assistant Commandant Chunauti Sharma followed by officers of the guard Assistant Commandants Priya Dahiya, Hardik and Pallavi. The women personnel of CRPF, BSF and SSB will exhibit the country’s Nari Shakti by carrying out daredevil stunts during the motorcycle display. Over 260 women will showcase their bravery, valour and determination through varied formations, including Chandrayaan, Sarvatra Suraksha, Abhivadan and Yog Se Siddhi. And then the eyes will shift from Kartvyapath to the sky where IAF’s most eagerly awaited ‘Fly-past’ will commence with a breath-taking air show by 54 aircraft and helicopters. These include three aircraft from the French Air & Space Force, 46 from the Indian Air Force, one from the Indian Navy, and four helicopters from the Indian Army. Vintage as well as modern aircraft such as Light Combat Aircraft ‘Tejas’, Rafale, Su-30, MiG-29 Upgrade, P-8I, Jaguar, Dakota, Dornier, C-17, C-130J as well as Light Combat Helicopter ‘Prachand’, Advanced Light Helicopters and Apaches will display various formations, including Tejas, Netra, Varuna, Vajraang, Trishul, Amrit, Prachand, Arjan and Tangail. The concluding Vertical Charlie maneuver will be performed by a Rafale fighter aircraft.The ceremony will culminate with the national anthem and the release of Tri-colour balloons. As the nation is celebrating 75th Republic Day, a number of unique activities have been organised.