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Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro and President of India Ram Nath Kovind left as the 71st Republic Day parade concluded on Sunday, 26 January.
The celebrations witnessed display of India's military prowess at the parade, where Apache and Chinook helicopters also made their debut. Meanwhile, states displayed their tableaux, ranging across different themes.
India is celebrating its 71st Republic Day today. Bolsonaro, who is the chief guest for the function, is on a four-day visit to India. He was given a ceremonial welcome at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in the presence of Kovind and Modi.
Anti-satellite weapon 'Shakti', lethal artillery gun 'Dhanush', and newly-inducted helicopters Apache and Chinook were among the key military assets showcased by India for the first time at the Republic Day parade on Sunday, 26 January.
Scaled down models of IAF's Rafale aircraft and Indian Navy's Kolkata-class stealth destroyer and a Kalvari-class submarine were also displayed during the ceremonial event.
A marching contingent of the Corps of Army Air Defence was also part for parade for the first time.
Beating the retreat ceremony begins at the Attari-Wagah border on Republic Day. The ceremony is marked with a parade by the soldiers from the Indian and Pakistani army and ends with the perfect coordination of lowering of the flags of the two nations.
A clash broke out between police personnel and BJP youth wing workers in Howrah, West Bengal after police stopped them from performing 'Bharat Mata Puja' to mark the Republic Day celebrations.
In West Bengal, a clash break out between police personnel and BJP youth wing workers in Howrah after police stopped them from performing 'Bharat Mata Puja' on Republic Day.
In Himachal Pradesh, Deputy Commissioner Lahaul-Spiti KK Saroch unfurled the national flag in Keylong, Lahaul-Spiti district, at an altitude of over 10,000 feet, during Republic Day celebrations.
Khureji Women wear tricolour Hijab and Bangles at Khureji Protest today to celebrate Republic day.
The Tourism Ministry has now devised a way to give everyone a chance to witness the grandeur of these tableaux even after Republic Day.
In one of its biggest events of the year, the Tourism Ministry will be showcasing all 22 tableaux at the 'Bharat Parv' organised in the lawns of the Red Fort. The tableaux will kept from 25 to 31 January for visitors at the festival to see them, click pictures and take selfies.
Along with tableaux, the event will also feature special band performances by all three armed forces and will in a way extend Republic Day celebrations for visitors.
The festival is set to host several cultural performances with the splendour of the Red Fort as a backdrop.
“This is going to an extended Republic day celebration,” a senior tourism official told IANS.
In Lucknow, people protest against Citizenship Amendment Act at Clock Tower and hoist the national flag on Republic Day.
West Bengal governor Jagdeep Dhankhar unfurled the Tricolour and took the ceremonious salute in Kolkata as the eastern state joined the rest of the nation in celebrating India's 71st Republic Day.
Amid heightened security, Dhankhar inspected a guard of honour. The national anthem “Jana Gana Mana” reverberated across the arterial Indira Gandhi Sarani and kickstarted a colourful march-past.
Units from the army, navy and air force took part in the customary parade displaying sophisticated weapons and logistical equipment in the presence of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, her ministerial colleagues, Speaker Biman Bandopadhyay, senior bureaucrats and police officers, and members of the diplomatic corps, reports IANS.
Jamia Millia Islamia University Vice Chancellor Najma Akhtar hoists the tricolour flag on 71st Republic Day.
In Punjab, Border Security Force (BSF) Commandant Mukund Kumar Jha hoists the national flag at Attari-Wagah border, in Amritsar today.
In Delhi, NCC's 3 Delhi Girls Battalion cadets present guard of honour to Vice-Chancellor M Jagdesh Kumar at Jawaharlal Nehru University.
“This is the first time that we have established a girl's unit in JNU. 15 cadets participated in the guard of honour,” said the VC.
President of India Ram Nath Kovind and President of Brazil Jair Bolsonaro leave as the Republic Day parade concludes.
Su-30 MKIs of Indian Air Force execute the 'Trishul' manoeuvre. The formation is being led by Group Captain Nishit Ohri. The captains of the other two aircraft are Wing Commander Nilesh Dixit and Wing Commander Karan Dogra.
Five Apache helicopters flying in, the formation is led by Group Captain Mannarath Shylu VM, Commanding Officer 125 Helicopter Squadron.
Twenty-one women on five motorcycles make a human pyramid. Assistant Sub Inspector Anita Kumari VV leads this formation.
In Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, Republic Day celebration is underway at legislative assembly complex.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi witnesses Garba, the folk dance of Gujarat, being performed at Rajpath by 150 girls from different schools of the state.
In Delhi, the tableau of Jammu and Kashmir being showcased at the Republic Day parade. Jammu and Kashmir government’s ‘Back to Village’ program is the theme of the union territory's tableau, this year.
Mobile phone services were snapped in Kashmir today as a precautionary measure for enuring smooth passage of Republic Day celebrations in the valley, officials said.
While mobile internet services were suspended hours after their restoration on Saturday, mobile phone connectivity was suspended in the early hours of Sunday, they said.
Suspension of mobile phone and Internet services on Republic and Independence days has been part of the security drill in the valley since 2005 when militants used a mobile phone to trigger an IED blast near the venue of Independence day celebrations, reports PTI.
Tableau of Himachal Pradesh showcases the Kullu Dussehra festival and the tableau of Madhya Pradesh depicts the Tribal Museum of state.
Telangana tableaux depicts Bathukamma, a floral festival of the state and tableaux of Assam depicts bamboo and cane crafts from the state.
The Indian Navy showcases its assets like Boeing P8I Long Range Maritime Patrol aircraft and the Kolkata Class Destroyer and the Kalvari Class submarine. The indigenous aircraft carrier Vikrant under construction at the Cochin Shipyard.
The display of Naval Brass Brand at the Republic Day parade at Rajpath in Delhi.
Sikh Light Infantry Regiment is led by Major Anjum Gorka of 6th Battalion of the Sikh Light Infantry Regiment. The motto of the Regiment is ‘Deg Teg Fateh’ and the war cry is ‘Jo Bole So Nihal, Sat Shri Akal.’
In Delhi, the battle tank of the Indian Army, T- 90 Bhishma, is commanded by Captain Sunny Chahar of 86 Armoured Regiment, at the Rajpath.
The K-9 VAJRA-T commanded by Captain Abhinav Sahu of 269 Medium Regiment, at Rajpath.
In Delhi, Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, his wife Gursharan Kaur, Chief Justice of India SA Bobde, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and others at Rajpath for Republic Day celebrations.
In Delhi, President of India Ram Nath Kovind unfurls the national flag on 71st Republic Day at Rajpath.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived at Rajpath where Republic Day parade will begin shortly. Chief guest of the day Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro has also aarived.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday paid homage to the fallen soldiers at the newly-built National War Memorial in Delhi on the Republic Day for the first time instead of the Amar Jawan Jyoti beneath the India Gate arch.
The iconic memorial in the India Gate complex behind the canopy was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 25 last year.
CDS Gen Bipin Rawat, Army Chief Gen Naravane, Navy Chief Admiral Karambir Singh, Air Force Chief Air Marshal RKS Bhaduria present.
In Delhi, crowds in large numbers have arrived at Rajpath to witness the 71st Republic Day parade.
In Mumbai, Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Uddhav Thackeray hoists the national flag at his residence.
Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh hoists the national flag at his residence in Delhi.
In Odisha’s Bhubaneswar, Governor Ganeshi Lal hoists the tricolour.
“Wish you all the best of Republic Day. The Republic Day also reminds the sacrifices of freedom fighters and conscious of constitutional duties. This national festival provides an opportunity to commit to introspection and achieve the dreams and goals of great patriots,” Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath tweeted.
BJP President Jagat Prakash Nadda hoists the tricolour at party headquarters in Delhi today.
Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel with the national flag celebrating Republic Day at 17,000 feet in snow today. The temperature in Ladakh at present is minus 20 degrees Celsius. They chanted ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ and ‘Vande Mataram,’ reported ANI.
In Chennai, Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit unfurls the national flag. Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam are also present.
With the 71st Republic Day celebrations set to begin in Delhi shortly, the entire national capital has been put under a multi-layered, ground-to-air security cover with thousands of armed personnel keeping a tight vigil over it, including the celebration venue Rajpath.
Aided by dozens of drones in the air and hundreds of CCTV cameras and facial recognition devices, besides several anti-aircraft guns on the ground, the security personnel are keeping a hawk-eyed vigil over Rajpath, where President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be celebrating the occasion along with chief guest, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, and other dignitaries, besides thousands of citizens.
Over ten thousand security personnel have been deployed to keep vigil over the Republic Day celebrations on Sunday, said officials, reported PTI.
In Delhi’s Shaheen Bagh, the tricolour was unfurled on the morning of Republic Day today.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi kickstarted Republic day with his wishes today. He wrote, “Wishing everyone a happy Republic Day. Jai Hind!”
India's military might, rich cultural diversity and socio-economic progress will be on full display during the 71st Republic Day celebrations at the Rajpath in New Delhi, according to PTI.
Anti-satellite weapon Shakthi, Army's battle tank Bhishma, infantry combat vehicles and newly inducted Chinook and Apache helicopters of the Indian Air Force will be part of the grand military parade.
The national capital has been brought under a massive ground-to-air security cover, with thousands of police and paramilitary personnel keeping a hawk-eye vigil.
The entry and exit at some of the metro stations in central Delhi will be closed for a few hours in the morning of Republic Day on Sunday due to security reasons, officials said, according to PTI.
Entry and exit facilities at Central Secretariat and Udyog Bhawan metro stations will not be available from 6 am to 12 pm, they said.
Meanwhile, entry and exit at Patel Chowk and Lok Kalyan Marg metro stations will be closed from 8:45 am to 12 noon.
Hundreds of people from different communities are likely to form an 11-km-long human chain from the north to the south of Kolkata on Republic Day "to uphold unity and protect the Constitution", organisers said on Saturday.
The human chain from Shyambazaar in the north to Golpark in the southern part of the city will be formed at noon for 10 minutes, said organisers United Interfaith Foundation India (UIFI), an inter-faith group comprising leaders of different religious communities in the state.
Ahead of the Republic Day, the government announced names of twenty-one Padma Shri awardees for this year. This is the fourth highest civilian award in the country and the awardees.
Nine of the awardees are social workers from different states like Popratrao Pawar from Maharashtra for ecological conservation, Usha Chaumar from Rajasthan for her fight against the practice of manual scavenging, Abdul Jabbar from Madhya Pradesh for fighting for rehabilitation of Bhopal Gas Tragedy and others.
Others from the field of medicine and agriculture will also be receiving the Padma Shri this year.
The Delhi Police issued a traffic advisory for the Republic Day celebrations listing out the routes to avoid during the Republic Day Parade that will be held between 9 am to 12:30 pm.
Delhi Police have also shared a 24-hour helpline number: 01125844444 (along with the regular 112 number).
It also made announcements regarding Delhi Metro and bus service restrictions.
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation has also announced that all its parking lots will remain closed from 6 am on January 25 to 2 pm on January 26 as part of the security arrangements.
The Jammu and Kashmir Police has been given the maximum number of gallantry honours with 108 medals, followed by the CRPF 76, on the occasion of the 71st Republic Day, according to an official order on Saturday.
The Jharkhand Police has been given 33 Prime Minister’s Gallantry medals. The medals are declared biannually on the eve of Republic Day and Independence Day.
The Republic Day celebrations this year will mark a series of firsts, from changes in some old traditions to the introduction of new ones.
The DRDO has announced that an Anti-Satellite (ASAT) missile will be part of the Republic Day display this year, for the first time.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will pay homage to India’s fallen soldiers at the National War Memorial. Till now, the ceremony was conducted at the Amar Jawan Jyoti at India Gate.
Captain Tania Shergill will be a parade adjutant for the Republic Day parade, continuing her streak, as she had previously been the first ever woman officer to lead an all male marching contingent during the Army Day parade.
Controversy's favourite child, Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro is India's 71st Republic Day's chief guest. He arrived in India on 24 January for a four-day visit. He will be the third Brazilian President to attend the Republic Day celebrations. Bolsonaro is expected to try to boost bilateral relations between Brazil and India.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal read out the Preamble of the Constitution at the Republic Day celebration at Chhatrasal Stadium on Saturday and asserted that the responsibility of protecting the Constitution lies with citizens of the country.
In his address at the 71st Republic Day celebration by the Delhi government, Kejriwal said,
Thousands of security personnel have been deployed and CCTV cameras installed ahead of the Republic Day celebrations.
As per reports, sharpshooters and snipers will be deployed atop high-rise buildings to keep a watch on the 8km-long parade route from Rajpath to the Red Fort on January 26.
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