India Dazzles in 75th R-Day Parade

The R-Day Parade on Friday, January 26th, 2024, was replete with a glowing variety of items on display, emphasising the themes of Women Empowerment, Military Strength and Unity in Diversity.

The Location

India’s Platinum Jubilee Republic Day proceedings opened with President Draupadi Murmu hoisting the national flag at 8 am at the Kartavya Path - close to the Honorable Figurehead’s residence of the Rashtrapati Bhavan. 2 ½ hours later, the main event of the day began from Smt. Murmu’s palatial lodgings and proceeded to the Raj Path. 

The Numbers

The Parade’s venue saw about 77,000 people in attendance, out of which 42,000 comprised the general public. 

Pre-Parade Rituals

Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the nation in paying tribute to Indian martyrs and brave heart soldiers by laying a wreath at the National War Memorial. The PM then joined Chief Guest - French President Emmanuel Macron – and President Murmu, who unfurled the Indian flag. This was immediately followed by the national anthem and a 21-gun salute.

Parade Opening and Military Display

Marking a first, the parade kicked off with a group of 100 lady artists performing on musical instruments. The “Aavaahan” symbolising Nari Shakti (Women Power) featured various types of percussion. Then came the winners of the highest military awards, followed by a horsed cavalry regiment (the only across the globe), which led an Indian army contingent.

Representative soldiers of the French Foreign Legion were next in the march past. They were followed by India’s oldest infantry regiment – The Madras Regiment – and an all-women group from the Armed Forces Medical Corps. Winding up the segment was the Border Security Force (BSF) Brass Band and Camel Contigent. 

Regional and Cultural Floaters

From India’s vibrant North East came a tableau depicting Manipur’s ancient Ima Keithel tradition, where women extract fibres from lotus stems and make yarn. Next up, the colourful Hariyana floater symbolised the female-empowering theme “Mera Parivar, Meri Pehchan” (My Family, My Identity). From Madhya Pradesh also came the message of a strong, self-reliant woman, by displaying the country’s first woman fighter pilot and female artists, weavers, masons and raagi (millet) farmers. 

The moving portrayal of Arunachal Pradesh was one of a biodiversity hotspot. Then, Tamil Nadu’s floater depicted Kudavolai – an old and effective electoral system, with sculptural depictions of the selection process. Chattisgarh’s moving display exuded tribal democratic values of their 600-year-old Muria Darbar Parliament. This was followed by Uttar Pradesh’s artistic exhibition denoting the state’s vision for Viksit Bharat or a Developed Nation. Closing the segment, Gujarat creatively flexed its growing potential for tourism with an appealing representation of the UN-recognised Dhordo village.

Other Items on the Programme

Raising an appreciative clamour were a group of lady motor-bikers from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), and the BSF as they showcased their skills at performing various stunts. This was followed by an impressive display of the India Air Force’s manoeuvring capabilities. Also on the itinerary was a dazzling exhibition of India’s military might, which included samples of missiles, surveillance gadgets and lethal weapon systems. 

India’s milestone Republic Day’s Parade was every ounce the spectacle it had planned to be. The participants and planners as well the spectators helped make it a most memorable occasion and a much-needed booster for Indian morale and pride. It also served as a tribute to the legacy that the nation’s founding fathers have left in their wake. 

Rahul Gandhi's R-Day Message

Opposition Leader and Congress Party stalwart Rahul Gandhi fittingly summed up the underlying message of the day’s festivities by posting, “Our great constitution, which unites the dreams of the freedom movement, is the soul of the Indian Republic. Protection of the fundamental principles of the Constitution and loyalty to them is the true tribute to the immortal freedom fighters. Best wishes to all the countrymen on Republic Day. Jai Hind.”