This year too the Republic day parade celebration did the country proud with many firsts! There was the usual pomp and jubiliation as the various state parades presented themselves. Padma awards were presented and the Goa tablau at Rajpath won a lot of appreciation. The celebration took place with Covid protocol in place and with no more than 5,000 people at the venue — Children below 15 years were not allowed to attend and everyone who attended had to show that they were double-vaccinated. All seating observed physical distancing!

By Asma Torgal

THE 73rd Republic Day parade at Rajpath in New Delhi commenced on Wednesday, January 26, 2022. Like every year this year too Delhi’s Rajpath showcased its military valour and cultural pomp to mark the celebration of the 75th year of Independence as part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations.

WITH various precautionary measures for COVID-19 and limited entries for the public, the national flag was unfurled followed by the national anthem with a flourishing 21-gun salute. The parade began with President Ram Nath Kovind taking the salute. The parade was commanded by parade commander Lieutenant General Vijay Kumar Mishra and Ati Vishisth Seva Medal who is a second-generation army officer.
Ahead of the event Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to India’s martyred soldiers at the National War Memorial. The parade, led by Lieutenant General Vijay Kumar Mishra, started after the tricolour was unfurled with a 21-gun salute. The winners of the country’s highest gallantry awards, Param Vir Chakra and Ashok Chakra, led the parade contengent in saluting the President Kovind who is he the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces.
President Kovind posthumously awarded the Ashok Chakra to Assistant Sub-Inspector Babu Ram, who was killed fighting terrorists in Kashmir. The officer’s wife received the award on his behalf. The showcasing of the security forces were followed by the colourful cultural tableaux from the various states of India and they depicted the cultural diversity, with themes ranging from independence to biodiversity. Twenty-one tableaux, 12 of various states and Union Territories, nine ministries were showcased at the Republic Day grand show. Amongst the special tableaux were those of the Jal Jeevan Mission initiative. It was a tribute Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.
The grand flypast began with the Dhwaj formation with four Mi-17 aircraft and concluded with 17 Jaguar fighter aircraft flying in Amrit formation to commemorate 75 years of independence. To give people a bird’s eye view of the celebration, two 360-degree cameras were installed, one at Rajpath and the other on the top of India Gate. Mesmerising footage from cameras fitted on board the aircraft was featured as part of the fly-past. It gave viewers a glimpse of what the pilots saw from their cockpit were looking at. For the first time viewers got the feel of a cockpit atmosphere while watching the flypast on Republic Day on their TVs, smartphones and smartphones.
A flypast of 75 aircraft and helicopters was showcased to mark the 75th year of independence, which was the highlight of this year’s parade. Goan heritage also featured in the parades and this time is showcased the theme “Symbols of Goan Heritage.” It was a three-part tableau with the front portion depicting Fort Aguada (a historical legacy of 450 years), the middle featured had the Martyrs’ Memorial at Azad Maidan in capital city Panaji, as it symbolises selfless sacrifice made by numerous freedom fighters during the Liberation years of Goa. Finally, the lotus was placed at the top of the memorial, and the rear portion of the tableau had a model of the Dona Paula hillock which has become famous as a prominent tourist attraction over the years.
Other highlights of the Republic Day include: The evolution of the Indian army uniforms and rifles over the decades and this was evident in the parades. Three contingents of the army wore uniforms and carried rifles from previous decades, one wore the new combat uniform and carried the latest Tavor rifles. Then the Shaurya Smriti China with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s signature on it was handed over to the families who were gallantry awardees at their villages and homes.
Shivangi Singh, India’s first woman Rafale fighter jet pilot, was on the IAF tableau in the parade, as was Shivangi Singh, also a second woman fighter jet pilot. Approximately 480 selected dancers representing diverse genres and selected through nationwide dance competitions performed in the parade.
The 73rd Republic Day celebrations concluded with heart-throbbing aerial displays and balancing acts. A crowd of around 7,000 people were at the venue to witness the occasion right until the President Ram Nath Kovind left the venue and the momentous congratulations and jubiliations came to a close.