Republic Day of India, which is celebrated on 26th January every year, marks the day on which the 'Constitution of India' was adopted. In the year 1950, on this very day, the country made its transition, from a 'British Dominion' to a 'Republic'. Today, as we look back into the past, we see that India has come a long way from being a 'newly independent nation' to 'one of the fastest-growing economies of the world'. In the past sixty years, the country has grown by leaps and bounds, be it in technology, transport and communication or industrial advancement.
One of the three national holidays in India, Republic Day is celebrated with great pomp and show every year. The main feature of the celebration is a grand parade that is organized in the capital city of New Delhi. The parade starts from Raisina Hill, near the Rashtrapati Bhavan (President's Palace), and ends at the historic Red Fort. On the way, it passes through Rajpath and India Gate. It is at India Gate that the President of India, who is the Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Armed Forces, takes the salute.
Republic Day Parade, which includes vibrant displays and floats taken out by various states and regions, seeks to bring across the varied cultures of India. Broadcast nationwide, on radio as well television, it traditionally ends with a fly-past by Indian Air Force jets. Apart from the Republic Day Parade at India Gate, organized at the national level, celebrations also take place at the state level. In the latter case, the Governor of the state unfurls the National Flag in the state capital. In his absence, the Chief Minister of the state assumes the honor.
On this Republic Day, where India celebrates the 60th year of her Constitution, the celebrations will be grander than ever. This year, Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev will be the chief guest at the India Gate celebrations. In India, on a four-day state visit, he will be accompanied by a high-level delegation, including Foreign Minister Marat Tazhin and many business representatives. With this, India will be hosting the first leader from the Central Asian region as the Chief Guest of Republic Day celebrations.
The 60th Republic Day of India will see 18 tableaux roll down Rajpath. They will showcase the incredible diversity and rich cultural legacy of the country, right from the folk culture of Mithila to the Gair dance of Rajasthan and the fauna of Kaziranga and Ranthambore National Parks. Twelve of the tableaux will be from different Indian states, while the rest six will belong to the central government’s ministries and departments. The number of tableaux has been down, from 26 of the last year, to accommodate larger number of gallantry award winners
All the 18 tableaux will present different aspects of India. For instance, Jammu and Kashmir tableau has been made with a focus on tourism, portraying Ladakh monastery, a group of mask dancers, a plush houseboat and dancers performing the Kud dance of Jammu's mountain ranges. While Bihar tableau will be based around the folk culture of Mithila, the one from Tripura will provide us a glimpse of the bamboo handicrafts made there. National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), participating in the parade for the first time, will have various aspects of disaster management and ways of handling them, in its tableau.
