India celebrates its 65th Republic Day celebrations
New Delhi: India’s rich cultural heritage, its achievements in diverse fields and military prowess were on majestic display at the magnificent Rajpath, the ceremonial boulevard, here on Sunday as the nation celebrated its 65th Republic Day amid tight security.
The march past was watched by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, the chief guest of the Republic Day celebrations, Vice-President Hamid Ansari, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and the country’s top political and military brass, besides the diplomatic community.
A massive ground-to-air security apparatus was put in place in the national capital to ensure an incident-free Republic Day celebrations. Snipers of National Security Guard were deployed at all high-rises along the parade route.
Around 25,000 security personnel were deployed across the city while the commandos of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police and Delhi Police kept vigil at important locations.
The unfurling of the tricolour by the President and playing of the national anthem were followed by a customary 21-gun salute. Among others who witnessed the parade at Rajpath was Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
The parade began shortly after Mukherjee and Abe arrived at the saluting base at Rajpath escorted by the President’s bodyguards riding bedecked horses.
Before commencement of the parade, Sub Inspector K Prasad Babu of Andhra Pradesh’s counter-Maoist force was posthumously conferred the highest peacetime gallantry award Ashok Chakra. Babu was honoured for an anti-Naxal operation during which he led an assault unit of Greyhounds (anti-Naxal force of Andhra Pradesh) near Andhra-Chhattisgarh border.
The main attractions of the parade were scintillating show of air power, fascinating tableaux depicting the diverse culture and dance by colourfully dressed schoolchildren.
A highlight of this year’s parade was the display of India’s first indigenously developed Light Combat Aircraft Tejas. Tejas is a fourth generation, supersonic, multi-role combat aircraft designed and developed by DRDO.
