New Delhi:
India will commemorate the 80th Independence Day today, a red-letter day in the history of the country, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi set to lead the celebrations at the Red Fort complex amid patriotic fervour and multi-layer security.
For the first time, the National Song, ‘Vande Mataram’, will be rendered during the Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort.
Ceremonial events are scheduled to be held at state capitals and other cities and towns across the country, which will include flag-hoisting followed by cultural performances.
The main function will be held at the Red Fort complex and Prime Minister Modi will lead the celebrations.
The mega function is set to commemorate 150 years of the enduring legacy of the National Song, ‘Vande Mataram’, and “celebrate the energy, aspirations and pivotal contribution of ‘Yuva Shakti’ in driving India’s journey towards Viksit Bharat by 2047”, the defence ministry said on Thursday.
Upon his arrival at the Red Fort, PM Modi will be received by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, his deputy Sanjay Seth and Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh.
The defence secretary will introduce the General Officer Commanding (GOC), Delhi Area, Lt Gen Rajesh Sethi, to the prime minister.
The GOC will then conduct the prime minister to the saluting base where a combined Inter-Services and Delhi Police Guard will present general salute to PM Modi. Thereafter, the prime minister will inspect the guard of honour, the ministry earlier said in a statement.
The Guard of Honour contingent for the prime minister will consist of one officer and 24 personnel each from the Army, Navy, Air Force and the Delhi Police.
A full-dress rehearsal of the event was held at the Red Fort on Thursday.
The Indian Army is the coordinating service for the Independence Day celebrations this year. The guard of honour will be commanded by Lt Col Arjun Singh. The Army contingent in the Prime Minister’s Guard will be commanded by Maj Aditya Sharma, the naval contingent by Lt Cdr Neelam Rana and the Air Force contingent by Sqn Ldr Vipin Kumar. The Delhi Police contingent will be commanded by Additional DCP Vineet Kumar, it said.
After inspecting the guard of honour, the prime minister will proceed to the ramparts of the Red Fort. The GOC, Delhi Area, will conduct the prime minister to the dais on the ramparts to hoist the national flag.
“Capt Sonia Singh Chauhan will assist the prime minister in hoisting the national flag. It will be synchronised with the 21-gun salute by the valiant gunners of the 1721 Field Battery (Ceremonial),” the statement said.
The ceremonial battery, utilising the indigenous 105mm Light Field Guns, will be commanded by Maj Pawan Singh Shekhawat and the gun position officer will be Naib Subedar (Assistant Instructor in Gunnery) Anuthosh Sarkar.
“The National Flag Guard, comprising one officer and 32 other ranks each from the Army, Navy and Air Force and Delhi Police, will present the Rashtriya Salute at the time of hoisting of the national flag by the prime minister. Maj Lokendra Singh Shekhawat will be in command of this Inter-Services Guard and Police Guard,” the ministry said.
After being hoisted, the tricolour will receive a ‘Rashtriya Salute’.
“The Army band, consisting of one JCO and 25 other ranks, will play the tune of ‘Vande Mataram’ and the National Song will be sung by everyone present at Red Fort. It will be followed by the recitation of the National Anthem. The band will be conducted by Subedar Ishwar Singh,” it said.
As soon as the national flag is hoisted by the prime minister, flower petals will be showered at the venue by two Mi-17 helicopters of the Indian Air Force — one trooping the national flag and the other carrying a flag depicting ‘Vande Mataram’. The captains of the helicopters will be Wg Cdr Rajat and Sqn Ldr Ankit Varshney, the statement said.
After the showering of flower petals, the prime minister will address the nation.
At the conclusion of his speech, 2,500 National Cadet Corps (NCC) cadets and My Bharat volunteers will sing the National Song, ‘Vande Mataram’, followed by the National Anthem.
The NCC cadets and My Bharat volunteers will be seated on Gyanpath, opposite the ramparts forming the words ‘Vande Mataram’. View cutters depicting the theme ‘Viksit Bharat @2047’ will be installed at Gyanpath.
For the first time, ‘Vande Mataram’ will be rendered during the Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort, the ministry said.
Nearly 5,000 special guests from different walks of life have been invited to witness the celebrations at Red Fort this year. They include International Yoga Day volunteers, women entrepreneurs under PM Mudra Yojana, best performing MY Bharat volunteers, best performing beneficiaries of PMAY(U) and street vendors under PM SVANidhi, among others.
Over 1,500 people from various states and Union Territories, dressed in traditional Indian attire, have also been invited to witness the grand ceremony, it said.
Also, to promote patriotic fervour among citizens, a number of band performances are being held at 343 prominent locations across the country, the ministry said.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
