Click to play videoNew Delhi: India celebrates its 59th Republic Day on Saturday. It was on January 26, 1950, that the Constitution of India came into force and the country declared itself a Republic.
The date was officially chosen as Republic Day because it was on January 26, 1930, that the Indian National Congress symbolically declared Poorna Swaraj, or complete independence from Britain.
The grand Republic Day Parade in New Delhi started at 0930 hrs IST on Saturday morning from Raisina Hills near the Rashtrapati Bhavan in and made its way to the Red Fort.
A multi-layer security ring was put in place at Rajpath where Pratibha Patil, the country's first woman President, unfurled the Tricolour and took the salute of marching contingents.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy was the chief guest at the parade, in which the defence forces showcased their latest weaponry. The indigenously developed T-90 battle tanks, the Indian version of cruise missile Brahmos and surface-to-surface missile Agni were the among the arms on display.
The biggest attraction was stunts performed by the Border Security Force motorcyclists - 170 of them on 34 motorbikes.
Tableaux from 26 states and ministries showcased country's cultural heritage. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the country’s top political and military brass also attended the Parade. Similar parades were held in the capitals of all the states.
The national capital has been put under a massive ground-to-air security apparatus for the celebrations, in the wake of intelligence warnings about possible terrorist strikes.
Mobile teams of the security agencies, anti-aircraft guns and sharpshooters of the elite National Security Guards were deployed at various locations while paramilitary and Delhi Police commandos kept a tight vigil along the route of Parade.
Around 20,000 security personnel were deployed across the capital with commandos of the ITBP and Delhi Police positioned at strategic locations. Snipers were deployed at all high-rises along the parade route.
Highlights of the Parade:
- Pratibha Patil is the first ever woman President to take salute on Republic Day.
- French President Nicolas Sarkozy is this year's Chief Guest of Republic Day Parade.
- Major General KJS Oberoi, General Officer Commanding, Delhi Area commands the Parade.
- Indigenously assembled frontline T-90 battle tanks are included in this year's parade.
- Tableaux from 26 states and central ministries are on display in this year's parade.
- Eight central ministries showcase their achievements through tableaux.
- CISF takes part in the Tableaux display for the first time.
- Ashok Chakra posthumously goes to Major Dinesh Raghu Raman of Jat Regiment / 34 Rashtriya Rifles, Captain Harshan of 2 Parachute Regiment, Naib Subedar Chunnilal of 8 Jammu & Kashmir Light Infantry and Colonel Vasantha Venugopal of 9 Maratha Light Infantry.
- Twenty two children including 18 boys and four girls conferred bravery award. Four children receive bravery award posthumously.
- 1400 School children participate in the parade.
"A special emphasis is being laid on anti-sabotage checks, access control measures and intelligence coordination. The entire route of the parade will be covered by special security and anti-terror arrangements," Joint Commissioner of Police Qamar Ahmed had said on Friday.
"Elaborate air defence measures, including deployment of anti-aircraft guns, have also been taken to check intrusion of air space," he added.
Besides the air defence measures, three choppers of the Indian Air Force hovered over Rajpath and all along the route of the parade.
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