From my childhood days ~ I have relished Indian Republic Day more – living closer to Marina beach, the RD parade has always been a great attraction.This morning TN Governor Sri Bhanwarilal Purohit hoisted the National flag and flagged off the parade. 70 years back, a salute of 21 guns and the unfurling of the Indian National flag by Dr. Rajendra Prasad heralded the historic birth of the Indian Republic on January 26, 1950; that significant day was894 days after our country became a dominion following withdrawal of British Rule. Since then, every year the day is celebrated with great pride and happiness all over the nation. The transition of India from a British colony to a sovereign, secular, and democratic nation was indeed historical. It was a long journey of around two decades that started with the conceptualisation of the dream in 1930 to its actual realization in 1950.
The seeds of a
republican nation were sowed at the Lahore session of the Indian National
Congress at the midnight of 31st December 1929. Those present in the meeting
took a pledge to mark January 26 as "Independence Day" in order to
march towards realizing the dream of complete independence from the British.
The Lahore Session paved way to the Civil Disobedience movement. It was decided
that January 26, 1930 would be observed as the Purna Swaraj (complete
Independence) Day.
On Republic Day,
flag hoisting ceremonies and parades by armed forces and school children are
held in different parts of the country. The grandest and most important of
these parades is held at Rajpath in New Delhi, which showcases a multi-hued
image of the country's rich cultural heritage and military prowess. This parade
is presided over by the President of India.
26th Jan 2020
marked the 71st Republic Day of the Nation.At the National Capital, the celebrations
beganat 9am with the flag-hoisting
ceremony by President Ram Nath Kovind, after which the Republic Day parade
started from Rajpath.To mark the importance of the Republic Day,
every year a grand parade is held in the capital, New Delhi, from the Raisina
HillRashtrapati Bhavan (the President's
residence), along the Rajpath, past India Gate. Similar parades are held in
State Capitals and in District headquarters too.In Chennai, in Kamarajar salai, there was a
grand parade – first by armed forces, police and others – with school children
and other cultural dances, followed by the tableaux representing the might of
armed forces and then floats of various State Govt. departments.
Tailpiece :on the Independence Day right from 1947, the
Prime Minister of the Nation unfurls the National flag at Red Fort; while it is
President on Republic Day.In the
States, it is the CM & Governor respectively.However on RD 2017, it was TN CM Mr O
Panneerselvam who hoisted the national
flag for the first time on the 68thRepublic day of India at the Marina beach in Chennai. Tamil Nadu
Governor (in-charge) C Vidyasagar Rao holding dual chargewas in Mumbai on Republic Day and hence the
flag was hoisted by the CM.
Here are some photos taken this morning during the Parade in Chennai. Gripping acrobatics on motorbikes by the daredevils of the Army's Corps of Signals, drew loud applause at theRepublic Day celebrations. There was daredevilry, formations including display of 'Jimmy', a symbol of the Corps of Signals, balancing himself belly down on his moving motorcycle, displaying the 'swift and secure' traits of the corps. The last 5 photos are of Delhi parade courtesy pib.nic.in With regards – S. Sampathkumar 30th Jan 2020.
