Much effort is put towards organizing events and
celebrations that occur on Republic Day in India. Large military parades are
held in New Delhi and the state capitals. Representatives of the Indian Army,
Navy and Air Force and traditional dance troupes take part in the parades.
A grand parade is held in New Delhi and the event
starts with India's prime minister laying a wreath at the Amar Jawan Jyoti at
India Gate, to remember soldiers who sacrificed their lives for their country.
India's president takes the military salute during the parade in New Delhi
while state governors take the military salutes in state capitals. A foreign
head of state is the president's chief guest on Republic Day.
Awards and medals of bravery are given to the
people from the armed forces and also to civilians. Helicopters from the
armed forces then fly past the parade area showering rose petals on the
audience. School children also participate in the parade by dancing and singing
patriotic songs. Armed Forces personnel also showcase motorcycle rides. The
parade concludes with a "fly past" by the Indian Air Force, which
involves fighter planes of flying past the dais, symbolically saluting the
president. These leave trails of smoke in the colors of the Indian flag.
There are many national and local cultural programs
focusing on the history and culture of India. Children have a special place in
these programs. Many children receive gifts of sweets or small toys. A prime
minister's rally also takes place around this time of the year, as well as the
Lok Tarang – National Folk Dance Festival, which occurs annually from January
24-29.
Public Life
Republic Day is a gazetted holiday in India on
January 26 each year. National, state and local government offices, post
offices and banks are closed on this date. Stores and other businesses and
organizations may be closed or have reduced opening hours.
Public transport is usually unaffected as many
locals travel for celebrations. Republic Day parades cause significant disruption
to traffic and there may be increased security on this date, particularly in
areas such as New Delhi and state capitals.
Background
India became independent of the United Kingdom on
August 15, 1947. India did not have a permanent constitution at this time. The
drafting committee presented the constitution's first draft to the national
assembly on November 4, 1947. The national assembly signed the final English
and Hindi language versions of the constitution on January 24, 1950.
India's constitution came into effect on Republic
Day, January 26, 1950. This date was chosen as it was the anniversary
of Purna Swaraj Day, which was held on January 26,
1930.The constitution gave India's citizens the power to govern themselves by
choosing their own government. Dr Rajendra Prasad took oath as India's first
president at the Durbar Hall in the Government House, followed by a residential
drive along a route to the Irwin Stadium, where he unfurled India's national
flag. Ever since the historic day, January 26 is celebrated with festivities
and patriotic fervor across India.
Symbols
Republic Day represents the true spirit of the
independent India. Military parades, displays of military equipment and the
national flag are important symbols on this date. India's national flag is a
horizontal tricolor of deep saffron (kesaria) at the top, white in the
middle and dark green at the bottom in equal proportion. The ratio of the
flag's width to its length is two to three. A navy-blue wheel in the center of
the white band represents the chakra. Its design is that of the wheel which
appears on the abacus of the Sarnath Lion Capital of Ashoka. Its diameter
approximates to the white band's width and it has 24 spokes.
Republic Day Observances
Note: During a gazetted holiday, government offices and
most businesses are closed so people have a day off work.
Holiday currently only shown for years 2005–2018.
Name
|
Holiday Type
|
|||
Tue
|
Jan 26
|
2010
|
Republic Day
|
Gazetted Holiday
|
Wed
|
Jan 26
|
2011
|
Republic Day
|
Gazetted Holiday
|
Thu
|
Jan 26
|
2012
|
Republic Day
|
Gazetted Holiday
|
Sat
|
Jan 26
|
2013
|
Republic Day
|
Gazetted Holiday
|
Sun
|
Jan 26
|
2014
|
Republic Day
|
Gazetted Holiday
|
Mon
|
Jan 26
|
2015
|
Republic Day
|
Gazetted Holiday
|
Tue
|
Jan 26
|
2016
|
Republic Day
|
Gazetted Holiday
|
Thu
|
Jan 26
|
2017
|
Republic Day
|
Gazetted Holiday
|
Fri
|
Jan 26
|
2018
|
Republic Day
|
Gazetted Holiday
|
Republic
Day in India observes India's formed constitution toward the country's
independent republic. January 26, 1950 is the day the constitution came into
force and, therefore, it is the marked annual date.
Celebration/ Observance
Organized events such as a military parade is held with
traditional dance. It is a gazetted holiday where all government offices,
banks, and post offices are closed. The main Republic Day
celebration is held in the national capital, New
Delhi, at the Rajpath before
the President of India. On this day, ceremonious
parades take place at the Rajpath, which are performed as a tribute to India;
its unity in diversity and rich cultural heritage.
In 2016, on the occasion of the 67th Republic Day, the Protocol
Department of the Government of Maharashtra held
its first parade on the lines of the Delhi Republic Day parade along
the entire stretch of Marine Drive in Mumbai.
History
Republic
Day started on January 26, 1950 when the constitution was signed. India had
already became independent from the United Kingdom in 1947. India achieved independence from British raj on 15
August 1947 following the Indian independence
movement noted for largely peaceful non-violent resistance and civil disobedience led by Mahatma Gandhi. The
independence came through the Indian Independence Act
1947 (10 & 11 Geo 6 c 30), an Act of the Parliament of
the United Kingdom that partitioned British India into the
two new independent Dominions of
the British Commonwealth (later Commonwealth of Nations). India obtained
its independence on 15 August 1947 as a constitutional monarchy with George VI as head of state
and the Earl Mountbatten as governor-general. The country, though, did not yet have a permanent
constitution; instead its laws were based on the modified colonial Government of India Act
1935. On 28 August 1947, the Drafting Committee was
appointed to draft a permanent constitution, with Dr B R Ambedkar as
chairman. While India's Independence Day celebrates its freedom from British Rule, the Republic
Day celebrates the coming into force of its constitution. A draft constitution
was prepared by the committee and submitted to the Assembly on 4 November 1947.
The Assembly met, in sessions open to public, for 166 days, spread over a
period of two years, 11 months and 18 days before adopting the Constitution.
After many deliberations and some modifications, the 308 members of the
Assembly signed two hand-written copies of the document (one each in Hindi and
English) on 24 January 1950. Two days later, it came into effect throughout the
whole nation.
Republic Day Parade
Delhi Republic Day parade is
held in the capital, New Delhi. Commencing from the gates of the Rashtrapati Bhavan (the
President's residence), Raisina Hill on Rajpath past the India
Gate, this event is the main attraction of India's Republic Day
Celebrations lasting three days. The parade showcases India's Defence
Capability, Cultural and Social Heritage.
Nine to twelve different regiments of the Indian Army in
addition to the Navy, and Air Force with their bands march past in all their
finery and official decorations. The President of India who is the Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Armed Forces, takes the salute. Twelve
contingents of various para-military forces of India and other civil forces
also take part in this parade.
Republic dayparade chief guest
Since 1950,
India has been hosting head of state or government of another country as the
state guest of honour for Republic Day celebrations in New Delhi. During
1950–1954, Republic Day celebrations were organised at different venues (like
Irwin Stadium, Kingsway, Red Fort and Ramlila Grounds). It was only starting
1955 when the parade in its present form was organised at Rajpath.] The guest country is chosen after a deliberation of strategic,
economic and political interests. During 1950s–1970s, a number of NAM and Eastern
Bloc countries were hosted by India. In 1968 and
1974, India played host to two countries on the same Republic Day.
Year
|
Guest name
|
Country
|
Note
|
|
1950
|
||||
1951
|
King Tribhuvan Bir Bikram Shah
|
|||
1952
|
||||
1953
|
||||
1954
|
||||
1955
|
First guest
for parade at Rajpath
|
|||
1956
|
Note
|
Two guests
|
||
1957
|
||||
1958
|
||||
1959
|
2nd invitation
|
|||
1960
|
2nd invitation
|
|||
1961
|
||||
1962
|
Note
|
|||
1963
|
||||
1964
|
4th
invitation, Note
|
|||
1965
|
Food and Agriculture Minister Rana Abdul Hamid
|
2nd invitation
|
||
1966
|
No invitation
|
No invitation
|
Note
|
|
1967
|
||||
1968
|
3rd invitation
|
Two guests
|
||
1969
|
||||
1970
|
Note
|
|||
1971
|
||||
1972
|
||||
1973
|
||||
1974
|
2nd invitation
|
Two guests
|
||
1975
|
||||
1976
|
||||
1977
|
||||
1978
|
||||
1979
|
||||
1980
|
2nd invitation
|
|||
1981
|
||||
1982
|
||||
1983
|
||||
1984
|
2nd invitation
|
|||
1985
|
||||
1986
|
||||
1987
|
||||
1988
|
2nd invitation
|
|||
1989
|
||||
1990
|
2nd invitation
|
|||
1991
|
||||
1992
|
||||
1993
|
5th invitation
|
|||
1994
|
||||
1995
|
||||
1996
|
||||
1997
|
||||
1998
|
3rd invitation
|
|||
1999
|
2nd invitation
|
|||
2000
|
2nd invitation
|
|||
2001
|
||||
2002
|
3rd invitation
|
|||
2003
|
||||
2004
|
2nd invitation
|
|||
2005
|
3rd invitation
|
|||
2006
|
||||
2007
|
4th invitation
|
|||
2008
|
4th invitation
|
|||
2009
|
||||
2010
|
||||
2011
|
2nd invitation
|
|||
2012
|
||||
2013
|
4th invitation
|
|||
2014
|
2nd invitation
|
|||
2015
|
||||
2016
|
5th invitation
|
|||
2017
|
||||
2018
|
||||
2nd invitation
|
||||
3rd invitation
|
||||
2nd invitation
|
||||
2nd invitation
|
||||
2nd invitation
|
||||
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