India Celebrates 71st Republic Day Sunday Jan 26,2020

India celebrated its 71st Republic Day today with a 90-minute display of military might, cultural diversity and socio-economic progress.

The armed forces took centre-stage parading an array of weapons, the Defence Reserch Organisation put up a display of state-of-the-art technology and the 22 tableaux held a spectacular display of colours, art and lifestyle.

Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro was the Chief Guest.

The ceremony started with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a first, visiting the National War Memorial instead of the Amar Jawan Jyoti, where he paid tributes to soldiers who died fighting for the country


Republic Day parade marches through Rajpath, the ceremonial boulevard in New Delhi

 

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, chief guest Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and President Ram Nath Kovind during the Republic-Day parade in New Delhi

India's armed forces took centre-stage at the grand parade of Rajpath, where the highlights were the Army's battle tank Bhishma, Infantry Combat Vehicle Ballway Machine Pikate and the Air Force's brand new Rafale fighter jet and Chinook and Apache helicopters. Anti-Satellite Weapons (ASAT) from Mission Shakti, the Dhanush artillery, the newly-inducted Chinook heavy lift and Apache attack choppers were at display for the first time.

There was a total of 16 marching contingents, six from the army and the rest from Navy, Air Force, Central Armed Police Forces, the Delhi Police, National Cadet Corps and the National Service Scheme.

For the second consecutive year, a woman officer led an all-male contingent. The Corps of Signals marched down the Rajpath, led by Captain Tania Sher Gill, who recently made history by becoming the first woman Parade Adjutant to lead all-men contingents during the Army Day function

The 61st Cavalry in the uniform of the erstwhile Gwalior Lancers, the only active horse cavalry regiment in the world, raised in 1953, also took part in the march

The Air Force contingent, comprising 144 air warriors, was led by Flight Lieutenant Shrikant Sharma. The tableau showcased scaled-down models of the newly-acquired French-made Rafale fighter jet, the indigenous Tejas aircraft and the Light Combat Helicopter, as well as the Akash and Astra missile systems.

The Indian Navy showcased its assets -- the Boeing P8I Long Range Maritime Patrol aircraft, the Kolkata Class Destroyer and the Kalvari Class submarine. The Naval contingent comprised 144 young sailors led by Lieutenant Jitin Malkat.

A contingent of CRPF women bikers - including an act by 21 of them on five motorcycles - made history performing daredevil stunts.

Twenty-two tableaux - 16 from states and union territories and the rest from various ministries and departments - took part in the Republic Day parade. Certain states, such as Bengal and Kerala, were not being represented after their tableau ideas were rejected by the centre

Wearing a khaki uniform and holding a ceremonial sword, Captain Tania Sher Gill, 26, led an all-men contingent during the ceremonial Republic Day parade in Delhi's Rajpath. This was be the second time in a row that a woman officer led the Corps of Signals Contingent.
Captain Shergill had recently created history by becoming the first woman Parade Adjutant to lead all-men contingents during the Army Day function

Many firsts  at 71st Republic Day parade

It was the first Republic Day ceremony in which newly-appointed Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat took part.

The CDS along with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Minister of State for Defence Shripad Yesso Naik, the three services chiefs and Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar were standing behind the Prime Minister according to protocol.

Another first, and a thrilling one at that, was the sight of women officers of the Central Reserve Police Force riding 350 cc Royal Enfield motorcycles, performing acrobatics and daredevil stunts with panache along the Rajpath.

In its debut show at 71st Republic Day, the contingent was commanded by Inspector Seema Nag, who is posted with the Rapid Action Force (RAF). They displayed several acts of daring bike riding and concluded by forming a human pyramid on multiple motorcycles.

In yet another first on giving adequate representation to women in the ceremony, Captain Tania Sher Gill, an officer serving with the Army's Corps of Signals, led an all-male marching contingent during the parade.

Although Gill is the second woman to do this, she was the first woman officer to lead an all-male marching contingent during the Army Day parade on January 15.

The Dhanush artillery gun and the anti-satellite missile system was part of the Republic Day parade for the first time this year in a show of military strength which also included Anti-Satellite Weapons (ASAT) from 'Mission Shakti'.

The other two armaments displayed for the first time were the 5-metre Short Span Bridge System and the 15-metre Sarvatra Bridge System.

Newly-inducted Chinook heavy lift and Apache attack choppers were displayed for the first time during the parade at the Rajpath at the grand finale, the most keenly awaited segments of the parade.
'Trishul' flypast was carried out by three Advanced Light Helicopters. This was the first time a tri-service formation took part in a Republic Day parade. This was followed by the 'Vic' formation of Chinook helicopters, used for airlifting diverse loads to remote locations, Sukhoi formation and Flanker formation.

Also marching for the first time in the Republic Day parade was the contingent of the Corps of Army Air Defence. It was followed by the Combined Band of Bengal Engineers Group and Centre, Brigade of Guards Training Centre, 3 Electronics and Mechanical Engineers Centre and Madras Regimental Centre.