Uttarakhand Tableau Secures Third Place in Republic Day Parade 2025.
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76th Republic Day Parade | પ્રજાસત્તાક દિનની પરેડ
આ વખતે ૭૬મા પ્રજાસત્તાક દિવસની શાનદાર ઉજવણી થઈ. કર્તવ્ય પથ પર યોજાયેલ ભવ્ય પરેડમાં ત્રણેય સેનાબળો, યુદ્ધ વાહનો, રાજ્ય અને મંત્રાલયનાં ટેબ્લો દ્વારા અદ્ભુત પ્રસ્તુતિ કરવામાં આવી હતી. તો ચાલો જાણીએ, વર્ષ - ૨૦૨૫નાં પ્રજાસત્તાક દિનની પરેડ વિશે.
વાંચવા અહીં ક્લિક કરો - https://vishakhainfo.wordpress.com/2025/01/28/republic-day-parade/
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Republic Day parade: Tracing India’s annual military display and its costs (1950-2024)
‘Swarnim Bharat – Virasat aur Vikas’ (Golden India: Heritage and Progress) is the theme for the 2025 Republic Day military parade. On January 26, 205, India will commemorate its 76th Republic Day — marking the day India’s Constitution came officially into force. As scheduled, the celebrations will kick off with a grand military parade, starting from Raisina Hills, proceed along the Kartavya Path (formerly Rajpath), pass the India Gate and proceed to the Red Fort.
Since the colonial era, the military parade has been the ‘crown jewel’ of the Republic Day celebrations, aimed at displaying India’s military power, invoke patriotism, its diverse military units and of late its gender diversity. “The republican tradition was an armed citizenry,” noted historian Dr. Srinath Raghavan told The Hindu in 2016, highlighting how it was juxtaposed to India’s freedom struggle won by non-violence.
Through the decades, Republic Day parades have indigenised the celebrations incorporating State tableaux displaying the country’s cultural diversity, artists performing folk and classical dance and music, regional military marching bands and even displaying achievements or projects by various government departments. As the parades became grander, the expense incurred by the Centre ballooned from ₹18,362 in 1951 to ₹320 crores in 2014.
Here is look at the evolution of Republic Day parades:
1950: First Republic Day parade
The first Republic Day celebrations were kicked off with the oath ceremony of India’s first President Dr. Rajendra Prasad, administered by the Chief Justice of India — fulfilling the Indian National Congress’ 20-year promise to attain Poorna Swaraj (total independence).
“Simultaneously the President’s flag replaced the Governor-General’s flag on the top of Government House and a 31-gun salute was fired to mark the assumption of office by the President,” reported The Hindu on January 28, 1950. Outside the Durbar Hall in the Government House (Rashtrapati Bhavan), lakhs thronged the Kingsway (Rajpath) as the President proceeded to Irvin Amphitheatre in a state coach drawn by six horses, preceded and followed by a detachment of mounted bodyguards.
This photo published in The Hindu on January 28, 1950 shows military review and flag hoisting by the President Rajendra Prasad at the Irwin Amphitheatre on January 26, 1950.
| Photo Credit:
The Hindu Archives
Built in 1933, the Irwin Amphitheatre (now named Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium), lay perpendicular to the axis from Rashtrapati Bhavan, through Rajpath to India Gate, with the historic Purana Qila in its background. On arrival at 3:45 p.m., Dr. Prasad was received by Defence Minister Sardar Baldev Singh and introduced to the chiefs of the three services. In the presence of the chief guest, Indonesian President I.R. Soekarno, Cabinet Ministers, diplomatic representatives , units of the Navy, Airforce and almost every branch Army participated in the parade giving the ‘national salute’ to the President, reported The Hindu.
After the parade, a 31-gun salute was fired thrice followed by hailing the President. The flight of Air Force’s nine aircraft in ‘Liberator’ formation marked the end of the event as the President exited in his state coach along with his mounted bodyguards to Government House via Kingsway. All of Delhi’s government buildings and streets were ridden off their colonial tags on that day as Government House was renamed as Rashtrapati Bhavan, Kingsway as Rajpath and Queensway as Janpath.
Republic Day parade order
After the first parade, the venue shifted to Rajpath with the President witnessing the traditional salute by the troops from a ceremonial dais facing Rajpath. A 21-gun salute, flag-hoisting and the national anthem being played by the massed bands precede the parade. The military’s gallantry awards are presented by the President ahead of the parade, followed by flight of a helicopter displaying the tricolour which showers petals on Rajpath — an addition made in 1959 to the parade’s order, prior to kick-off.
Through the years, the parade has followed a set order — general commanding officer (Delhi), mounted cavalry, camel contingent, mechanised column, tanks, jawans from different regiments and a ‘daredevil’ display by motorcycle-riding soldiers.
A marching contingent at the Rajpath during the 61st Republic day celebrations in 2010.
| Photo Credit:
The Hindu
Capping the parade is the fly-past by the Air Force’s jets — a tradition which was instituted in 1950. It was briefly interrupted in 1963 due to the India-China war and in 1970 due to fuel shortage and austerity measures imposed by the government. Between 1987 and 1995, flypasts were shut down by the Air Force. Since 1996, flypasts have remained the crowning glory of the parade.
March past
Mounted sowars (soldiers) atop adorned horses in colourful turbans and brandishing swords, follow the jeeps of the Commanding officers, performing the national salute. Between 1950 and 1970, many new States were reorganised and these provinces were represented in the parades. The 1960 march past saw sowars drawn from former States Jodhpur, Gwalior, Patiala, Nawanagar along with load-carrying mules from Gwalior’s mounted division. The camel contigent, detachments from various infantry regiments, naval and airforce contingent comprise the march past division, interspersed with massed bands of different regiments.
The Indian Air Force contingent marches past during the 71st Republic Day parade in 2020.
| Photo Credit:
The Hindu
In 1960, scripting history, Flight Lt. Gita Chand, India’s first woman parachutist, led a small group of airmen carrying parachute packs on their backs. A decade later, the boys’ battalion from Gorkha Boys’ company carrying Khukris debuted in the parade. Through the years, contingents of the Border Security Force, Central Reserve Police Force, Fire Brigade, Ambulance, Central Armed Police Forces, N.S.S and N.C.C. cadets were added to the march past division. The 75th Republic Day parade in 2024 saw participation of the first all-women Tri-Service contingent, all-women CAPF contingent and women pilots.
Army personnel perform motorbike stunts on January 20, 2025 during reahearsals for the Republic Day Parade.
| Photo Credit:
ANI
The parade is traditionally closed by stunts performed by expert despatch riders of the Dare Devils Corps of the BSF or the Army. In 2018, members of the BSF’s women motorcycle team ‘Seema Bhawani’ replaced their male counterparts – a first.
Mechanised column
Displaying India’s military strength, the mechanised column includes the military’s latest arms, equipment and technology. Through the decades, new additions to India’s missiles gained prominence in the parade.
The 1960 parade saw a reduced mechanised column, focusing more on students’ procession and cultural pageant. The weapons display comprised of three light A.M.X tanks followed by three heavy centurion tanks from the armoured division, the artillery regiment’s heavy mortars and light anti-aircraft guns, while the rear was formed by vehicles of the corps of electrical and mechanical engineers complete with radar equipment, reported The Hindu. Indian-made equipment took centre stage in the Republic Day parade in 1970, namely Vijayanta tanks along with new acquisitions such as Russian T-55 medium tanks and PT-76 amphibious tanks.
A bird’s eye view of mounted and mechanised columns during the Republic Day Parade in 1970. Following a contingent of picturesque Grenadiers on their camels are the Vijayanta, T-55 and PT-76 tanks.
| Photo Credit:
The Hindu Archives
In 1980, 101 mm self-propelled guns, 100 mm Indian-made field guns, 130 mm field guns, hauled by mighty tractors, L-70 anti-aircraft guns, Tiger Cat missiles and indigenous SS 11B missiles made their parade debut. The unique feature of that year’s parade were the three naval floats preceding the Naval contingent — one carrying a tank lander, the second an undersea craft, used by frogmen to Immobilise enemy ships and the third a model of the aircraft carrier Vikrant. The Air Force’s five trailers followed it carrying — the improved version of MIG 21, Ajeet, successor to the Gnat, a Chetak helicopter, and surface-to-air missiles, reported The Hindu.
T-72 tanks of the Army roll down the Rajpath during the Republic Day Parade in 1990.
| Photo Credit:
The Hindu Archives
Making its parade debut in 1990 was the new radar called “The Fly Catcher” — giving the 323 Air Defence Regiment equipped with the 40 mm L-70 guns, an all-weather capability. A battery of 513 Air Defence Missile Regiment equipped with the surface-to-air missile system called OSA (AK) followed the radar. The Indian Army’s latest acquisition — a battery of strela 10m missiles of the Light Air Defence Missile Regiment and a troop of Cymbaline FAX 100 Radar also debuted on the parade display.
“Monotony was broken by the eye-catching EME tableau ‘The Siachen Float’ depicting the world’s highest battlefield. It is here that the brave guardians of our frontiers have been fighting heroically, braving a — 50°C temperature, for the past four years,” reported The Hindu.
In 2000, the Army’s pride — the Main Battle Tank Arjun, T-72 tanks and the Prithvi missile — billed as the country’s tactical ‘Brahmastra’ were a reassuring sight after the 1999 Kargil War. The Snow Mobiles and the Mine Protected Vehicle along with the elite paratroopers, para-commandos of the Army and the Marine Commandos, debuted in the parade that year. The Navy’s column included INS Mysore and INS Brahmaputra, while the Air Force’s column an MI-17 helicopter, MiG-21, MiG-27 and Mirage-2000 planes in display.
Anti-satellite missile system, Mission Shakti, is displayed at the Republic Day parade in 2020.
| Photo Credit:
The Hindu
In the new millennium, missiles and rocket launch systems gained prominence in the parade. In 2010, India’s Smerch multiple rocket launch system, the armoured engineer reconnaissance vehicle Sarvatra bridge and infantry combat-based communication vehicle Samyukta rolled down Rajpath. In 2020, India’s ‘Mission Shakti’ — its anti-satellite missile system was the highlight of the parade.
Flypasts
In 1950, when the British administration was formally handing over charge to the Indian government, the Air Force had banned flypasts. However, Air Chief Marshal Elmhirst had permitted Wing Commander H.S.R. Gohel to lead a regular nine-aircraft ‘Liberator’ formation in the parade. Soon, flypasts were segregated into two categories — “Subsonic” and “Transonic” with Toofanis debuting in 1954 and Canberra boomers in 1958. A ‘supersonic’ block was added after the transonic block in 1966 with MiG-21s and HF-24 Maruts debuting in the flypast that year.
Hunter aircraft of the Air Force, trailing saffron, white and green, mark the finale of the Republic Day Parade in 1970.
| Photo Credit:
The Hindu Archives
The 1960 parade had 77 jets of the Air Force fly-past, led by 12 Canberra boomers in three box formations, followed by three groups of Vampires and Toofanis zoom past the India Gate. Following these sub-sonic jets, a block of transonic jets — Hunters, Mysteres and Gnats, flew past at speeds faster than sound, breaking sound barriers and causing sonic bangs, reported The Hindu. The climax of the event was the smoke trails created by the three Toofani jets, painting the Delhi sky with the national tricolour.
With the government and fuel shortage measures kicking in post 1973, flypast was cancelled in 1974 and later held on a minor scale between 1975-80. Full-scale flypasts returned in 1996 and have remained the biggest attraction of the parade.
SU-30MKI of the Indian Air Force fly past during full dress rehearsal for the Republic Day Parade on January 23, 2010.
| Photo Credit:
The Hindu
In 2010, inspite of poor visibility, the Air Force jets — an Il-78, two AN-32 and two Dornier aircraft, performed the ‘Big Boy’ formation in the tradition fly-past. The other formations — ‘Sentry’ by two Su-30 MKI aircraft and an AWACS (airborne warning and control system), ‘Arrowhead’ by five deep penetration strike aircraft Jaguars and ‘Trishul’ by three Su-30 MKI aircraft concluded the flypast. In 2020, new inductions like the Chinook heavy lift and Apache attack helicopters made their debut in the fly-past — three CH-47F(I) Chinooks flying in ‘vic’ formation followed by five AH-64E Apaches in ‘arrowhead’ formation.
IAF’s C-17A Globemaster III flanked by two Su-30 MKI fighter jets fly past in a formation during the full dress rehearsal ahead of the Republic Day Parade celebrations on January 23, 2024.
| Photo Credit:
The Hindu
Notable incidents
Throughout the decade (1971-1980), a new tradition was set — the Prime Minister paying homage to the ‘unknown soldier’ at the Amar Jawan Jyoti memorial, a tribute to the fallen soldiers in the Bangladesh Liberation War, 1971. Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, also the Defence Minister, paid homage at the memorial before receiving President Sanjiva Reddi and the Chief Guest French President Giscard D’Estaing at the dais.
In 1983, Doordarshan — India’s national broadcaster — telecast the Republic Day parade live, for the first time in colour.
India’s long range “Agni II” missile is displayed at the Republic Day parade in 2000.
| Photo Credit:
AP
In 2000, a peaceful parade gave a sense of relief to the nation as a two-week long hype prevailed over the assorted militant threat to disrupt the Republic Day celebrations, reported The Hindu. Various militant outfits in Jammu and Kashmir and many north-eastern States had given a “boycott” call and were determined to thwart the celebrations since India’s “surrender” at Kandahar and subsequent militant attacks in Kashmir. In a bid to regain its image, the then Atal Bihari Vajpayee government had kept a tight leash taking a ‘pro-active’ strategy in supplementing military efforts with political and developmental activities, opined The Hindu.
In 2020, Prime Minister Narendra Modi changed the pre-parade tradition by choosing to pay tribute to fallen warriors at the eternal flame in National War Memorial (NWM) instead of the Amar Jawan Jyoti at the India Gate, reported The Hindu. The NWM, which lies in at the ‘C’ Hexagon near the India Gate, was built in memory of over 26,000 Indian soldiers who laid down their lives in post-Independence and inaugurated on February 2019.
Air Marshal B.R. Krishna, Chief of Integrated Defence Staff, “merges” the Amar Jawan Jyoti flame with the flame at National War Memorial on January 21, 2022. The Amar Jawan Jyoti flame at India Gate was put out after burning for 50 years.
| Photo Credit:
PTI
Two years later, Mr. Modi made another dramatic change by ‘merging’ the Amar Jawan Jyoti with the NWM flame, days ahead of the 73rd Republic Day, incurring the wrath of the Opposition and some veterans. The Centre reasoned, “The names of all Indian martyrs from all the wars, including 1971 and wars before and after it, are housed at the NWM. Hence it is a true shraddhanjali to have the flame paying tribute to martyrs there”.
Similarly, Rajpath was renamed as Kartavya Path on September 8, 2022, while a statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose was unveiled under the canopy at India Gate that during British rule had a statue of King George V. All these changes have been attributed to “erasing symbols of India’s colonial past” .
Costs and revenue
In the decade since the military parade became an annual tradition, the expenditure incurred by the Centre increased from ₹18,362 in 1951 to ₹5,75,000 in 1956, as per queries answered in the Lok Sabha. In this decade, this upward trend continued as the government preferred to incorporate more regiments, civilians, government departments in the parades. Costs steadily increased from ₹17,12,000 in 1971 to ₹23,38,000 in 1973 and ₹69,69,159 in 1988. Meanwhile, revenue earned via ticket sales for the parade stood at ₹7,47,095 in 1986.
Since the 1990s, the Centre has remained cagey about the ballooning costs of the Republic parade, year after year. In most of the Lok Sabha replies, the Centre has maintained that “as arrangements in connection with the Republic Day Parade in Delhi are made by the concerned Central Ministries and Departments, State Governments, Union Territory Administrations, Central Public Sector Undertakings, local bodies and other agencies, it is not collated and exhibited under one head. Hence, it is not possible to assess the total expenditure”.
On the other hand, the Centre reported earned ₹10,45,720 in ticket sales in 1999, which increased to ₹17,63,021 in 2008. However, it paled in comparison to the expense of ₹145 crore incurred by the Centre in preparation for the parade, as revealed by an RTI document. In 2015, this expense had ballooned to ₹320 crore.
For the year 2021-22, the Ceremonials division of Department of Defence was allocated ₹1,32,53,000 stated the Centre in Lok Sabha, but remained mum on the total expenses incurred for the celebrations. By ticket sales, Centre has earned an average amount of ₹34 lakh between 2018-2020. While the spread of COVID-19 limited the number of attendees, 2023 saw earning return to ₹28.36 lakh as crowds thronged to watch the parade.
Preparations for 2025 R-Day parade
For this year’s parade, a single triservice tableau and a separate Navy tableau will roll down Kartavya Path instead of three individual service tableau. Moreover, the indigenous Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) Dhruv will be absent since the entire fleet has been grounded for checks following the crash of a Coast Guard helicopter on January 5, 2025. With the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) too absent from the fly-past due to a safety policy prohibiting flying of single engine aircraft or helicopters over Kartavya Path, all fighter jets will be of foreign-origin, reported The Hindu.
The Tamil Nadu tableau passes through Kartavya Path during the 75th Republic Day celebrations in 2024.
| Photo Credit:
The Hindu
With Opposition-ruled States alleging bias by the Centre over selection of State tableaux for the past few years, ahead of the parade in 2024, the Defence Ministry proposed a roll-over plan for States and UTs to showcase the tableaux. A roster was prepared for 2024, 2025, and 2026 under which every State and UT would get a chance to present at least once.
Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chandigarh, Dadar Nagar Haveli & Daman and Diu, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Tripura, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal will display their tableaux in the parade in 2025. The Centre has invited all States/UTs to display their tableaux during Bharat Parv in Red Fort, irrespective of their selection for the parade.
(Special thanks to Ms. Vibha Sudarshan and Mr. R. Saravanan from The Hindu Archives)
Published – January 22, 2025 09:29 pm IST
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#airForce #army #defenceMinistry #flypast #marchPast #navy #parade #republicDay #republicDayParade
#NariShakti or #WomenEmpowerment is fine but where were the men in this year's #RepublicDayParade ?
I missed the 'Men in Uniform' this #RepublicDay parading like in this #Painting "Maharana Jagat Singh of #Udaipur #Mewar #Rajasthan Riding the #Elephant Bhramargaj"
On our 74th #RepublicDayCelebration, the Chief Guest was #EmmanuelMacron President of #France
Almost all the March-past contingents were 'all women'
c1750 CE #IndianMiniaturePainting by Nuruddin now at San Diego #Museum of #Art USA
#RepublicDayParade: India displays military might, women power and diverse cultural heritage
The national flag was unfurled, followed by the national anthem with a 21-gun salute using the indigenous 105-mm Indian Field Guns.
https://thesouthfirst.com/pti/republic-day-parade-india-displays-military-might-women-power-and-diverse-cultural-heritage/
#Gallery: #Telangana tableau to be part of #RepublicDayParade in Delhi after three years
Tableau captures the trials & tribulations that people of Telangana had gone through while fighting socio-economic feudal forces at the instances of ruling class.
https://thesouthfirst.com/telangana/telangana-tableau-to-be-part-of-republic-day-parade-in-delhi-after-three-years/
"Happy Republic Day
आप सभी को गणतन्त्र दिवस की बोहोत शुभकामनाएँ, जय हिन्द🙏🇮🇳"
Sourabh's #RepublicDay message:
🐦 https://twitter.com/saurabhraajjain/status/1618456996986126337
"Such a proud feeling as an Indian…..diversity, culture, might, strength, power and so much more"
His words on the #RepublicDayParade:
🐦 https://twitter.com/saurabhraajjain/status/1618487857437609984
🧡🤍💚✨
#Ambedkar #ConstitutionOfIndia #India #Indian #JaiHind #RepublicDay2023 #SourabhRaajJain #SRJ #SRJThoughts
"Happy Republic Day
आप सभी को गणतन्त्र दिवस की बोहोत शुभकामनाएँ, जय हिन्द🙏🇮🇳"
Sourabh's #RepublicDay message:
🐦 https://twitter.com/saurabhraajjain/status/1618456996986126337
"Such a proud feeling as an Indian…..diversity, culture, might, strength, power and so much more"
His words on the #RepublicDayParade:
🐦 https://twitter.com/saurabhraajjain/status/1618487857437609984
🧡🤍💚✨
#Ambedkar #ConstitutionOfIndia #India #Indian #JaiHind #RepublicDay2023 #SourabhRaajJain #SRJ #SRJThoughts
‘Tamil Nadu Vaazhga’ tableau leads Republic Day parade in Chennai
This comes amid a tussle with Governor RN Ravi after he suggested that ‘Tamizhagam’ would be a more appropriate name for Tamil Nadu during a speech.
#TamilNadu #RepublicDayParade #TNGovernor #TNGovt #RNRavi #TNBJP #BJP #RSS #federalism #governors #india
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