Republic Day honours the date on which the Constitution of India came into effect on 26 January 1950 replacing the Government of India Act (1935) as the governing document of India.[1]
The Constitution was adopted by the Indian Constituent Assembly on 26 November 1949, and came into effect on 26 January 1950 with a democratic government system, completing the country's transition towards becoming an independent republic. 26 January was chosen as the Republic day because it was on this day in 1930 when Declaration of Indian Independence (Purna Swaraj) was proclaimed by the Indian National Congress as opposed to the Dominionstatus offered by British Regime.
As Independence Day in India is celebrated to enjoy the freedom of India from the British Rule, Republic Day in India is celebrated to commemorate the coming of its own constitution into force. Officially it is celebrated every year in the national capital of India (New Delhi) at the Rajpath in the presence of the President of India. Mini celebrations are also take place in the state capitals in the presence of the governor of the state by spreading out the National Flag of the country.
January 26 is declared as the gazetted holiday all over the country by the Government of India. It is celebrated throughout the India with great enthusiasm by the students and teachers in the schools, colleges, universities and other educational institution.
An excellent parade and salute event is held by the military team at the Rajpath in front of the India Gate in the New Delhi, India.
HOW REPUBLIC DAY IS CELEBRATED
Events and celebrations are organized with great effort by the Government of India already to celebrate the Republic Day in the Capital. A huge and grand military parade is held in the New Delhi at Rajpath as well as the state capitals. Participants from the Indian Army, Air Force, Navy and traditional dance group takes part in the parades.
Parade held in the New Delhi starts especially when prime minister of the India offer garland at the Amar Jawan Jyoti at the India Gate. It is done to commemorate all the sacrifices of the Indian army soldiers while saving their country. The military salute is taken by the President of India during the parade in the Capital whereas military salute is taken by the state governors in the state capitals. At this special day, a foreign head of the state become chief guest of the president.
National awards (Maha Veer Chakra, Ashok Chakra, Param Veer Chakra, Veer Chakra) and bravery medals are also distributed at this day to the soldiers of armed forces, common people and students from the school. Armed forces helicopters do parade in the surrounding area of the India Gate to shower the rose petals over audience. A dance parade by singing patriotic songs is also performed by the school children. Armed Forces staff performs the motorcycle rides whereas the staff from the Indian Air Force perform fly parade through the fighter planes (making tri color of the Indian Flag by the smoke) for offering the honour salute to the president.
A range of traditional and cultural programs are performed by the professionals from different states to focus the history and culture of the country. During this grand celebration, a prime minister’s rally and Lok Tarang-National Folk Dance Festival is also held from 24th of January to the 29th of January.
All the Government and non Government offices of the nation and state including post offices, banks are closed at this day. Special security is organized at this day because of the huge crowed and prevent the common people from any problem.
HISTORY OF CELEBRATING REPUBLIC DAY
India got freedom from the British Rule on 15th of August in the year 1947. At that time, there was no any permanent constitution of the country. First time, the first draft of the Indian Constitution was presented by the drafting committee to the national assembly on 4th of November in the year 1947. The first draft of the Indian Constitution was signed by the national assembly in both version, the English and the Hindi on 24th of January in the year 1950.
Then the Constitution of India came into effect on the Republic Day means 26th of January in 1950. From then, the 26th of January was started celebrating as the Republic Day in India. At this day, India was declared as the Purna Swaraj Country thus it was started celebrating every year as the anniversary of the Purna Swaraj Day.
The Constitution of India brought the power to the Indian citizens to select their own government. The oath was taken by the Dr. Rajendra Prasad as a first president of the India at Durbar Hall in the Government House. India has big history behind celebrating the Republic day.
IMPORTANCE OF CELEBRATING 26 JANUARY
Republic Day is the symbol of true spirit for the independent India where military parades, exhibiting military equipments, salute to the national flag by the Indian president and variety of events are take place at this day. Indian national flag has horizontally tricolour (upper saffron, middle white and bottom of dark green colour divided in the equal proportion) and a wheel (navy blue colour, having 24 spokes) in the centre representing the Sarnath Lion Capital of Ashoka.
India is a country having people of different cultures, societies, religions and languages who interplay with each other harmoniously. Independence to the India is the great pride as it was obtained over years after facing a variety of obstacles and hurdles.
The day is celebrated every year to feel the Indian people very proud for living in the multi cultural and independent country. Republic Day is celebrated in very colourful and exhilarating ways in order to make memorable and significant celebration of the year. National Anthem is sing by the people participated in the celebration. This celebration brings all the Indian people together at one place and thinks at one topic.
INDIAN REPUBLIC DAY CHIEF GUEST LIST
As every year, the India would follow the great Indian culture and tradition “Atithi Devo Bhav” of welcoming the prime Minister of another country as a chief guest. Next year, the Republic Day 2016, the India may heartily welcome the France President, Francois Hollande, as a chief guest at the Indian Republic Day. Below is the list of all the chief guests welcomed in India at each Republic Day from the year India was declared as the Republic country till 2016:
| Year | Guest Name | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan | Abu Dhabi |
| 2016 | President, Francois Hollande | France |
| 2015 | President, Barack Obama | USA |
| 2014 | Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe | Japan |
| 2013 | King, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck | Bhutan |
| 2012 | Prime minister, Yingluck Shinawatra | Thailand |
| 2011 | President, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono | Indonesia |
| 2010 | President, Lee Myung Bak | Republic of Korea |
| 2009 | President, Nursultan Nazarbayev | Kazakhstan |
| 2008 | President, Nicolas Sarkozy | France |
| 2007 | President, Vladimir Putin | Russia |
| 2006 | King, Abdullah bin Abdulaziz al-Saud | Saudi Arabia |
| 2005 | King, Jigme Singye Wangchuck | Bhutan |
| 2004 | President, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva | Brazil |
| 2003 | President, Mohammed Khatami | Iran |
| 2002 | President, Cassam Uteem | Mauritius |
| 2001 | President, Abdelaziz Bouteflika | Algeria |
| 2000 | President, Olusegun Obasanjo | Nigeria |
| 1999 | King, Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev | Nepal |
| 1998 | President, Jacques Chirac | France |
| 1997 | Prime Minister, Basdeo Panday | Trinidad and Tobago |
| 1996 | President, Dr. Fernando Henrique Cardoso | Brazil |
| 1995 | President, Nelson Mandela | South Africa |
| 1994 | Prime Minister, Goh Chok Tong | Singapore |
| 1993 | Prime Minister, John Major | United Kingdom |
| 1992 | President, Mário Soares | Portugal |
| 1991 | President, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom | Maldives |
| 1990 | Prime Minister, Anerood Jugnauth | Mauritius |
| 1989 | General Secretary, Nguyen Van Linh | Vietnam |
| 1988 | President, Junius Jayewardene | Sri Lanka |
| 1987 | President, Alan Garcia | Peru |
| 1986 | Prime Minister, Andreas Papandreou | Greece |
| 1985 | President, Raúl Alfonsín | Argentina |
| 1984 | King, Jigme Singye Wangchuck | Bhutan |
| 1983 | President, Shehu Shagari | Nigeria |
| 1982 | King, Juan Carlos I | Spain |
| 1981 | President, Jose Lopez Portillo | Mexico |
| 1980 | President, Valéry Giscard d’Estaing | France |
| 1979 | Prime Minister, Malcolm Fraser | Australia |
| 1978 | President, Patrick Hillery | Ireland |
| 1977 | First Secretary, Edward Gierek | Poland |
| 1976 | Prime Minister, Jacques Chirac | France |
| 1975 | President, Kenneth Kaunda | Zambia |
| 1974 | President, Josip Broz Tito | Yugoslavia |
| Prime Minister, Sirimavo Ratwatte Dias Bandaranaike | Sri Lanka | |
| 1973 | President, Mobutu Sese Seko | Zaire |
| 1972 | Prime Minister, Seewoosagur Ramgoolam | Mauritius |
| 1971 | President, Julius Nyerere | Tanzania |
| 1970 | – | |
| 1969 | Prime Minister, Todor Zhivkov | Bulgaria |
| 1968 | Prime Minister, Alexei Kosygin | Soviet Union |
| President, Josip Broz Tito | Yugoslavia | |
| 1967 | – | |
| 1966 | – | |
| 1965 | Food and Agriculture Minister, Rana Abdul Hamid | Pakistan |
| 1964 | – | |
| 1963 | King, Norodom Sihanouk | Cambodia |
| 1962 | – | |
| 1961 | Queen, Elizabeth II | United Kingdom |
| 1960 | President, Kliment Voroshilov | Soviet Union |
| 1959 | – | |
| 1958 | Marshall Ye Jianying | People’s Republic of China |
| 1957 | – | |
| 1956 | – | |
| 1955 | Governor General, Malik Ghulam Muhammad | Pakistan |
| 1954 | King, Jigme Dorji Wangchuck | Bhutan |
| 1953 | – | |
| 1952 | – | |
| 1951 | – | |
| 1950 | President, Sukarno |
No comments:
Post a Comment