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India celebrates Republic Day, a significant event that marks the ratification of the Indian Constitution.
Republic Day parade is a magnificent demonstration of India’s military might and cultural richness. (Image: Shutterstock)
Republic Day 2025: India celebrates Republic Day every year on January 26, honouring the ratification of the Indian Constitution. The day is important to millions of Indians. This year, the country is celebrating its 76th Republic Day today on Sunday, January 26. The primary attraction of Republic Day is the parade, which takes place on Kartavya Path (formerly Rajpath) in India’s national capital, New Delhi. The Republic Day Parade is a dazzling exhibition of India’s cultural variety and military force. The country’s military might, unity in diversity, and rich cultural legacy are all on display during the Republic Day Parade.
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Republic Day Parade: Interesting Facts
The Republic Day parade starts as soon as the president arrives. The R-Day celebration begins with the cavaliers, the president’s bodyguards, saluting the flag and the national anthem.
A magnificent parade featuring intricate tableaux from different states, Union Territories, and central ministries is a highlight of the Republic Day celebrations every year.
Two all-female defence force contingents (numbering 144) participated in the 2024 Parade.
The theme for this year’s Republic Day parade is ‘Swarnim Bharat: Virasat aur Vikas,’ which honours India’s rich legacy and optimistic future.
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Emmanuel Macron, the president of France, was invited in 2024. It is customary to invite a foreign leader to participate in Republic Day festivities. Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, the president of Egypt, was the chief guest in 2023.
India invited Prabowo Subianto, the president of Indonesia, to be the chief guest at the Republic Day celebrations in 2025.
Fifteen states and union territories—Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chandigarh, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Tripura, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal—will showcase their tableaux on Kartavya Path in honour of Republic Day 2025.
Eleven ministries and departments of the central government will also display their representatives.
The Bharat Parv, which takes place at the Red Fort from January 26 to 31, will provide even the states and UTs that were not chosen for the march a chance to showcase their tableaux.
In addition, the President of India uses this occasion to recognise the valour and selflessness of soldiers by awarding several military honours, including the Paramvir Chakra, Ashok Chakra, and Vir Chakra.
Republic Day 2025: India’s 1st Parade Details
The inaugural celebrations commemorating the creation of the Republic of India were not held on Rajpath (now Kartavya Path), but in a 1930s-era amphitheatre, which became the venue for the festivities when the country elected its first president.
On the night of January 26, 1950, iconic public buildings, parks, and railway stations were lit up, transforming the capital city into a ‘fairyland’.
The country erupted in joy shortly after Rajendra Prasad was sworn in as India’s first President on a historic day, and the inaugural Republic Day ceremony was held at Irwin Stadium (Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium) in New Delhi.
As per Google Arts and Culture, the stadium was built in 1933 as a gift to Delhi from the Maharaja of Bhavnagar and named after Lord Irwin, the former Viceroy of India who inaugurated the new British capital ‘New Delhi’ in February 1931 during his viceroyal tenure.
The amphitheatre was designed by Robert Torr Russell, who also designed the landmark Connaught Place in central Delhi. It was renamed the National Stadium in 1951, soon before the Asian Games were held.
Major Dhyan Chand’s name was added in 2002 to honour the hockey star.
On January 26, 1950, hours before the festivities at the Irwin Amphitheatre, India assumed the banner of a ‘Sovereign Democratic Republic’ after shedding the British colonial yoke in 1947.
The Amphitheatre, which seats 15,000 people, witnessed one of India’s most stunning military displays. The venue was magnificently decorated, and the stands were full of individuals dressed to the nines.
Seven massed bands from the three armed forces and the police entertained the crowd, while units of the military, native contingents, and regiments brought colour and precision to the solemn occasion.
Perhaps the most popular part of the day was the feu de joie (running fire of guns), which was accompanied by the National Anthem as guns thundered in honour to the nation’s first president.
Republic Day celebrations moved to Rajpath starting in 1951, but the day’s famous black-and-white photos have also made it a permanent part of history.
