Republic Day celebrations showcase 'Nari Shakti' and military grandeur

India marked 75th Republic Day with an impressive display of Nari Shakti women power rich cultural heritage and military prowess featuring missiles warplanes and advanced weapon systems French President Emmanuel Macron graced the occasion as the chief guest witnessing the Republic Day Parade at Kartavya Path in New DelhiThe parade held in the heart of the national capital began with President Droupadi Murmu taking the salute alongside Macron Prime Minister Narendra Modi Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and other dignitaries attended the event which included a flypast despite dense fogNotable highlights included an allwomen triservices contingent marching for the first time and over 100 women artists leading the parade with Indian musical instruments The mechanized column showcased T90 Bhishma tanks NAG missile systems and other advanced military equipment The event also featured an allwomen Armed Forces Medical Services contingentFrances participation included a 95member marching contingent and a 30member band showcasing the strong bilateral ties The parade culminated in a spectacular flypast by 46 aircraft of the Indian Air Force featuring 29 fighter jets seven transport aircraft nine helicopters and a heritage plane The flypast included a formation of indigenouslybuilt Tejas aircraft for the first timeThe ceremony began with Prime Minister Modi paying tributes at the National War Memorial followed by the unfurling of the national flag the national anthem and a 21gun salute The parade also saw the return of the traditional buggy after 40 years carrying President Murmu and President MacronAlso read Rights of people being eroded under the BJP govt Mallikarjun Kharge on 75th Republic DayThe celebration themes centered around Viksit Bharat and Bharat Loktantra Ki Matruka India Mother of Democracy The event highlighted the resilience and strength of the nation paying tribute to the fallen heroes and showcasing Indias diverse cultural and military achievementsFor the first time an allwomen triservices contingent marched down the ceremonial boulevard reflecting the countrys growing Nari Shakti women power In another first the parade was heralded by over 100 women artistes playing Indian musical instruments such as shankh and nagada instead of traditional military bandsThe first Army contingent leading the mechanised column was the 61 Cavalry which was raised in 1953 It was followed by 11 mechanised columns 12 marching contingents and a flypast by advanced light helicopters of the Army Aviation CorpsThe T90 Bhishma tanks NAG missile systems infantry combat vehicles allterrain vehicles weapon locating radar system Swathi drone jammer system and mediumrange surfacetoair missiles were among the key displays by the mechanised columnsThe allwomen triservices contingent led by Captain Sandhya of the Army Military Police with three supernumerary officers Captain Sharanya Rao Sub Lieutenant Anshu Yadav and Flight Lieutenant Shrishti Rao drew huge applauseAnother allwomen Armed Forces Medical Services contingent headed by Major Srishti Khullar with Captain Amba Samant of the Army Dental Corps Surgeon Lieutenant Kanchana of the Indian Navy and Flight Lieutenant Dhivya Priya of the Indian Air Force also marching down the majestic avenueThe Armys marching contingents included the Madras Regiment the Grenadiers the Rajputana Rifles the Sikh Regiment and the Kumaon RegimentThe Indian Navys contingent consisted of 144 men and women Agniveers led by Lt Prajwal M as commander and Lt Mudita Goyal Lt Sharvani Supreiya and Lt Devika H as platoon commandersIt was followed by a naval tableau depicting the themes Nari Shakti and Sea Power Across the Oceans Through IndigenisationThe themes of the celebrations were Viksit Bharat and Bharat Loktantra Ki Matruka India Mother of DemocracyA 95member marching contingent and a 30member band contingent from France also took part in the paradeTwo Rafale fighter gets and an Airbus A330 multirole tanker transport aircraft of the French air force also featured in ceremony that culminated with a jawdropping flypast by 46 aircraft of the Indian Air ForceThe IAF fleet included 29 fighter jets seven transport aircraft nine helicopters and a heritage plane These aircraft operated from six different basesFifteen women pilots including six from the fighter streams operated the IAF platforms during the flypastFor the first time indigenouslybuilt Tejas aircraft flew in a formation of four aircraftThe ceremony started with the prime ministers visit to the National War Memorial where he led the nation in paying solemn tributes to the fallen heroes by laying a wreathMinutes later President Murmu and her French counterpart Macron arrived in the traditional buggy as the crowd sought to capture the moment on their mobile phonesThe national flag was then unfurled followed by the national anthem with a 21gun salute using the indigenous 105mm Indian Field GunsThe 75th Republic Day Parade showcased the nations extraordinary Nari Shakti as impressive marchpasts by women received standing ovation by the invitees President Droupadi Murmu and the French President Emmanuel Macron arrived at the Kartavya Path in the traditional buggy which made a comeback after 40 years the Rashtrapati Bhavan said in a post on XFour Mi17 IV helicopters of the 105 Helicopter Unit showered flower petals on the audience present at the Kartavya PathThe Kartavya Path also witnessed a march past by a combined band and marching contingent of the French armed forcesGallantry award winners and winners of Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar riding jeeps decked up with flowers also took part in the paradeOfficials said about 77000 guests are estimated to have attended the event which included 13000 special invitees A senior official of ISRO said about 200 women from ISRO also attended the event some of them accompanied by their spousesA total of 16 tableaux from states Union territories and nine from central ministries and departments rolled down the Kartavya Path during the parade With inputs from agencies