The nation commemorated the 80th Independence Day on August 15, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi leading the celebrations at the Red Fort complex here amid patriotic fervour and multi-layer security.
NEW DELHI — The nation commemorated the 80th Independence Day on August 15, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi leading the celebrations at the Red Fort complex here amid patriotic fervour and multi-layer security.
For the first time, the national song, 'Vande Mataram', was rendered during the celebrations at the Red Fort.
An Army band played the tune of 'Vande Mataram' as the guests present on the occasion sang the national song. This was followed by the prime minister hoisting the national flag, and then the National Anthem was recited.
The National Anthem rendition was synchronised with the 21-gun salute by the gunners of the 1721 Field Battery (Ceremonial), utilising the indigenous 105mm Light Field Guns.
Floral decoration on the ramparts depicted the national flag at the centre, flanked by 'Vande Mataram' in Hindi.
After the flag hoisting, the tricolour received a 'Rashtriya Salute'. Following this, flower petals were showered at the venue by two Mi-17 helicopters of the Indian Air Force -- one trooping the national flag and the other carrying a flag depicting 'Vande Mataram'.
Upon his arrival at the Red Fort, Modi was received by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, his deputy Sanjay Seth and Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh.
General Officer Commanding (GOC), Delhi Area, Lt Gen Rajesh Sethi, conducted the prime minister to the saluting base. Thereafter, Modi inspected the guard of honour.
The PM delivered a 75-minute address on the occasion, which was attended by various Union ministers, including Amit Shah, Kiren Rijiju, Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu, Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, and other senior government officials and military officers.
However, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha leaders of the opposition, Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, respectively, skipped the event for the second time.
The Indian Army was the coordinating service for Independence Day celebrations this year.
At the conclusion of his speech, a large number of National Cadet Corps (NCC) cadets and My Bharat volunteers sang 'Vande Mataram', followed by the National Anthem.
The NCC cadets and My Bharat volunteers were seated on Gyanpath, opposite the ramparts, forming the words 'Vande Mataram'. View cutters depicting the theme 'Viksit Bharat @2047' were installed at Gyanpath.
The mega function also commemorated 150 years of the enduring legacy of 'Vande Mataram', and "celebrated the energy, aspirations and pivotal contribution of 'Yuva Shakti' in driving India's journey towards Viksit Bharat by 2047", according to the defence ministry.
Invitation cards for the 80th Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort prominently depict the newly built Seva Teerth complex, which houses the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), the National Security Council Secretariat and the Cabinet Secretariat.
A 'Dharm Chakra', symbolising the "eternal movement of righteous duty and continuous selfless action", has also been portrayed on the invitation cards.
The seating enclosures were named after major lakes in India, including Badkhal, Bhimtal, Chandratal, Chilika, Dalpat Sagar, Dimna, Dudhsagar, Haflong, Harike, Hussain Sagar, Kanwar, Kankaria, Pangong Tso, Pulicat, Pushkar and Rabindra Sarobar.
Towards the end of the event, PM Modi broke the security cordon and mingled with a crowd of young admirers, consisting of NCC cadets and My Bharat volunteers.
BJP on its X handle shared visuals of the interaction and said, "Gen Alpha and PM Modi share a different bond."
Guests hailing from different regions of India attended the celebrations at the Red Fort complex.
Nearly 5,000 special guests from different walks of life have been invited to witness the celebrations at Red Fort this year. They include International Yoga Day volunteers, women entrepreneurs under PM Mudra Yojana, best-performing MY Bharat volunteers and beneficiaries of PMAY(U) and street vendors under PM SVANidhi, among others, the ministry earlier said.
A large number of people from various states and Union Territories, dressed in traditional Indian attire, were also invited to witness the grand ceremony.