India Displays Military, Cultural Power at R-Day Parade

Posted on 28th Jan 2015 01:29 pm by mohit kumar

New Delhi, Jan 26 (IANS) Military precision blended seamlessly with cultural diversity at India's 66th Republic Day parade Monday where US President Barack Obama was the chief guest.

Heavy armour, marching contingents of the armed forces and the paramilitary and police forces interspersed with brass and pipe bands - tableaux depicting the multifarious heritage of this vast land and schoolchildren dancing merrily in spite of the chill marked the event, crowned by a flypast that many apprehended would not happen due to the weather.

For the first time, an all-women's contingent drawn from the three services featured at the event, while the Indian Army, the Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force also fielded all-women contingents.

Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi drove to India Gate to lay a wreath at the Amar Jawan Jyoti memorial to the unknown soldier.

He later drove back to the saluting base at Rajpath to welcome Obama and President Pranab Mukherjee, who took the salute at the two-hour parade.

Before it commenced, Mukherjee handed over posthumous Ashok Chakras - the nation's highest military award in peacetime - to the widows of Major Mukund Vardarajan and Naik Neeraj Kumar Singh, who were killed in counter-insurgency operations in Jammu and Kashmir.

Other news

170 foreign buyers to attend Coir Kerala fair

Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 24 (IANS) The upcoming Coir Kerala 2015 trade fair starting Feb 1 would

Sharad Yadav regrets remarks on HRD minister

New Delhi, March 18 (IANS) After much controversy, Rajya Sabha member Sharad Yadav on Wednesday

Lakhvi release hype affecting Pakistan judicial system: Basit

Kolkata, March 18 (IANS) Pakistan High Commissioner to In

When will the fire in Ghazipur landfill be extinguished: Rescue went on all night, and the mountain of garbage is still burning; Know what people said

Last evening, a sudden fire broke out in the garbage mountain located in Ghazipur on the border o

Vande Bharat Metro: After Vande Bharat Express, the Vande Metro train will now run across the country, Railway Minister announced

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget 2023 on 1 February. Rs 2.40

After Bengal, protests against Waqf law turned violent in Assam, stones were pelted at police; soldiers resorted to lathicharge

After West Bengal, violence erupted against the Waqf Amendment Act in Assam's Cachar district. Ho

New Labor Code: Four days a week work, three days rest? Modi government can implement these rules from July 1

New Labor Code: Modi government is going to bring a new labor law. If it came into effect from 1s

Budget 2015 aims for 'Green India'

New Delhi, Feb 28 (IANS) Finance Minister Arun Jaitley Saturday said clean energy cess on coal

Kurhani By-Election 2022: Why did JDU lose the Kurhani by-election? CM Nitish Kumar broke the silence in the gathering

After the defeat of the Grand Alliance in the Kudhani assembly by-election, questions are being r

Lok Sabha Phase 3 Voting: 64.58 percent voting on 93 seats in the third phase, highest voting in Assam at 81.71 percent

In the third phase of Lok Sabha elections, an average of 64.58 percent voting took place on 93 se