74th Republic Day celebrations: Highlights | India News - Times of India (2025)

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• President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the nation in celebrating the 74th Republic Day
• It was the first Republic Day celebrations at the revamped Central Vista avenue after the renaming of Rajpath to Kartavya Path last year
• 'Nari Shakti' was largely the theme of the celebrations
• Egypt's President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi was the chief guest at the ceremonial event
• A combined band and marching contingent of the Egyptian Armed Forces also took part in the parade
• Col Mahmoud Mohamed Abdelfattah Elkharasawy led the Egyptian contingent which included 144 soldiers
• PM Modi wore a multi-coloured headgear on the occasion
• Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Chief Justice of India Justice D Y Chandrachud, and several Union ministers such as Amit Shah, Nitin Gadkari, Nirmala Sitharaman, Piyush Goyal, G Kishan Reddy, Ashwini Vaishnaw, Kiren Rijiju, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Smriti Irani, Dharmendra Pradhan, Anurag Thakur, Arjun Munda, Meenakshi Lekhi and Delhi Lt Governor V K Saxena attended the event
• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt, Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane, IAF chief Air Chief Marshal V R Chaudhari, Navy chief Admiral R Hari Kumar and Army chief Gen Manoj Pande also attended the celebrations
• Several foreign diplomats were also present on the occasion
• Three Param Vir Chakra awardees and three Ashok Chkara awardees also took part in the parade
• The ceremonial 21-gun salute this year was given with 105-mm Indian field guns which replaced the vintage 25-pounder guns
• A total of 23 tableaux - 17 from states and union territories and six from various ministries and departments -- rolled down the Kartavya Path
• 'Nari Shakti' was the theme for the majority of the floats
• Spectators could not fully enjoy the fly past due to a layer of fog
• The celebrations culminated with aerial manoeuvres by aircraft fleet in different formations A group of 'Shramyogis' involved in the construction of Central Vista, Kartavya Path, New Parliament Building; milk and vegetable vendors, and street vendors etc, were especially invited
• The tableau of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research showcased a rangoli of millets, celebrating the International Year of Millets declared by the United Nations
• A "veterans' tableau" with the theme -- "Towards India's Amrit Kaal with a Resolve of Veterans' Commitment" was also part of the celebrations
• Modhera, India's first village to be powered by solar all day, was the showpiece of Gujarat's tableau

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