Republic Day 2012

On the 26th of January 2012, India would be celebrating the 63rd Republic Day. This year the chief guest for the Republic Day celebrations in Delhi is the Thailand Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

The Republic Day of India is celebrated in memory on the day when the Indian Constitution was executed. This constitutional force came in place of the Government of India Act 1935. So from this year when in 1950, the Constitutional force came into effect, this became the governing document of India.

This was the day that was chosen to commemorate the declaration of Independence of 1930. This is a national holiday in India and the capital of New Delhi has a lot of performances and parades on this day. These performances take pace in the capital at Rajpath in the presence of the Indian President. Besides the other Indian States take part respectively in their states by having their individual performances.

India attained independence on the fifteenth of August in the year 1947, but did not have a constitution in effect. The laws that were prevalent were entirely based on the colonial Government of India Act 1935. The country was then a Dominion and had George VI as head of state. Earl Mountbatten was the Governor General. Then in the year 1947, on the twenty eight of August, there was a Drafting Committee that was appointed which had Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar as the chairman. While the Independence Day is a day to celebrate India’s independence, the Republic Day is celebrated in memory of the constitution of our country coming into force.

The committee prepared and submitted a draft constitution on the fourth of November 1947. The Assembly had meetings and this continued for around 166 days and was held over two years, 11 months and 18 days. Then the Constitution was adopted. Then there were many modifications and also many deliberations and then the members of the Assembly signed two copies of the Constitution which was handwritten. The copies were framed in different languages – Hindi and English. The members signed it on January 24, 1950. After two days, the Indian Constitution was passed and on 26th November 1949, at 10.18 in the morning Indian Standard Time the constitution came into effect totally only on January 26, 1950. Then there were elections on the twenty first of January, 1950 India got its first President, Dr.Rajendra Prasad. The Indian National Congress and other parties respected the Republic Day as a symbol of the countries independence even before the country got independent. So the Republic Day was rightly respected as a day for all those who fought for our freedom and for all those freedom fighters.

As Dr. Ambedkar rightly said ” We can therefore safely say that the Indian federation will not suffer from the faults of rigidity or legalism. Its distinguished feature is that it is a flexible federation.

Sir Anthony Eden the UK Prime Minister when Indian got independence said that that the way Indian Parliament originated and the way the country got independent was very intriguing and interesting. He believed that India had shown its courage and bravery by doing this.

Republic Day in India is celebrated with many parades and performances held across the country. The parades are more pronounced in the capital city of Delhi, where the parade starts from Raisina hill and goes up to the Rashtrapati Bhavan. The parade goes along the Rajpath and the India Gate. Before the parade begins, the Prime Minister lays a wreath at the memorial which has been built for all those unknown soldiers who laid their life – The Amar Jawan Jyoti. Then the entire gathering here observes a  silence in the memory of those who laid their lives. Then the Prime Minister reaches the main platform at Rajpath and watches the programme with the other dignitaries who are present there .

Then the President arrives with the Chief Guest for the day. First the National Flag is unfurled and then the national Anthem is played. The regular 21 gun salute is given and then the national and other important awards are given.. This includes the Kirti Chakra, the  Ashok Chakra, and it is all given away with a lot of pride.

The Armed Forces Regiment starts their march past, and then the regiments of the Air Force, the navy, the Indian Army also march past. They look very fine in their resplendent uniforms and the official decorations only make everyone even more proud. There are various floats which showcase the Indian culture and exhibit the traditions followed in each state too. The children who win the national bravery award are also a part of the parade. Then there are beautiful works of the Indian Air Force Jets that are shown and the floats and then ends with a fly past by the jets of the Indian Air Force.

Across the various Indian States, celebrations are held and here it is the governor of the state who unfurls the National Flag. If the Governor is absent for any reason, then the Chief Minister of the state unfurls the flag.

The Republic Day in India is a much awaited occasion as there is lot of enthusiasm across the country and it is interesting to see people celebrating it in their own way. The occasion always starts with the sacrifice of the martyrs and by remembering the freedom fighters who laid down their life for the sake of others. It is also a very pleasent to see the N.C.C cadets participating with their uniforms and imbibing discipline wherever they go.