Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane shared the details related to the Republic Day Parade in a press conference in New Delhi today ( 19 January 2024). Shri Aramane said that women marching contingents will form the major chunk of the parade, with most of the tableaux of States/Union Territories (UTs) and central Ministries/Organisations showcasing the country’s rich cultural diversity, unity and progress.
For the first time, the parade will be heralded by 100 women artists playing Indian musical instruments. The parade would commence with the music of Sankh, Naadswaram, Nagada, etc. to be played by women artists.
The parade will also witness an all-women Tri-Service contingent marching down Kartavya Path for the first time. The Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF} contingents will also consist of women personnel. “Best representation of women will be seen in this year’s Republic Day parade,” the Defence Secretary said.
The parade will start at 10.30 am and run for a duration of approximately 90 minutes. The seating capacity at Kartavya Path is 77,000, of which 42,000 is reserved for the general public.
Giridhar Aramane said that French President Emmanuel Macron will be the Chief Guest at this year’s Republic Day Parade. A 95-member marching contingent and 33-member band contingent from France will also take part in the parade. Along with the aircraft of the Indian Air Force, one Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircraft and two Rafale aircraft of the French Air Force will participate in the Fly-past.
Special Guests:
Around 13,000 Special Guests have also been invited to witness the parade this year. The Defence Secretary stated that the objective is to provide an opportunity to the people from all walks of life to take part in the national festival.
These Special Guests include best performers of various fields and those who made best use of various schemes of the Government. Shri Aramane stated that given their tough livelihood, special emphasis was laid to include Vibrant Villages in the list of Special Guests for them to be part of the Republic Day celebrations of the country.
Tableaux:
A total of 25 tableaux – 16 States/UTs and nine Ministries/Departments – will roll down the Kartavya Path during the parade. The States/UTs are: Arunachal Pradesh, Haryana, Manipur, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Ladakh, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Meghalaya, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and Telangana. The Ministries/Organisations are: Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, Ministry of Culture, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Centre For Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Election Commission of India, and Central Public Works Department (CPWD).
Like each year, the tableaux have been selected by an expert committee comprising eminent persons in the fields of art, culture, painting, sculpture, music, architecture, choreography etc. The Defence Secretary informed that to address the concerns of some States/UTs over the non-inclusion of their tableau in the parade, Ministry of Defence has devised a unique three-year roll-over plan, which ensures equitable participation on a rotational basis of all states and UTs over a period of three years.
Controversy of tableau:
Meanwhile Delhi’s Health Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj has raised questions on the rejection of Delhi’s tableau. “The tableau of Delhi, which is the capital of the country, was rejected by the Centre. Its tableau was rejected for the 2022 parade and then for the 2023 parade and now it has been rejected again for the 2024 parade,” Shri Bhardwaj said.
Prior to this Punjab’s tableau was also rejected. Like in Delhi , Aam Aadmi Party also govern the state of Punjab. AAP minister Saurabh Bharadwaj called , rejection of tableau , an act of “revenge”.
Anant Sutra :
The Ministry of Culture will be showcasing ‘Anant Sutra – The Endless Thread’ textile installation at Kartavya Path. It will be installed behind the spectators seated in the enclosures. Anant Sutra is a visually-stunning tribute to the saree, India’s timeless gift to the world of fashion. This unique installation will showcase nearly 1,900 sarees and drapes from every corner of the country, mounted at a height with wooden frames along the Kartavya Path. It will have QR codes which can be scanned to know the details about weaving and embroidery arts used in it.
Commemorative Coin & Stamp:
As India is celebrating 75th year of its Republic this year, Ministry of Defence will release a Commemorative Coin and Commemorative Stamp during the celebrations.
Parakram Diwas:
The Ministry of Culture will organise Parakram Diwas at Red Fort on January 23, 2024 on Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. During the event, various activities like 3-D projection mapping/light & sound show, projection mapping with plays/dance performance, etc. to be organised.
In order to ensure maximum participation, the number of seats for the general public has been enhanced. Accordingly, the number of tickets for the public has been increased which could be booked from www.aamantran.mod.gov.in.
