India will celebrate her 56th Republic Day on January 26.

The preparations for the celebration are on in full swing in New Delhi.

About 1,500 school children will take part in this year's Republic Day parade.

Of this, 850 children, drawn from 21 government-aided and public schools of Delhi, will bear the flag, form band contingents and present cultural programmes.

The rest will be children from various cultural zones of the country and will exhibit the heritage of their respective regions.

School Children practising for the Republic Day Parade at Rajpath in New Delhi 

Photograph : Ranjan Basu/Saab Press