India has not only been decked in tricolour hues in the lead up to the 76th Independence Day celebrations, but also put under a heavy security blanket, right from Delhi, the epicentre of the mega celebrations, to Jammu and Kashmir.
From Sachin Tendulkar to P V Sindhu to Virat Kohli to Mirabai Chanu to MC Mary Kom, India's sporting legends wished their fellow-countrymen on this special day.
"75 years ago our country showed the whole world the strength of walking on the path of truth and non-violence. Today, we are remembering the sacrifice of all freedom fighters by taking out an 'Azadi Gaurav March' with our Congress family," he said.
Modi said in the last few days, "we have seen an increase in the common consciousness of the love for the nation".
Here's what to expect at this year's Independence Day in different parts of the country.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi chose a red and yellow striped 'safa' for his Republic-Day look on Sunday, pairing it with a brown bandhgala jacket and pocket square.
President Droupadi Murmu delivers her maiden address to the nation on the eve of the 76th Independence Day.
Here's the full text of the maiden address to the nation by President Droupadi Murmu on the eve of Independence Day 2022.
The prime minister is known for his tradition of donning flamboyant and colourful turbans for his Independence Day and Republic Day looks since 2014.
British Indian think tank 1928 Institute organised a special roundtable entitled 'India and the Indo-Pacific' bringing together the High Commissioners of India, Bangladesh, Australia, Canada, Nepal, among others, ahead of the reception in the River Room of the House of Lords on Monday evening.
The 76th Independence Day was celebrated with patriotic fervour across the country on Monday with people enthusiastically hoisting the national flag at their homes.
According to the railway ministry, this non-lethal yet effective tool will help women RPF personnel tackle challenging situations swiftly, particularly while safeguarding female passengers travelling alone or with children to ensure their safer train journeys.
"For the next 25 years we need to focus on the five resolves - developed India, removing every trace of bondage from our mind, taking pride in our glorious heritage, unity, and fulfilling our duties," he said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses the country on the occasion of 76th Independence Day from the ramparts of Red Fort.
The indigenous howitzer gun that was used for the ceremonial salute on Monday has been designed by the Centre-run Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
The Congress on Sunday took a strong exception to the exclusion of former prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru in the Karnataka government's newspaper advertisement on freedom fighters and termed the Bharatiya Janata Party action 'pathetic'.
Ahead of Republic Day, the Indian Army announced on Thursday the addition of two new features to this year's parade: battlefield surveillance systems and a Defebce Research and Development Organisation tableau showcasing Pralay, short-range ballistic missiles.
President Droupadi Murmu and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto arrived at Kartavya Path for the 76th Republic Day parade in a traditional horse-drawn buggy, a practice that made a comeback after a 40-year gap last year. The gold-plated, horse-drawn buggy is a black carriage with the national emblem embossed on it in gold. It was discontinued after the assassination of Indira Gandhi in 1984 but was revived by President Pranab Mukherjee in 2014. The buggy's history dates back to the British era, with India winning ownership through a coin toss after independence.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday hailed the diversity of India and said that while our talent may be restricted by language barriers, pride should be taken in the variety of languages that exist in the country.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has confirmed that President Vladimir Putin has accepted an invitation from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit India. The visit is currently being prepared, though the dates have not yet been revealed. This visit follows Prime Minister Modi's trip to Russia in July 2024, his first since 2019. The two leaders have maintained regular contact and have emphasized the strength of the Russian-Indian strategic partnership.
As part of the 76th Independence Day celebrations, one group had tried to tie Savarkar's flex to the high mast light pole at the circle, to which the other group objected and wanted to install Tipu Sultan's flex there.
Doval is a 'Z plus' category protectee under the central VIP security list and the security cover is provided by the Special Security Group unit of the CISF.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday urged people to pledge not to do anything that lowers the dignity of women, saying a mentality to insult them in speech and conduct has crept in.
President Droupadi Murmu, in her address to the nation on Republic Day, advocated for the "One Nation One Election" initiative, emphasizing its potential to enhance governance and reduce financial burdens. She highlighted the government's efforts to eliminate remnants of colonialism, citing the replacement of British-era criminal laws with modern alternatives. Murmu also lauded India's economic progress, stressing the importance of inclusive growth and social welfare. She urged citizens to remember the sacrifices of freedom fighters and reaffirmed the significance of the Constitution in guiding India's journey towards a prosperous and equitable future.
On August 11, two terrorists had attacked an army camp in Rajouri killing four soldiers in a pre-dawn suicide strike that marked the return of 'fidayeen' to Jammu and Kashmir after more than three years.
Sonia Gandhi said that in the last 75 years, India has left an indelible mark on the international arena in all fields including science, education, health and information technology through the hard work of its talented people.
'Everybody knows when I hear Indian music, I start dancing'
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to announce a host of initiatives for the health sector on Independence Day with the highlights being the 'Heal in India' and 'Heal by India' projects and a roadmap to eliminate sickle cell disease by 2047, official sources said.
Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray on Monday asserted that the party's annual Dussehra rally will be held at the Shivaji Park in Mumbai.
The development came as the Thackeray-led party is reeling under the impact of Eknath Shinde's rebellion and the loss of power in Maharashtra.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said India has come a long way on the front of transparency in national selection of athletes and that has been key to country's success at the multi-sporting events.
On January 15, 2024, as part of the 76th Army Day celebrations, a military and combat display 'Shaurya Sandhya' was organised at the Lucknow Cantonment in Uttar Pradesh.
The Supreme Court will hear on March 27 a batch of pleas challenging the remission of sentence of 11 convicts in the Bilkis Bano gang-rape case that also involves the killing of seven members of her family during the 2002 Gujarat riots.
Briefing reporters at his office, Army Day Parade Commander Major General Salil Seth said, "Artificial Intelligence is being used for the first time to identify the best marching contingent. As you know all the marching contingents do drills and do drills correctly."
The Supreme Court on Wednesday agreed to constitute a special bench to hear a plea against the remission of sentence of 11 convicts in the Bilkis Bano gangrape case, which also involves the killing of seven members of her family during the 2002 Gujarat riots.
A bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and justices PS Narasimha and JB Pardiwala assured Bano, represented through her lawyer Shobha Gupta, that the new bench will be formed at the earliest.
The hearing on Bilkis Bano's plea challenging the remission of sentence of 11 convicts in the gang-rape case by the Gujarat government, could not be held in the Supreme Court on Tuesday as the judges concerned were hearing a matter related to passive euthanasia as part of a five-judge Constitution bench.
A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justice P S Narasimha was urged by lawyer Shobha Gupta, appearing for Bano, that another bench was needed to be constituted to hear the case.
Supreme Court judge Bela M Trivedi on Tuesday recused herself from hearing a plea filed by Bilkis Bano, who was gang-raped and seven members of her family killed during the 2002 Gujarat riots, challenging the remission of sentence of 11 convicts in the case by the state government.
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