LUCKNOW: Bright sunshine on a breezy Wednesday allowed city residents to throng the twin
DefExpo 2020
venues on
Gomti Riverfront
and at Vrindavan Colony on Kanpur Road in large numbers.
The waterfront programme began around 11am with the band Symphony belting out patriotic songs and encouraging the crowd to croon along. "The vibe was positive and the ambience relaxing," said banker Akhilendra Bisht.
Children, on the other hand, cheered the most for the furry squad of six labradors and a German shepherd who could put the best soldier to shame with their battlefield skills. Ten-year-old Varun Singh said he wanted to take one of the dogs home. "But, my mother is not allowing me to do so," he sulked. "I will return to watch them again with my best friend," he added.
Sword and fire-eating stunts of the Sikh Regiment, along with martial moves of gatka and khukuri dance, had the audience enthralled no less. Chants of 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' reverberated through the venue time and again. "I got goosebumps after seeing the performances. I must bring my father tomorrow (Thursday). He is a former serviceman," said Ranjeet Chauhan of Indiranagar.
The counter-terror and rescue drills of the Indian Navy and Coast Guard won thunderous applause, as marine commandos or Marcos arrived in advanced Dhruv copters, rappelled down onto a boat and proceeded to defeat 'enemies'.
"The show was more exciting than any action movie I have ever seen. The commandos are so fit and agile; it's simply spectacular," said engineering student Harshit Jaiswal and promised to return again.
While jaw-dropping performances kept people glued to the riverfront venue, Vrindavan Colony drew visitors with an exhibition that included IAF fighter jets like the MiG-21 and Indian Army battle tanks such as the T-96. Selfies with these mean machines as well as soldiers in uniform remained a big draw. As amateur shutterbugs went click-click-click, an air show with bombardment demo jazzed up the skies. Could spectators young and old have asked for more?
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