India set to celebrate 77th Independence Day; PM Modi to address nation from Red Fort

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lead the nation in marking its 77th Independence Day as the grand stage is all set for celebrations on Tuesday at the iconic Red Fort in the national capital.

As per a release by the Ministry of Defence issued on Sunday, PM Modi will hoist the National Flag and deliver the customary address to the nation from the ramparts of the historic monument.

This year’s Independence Day will culminate the ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ celebrations, which were launched by the Prime Minister from Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad, Gujarat on March 12, 2021, and will, once again, usher the country into ‘Amrit Kaal’ with renewed vigour to realise PM Modi’s dream of making India a developed country by 2047.

According to the release, a number of new initiatives have been planned to mark the 77th Independence Day celebrations and a large number of guests have been invited as compared to 2022.

Upon his arrival at the Red Fort, PM Modi will be received by Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh, Raksha Rajya Mantri, Ajay Bhatt, and Defence Secretary, Giridhar Aramane.

The Defence Secretary will introduce the General Officer Commanding (GoC), Delhi Area, Lieutenant General Dhiraj Seth to the Prime Minister.

The GoC Delhi Area will then conduct Narendra Modi to the Saluting Base where a combined Inter-Services and Delhi Police Guard will present a general salute to the Prime Minister. Thereafter, the Prime Minister will inspect the Guard of Honour, the release said.

The Guard of Honour contingent for the PM will consist of one officer and 25 personnel each from the Army, Air Force and Delhi Police and one officer and 24 personnel from the Navy, the release said.

The Indian Army is the coordinating service this year.

"The Guard of Honour will be commanded by Major Vikas Sangwan. The Army Contingent in the Prime Minister’s Guard will be commanded by Major Indrajeet Sachin, the Naval contingent by Lieutenant Commander MV Rahul Raman and the Air Force contingent by Squadron Leader Akash Ganghas. The Delhi Police contingent will be commanded by Additional DCP Sandhya Swami," it added.

After inspecting the Guard of Honour, PM Modi will proceed to the ramparts of the Red Fort where he will be greeted by Raksha Mantri, Rajnath Singh, Raksha Rajya Mantri Ajay Bhatt, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, Chief of the Army Staff General Manoj Pande, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral R Hari Kumar, and Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari, the Ministry said.

The GoC, Delhi area will conduct the Prime Minister to the dais on the ramparts to hoist the National Flag.

After being hoisted, the Tricolour will receive a ‘Rashtriya Salute’. The Army band, consisting of one JCO and 20 Other Ranks, will play the National Anthem during the unfurling of the National Flag and presenting of the ‘Rashtriya Salute’.

The Band will be conducted by Naib Subedar Jatinder Singh, the official release said.

Major Nikita Nair and Major Jasmine Kaur will assist the PM in hoisting the National Flag.

"It will be synchronised with the 21 Gun Salute by the valiant gunners of the elite 8711 Field Battery (Ceremonial). The ceremonial battery will be commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Vikas Kumar and the Gun Position Officer will be Naib Subedar (AIG) Anoop Singh," it added.

The National Flag Guard comprising five officers and 128 other ranks from the Army, Navy, Air Force and Delhi Police will present Rashtriya Salute at the time of the hoisting of the national flag by PM Modi. Major Abhinav Detha from the Army will be in command of this Inter-Services Guard and Police Guard, it said. The Army Contingent in the National Flag Guard will be commanded by Major Mukesh Kumar Singh, the Naval contingent by Lieutenant Commander Harpreet Mann and the Air Force Contingent by Squadron Leader Shrey Chawdhary.

The Delhi Police contingent will be commanded by Additional DCP Shashank Jaiswal, the release said. As soon as the national flag is hoisted by the Prime Minister, flower petals will be showered at the venue by two Advanced Light Helicopters Mark-III Dhruv of the Indian Air Force in the Line Astern Formation. The captains of the helicopter will be Wing Commander Amber Agarwal and Squadron Leader Himanshu Sharma. Furthermore, after the showering of flower petals, the Prime Minister will address the Nation.

At the conclusion of the speech of the Prime Minister, the cadets of the National Cadet Corps (NCC) will sing the National Anthem, the release added.