New Delhi [India], August 15 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lead the 80th Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort in Delhi on Saturday, with this year's event marking 150 years of the National Song 'Vande Mataram' and highlighting the role of 'Yuva Shakti' in India's journey towards Viksit Bharat 2047.
For the first time, 'Vande Mataram' will be rendered during the Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort.
According to a press release, the Prime Minister will be received at the Red Fort by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth and Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh. He will then receive the Guard of Honour comprising personnel from the Army, Navy, Air Force and Delhi Police.
Prime Minister Modi will proceed to the ramparts of the Red Fort, where he will hoist the National Flag. Captain Sonia Singh Chauhan will assist him in hoisting the Tricolour.
The flag hoisting will be synchronised with a 21-gun salute by the 1721 Field Battery (Ceremonial), using indigenous 105 mm Light Field Guns, the press release stated.
Following the flag hoisting, the National Flag Guard comprising personnel from the Army, Navy, Air Force and Delhi Police will present the Rashtriya Salute. The Army band will then play 'Vande Mataram', which will be sung by everyone present at the Red Fort, followed by the National Anthem.
Two Mi-17 helicopters of the Indian Air Force will shower flower petals at the venue. One helicopter will carry the National Flag, while the other will carry a flag depicting 'Vande Mataram'.
The Prime Minister will subsequently address the nation. This will mark PM Modi's 13th consecutive address from the ramparts of the Red Fort. At the conclusion of his speech, NCC cadets and 'My Bharat' volunteers will sing 'Vande Mataram', followed by the National Anthem.
A total of 2,500 boy and girl cadets from the Army, Navy and Air Force, along with 'My Bharat' volunteers, will participate in the celebrations. They will be seated on Gyanpath and form the words 'Vande Mataram'. View cutters displaying the theme 'Viksit Bharat@2047' will also be installed at Gyanpath.
Around 5,000 special guests from different walks of life have been invited to attend the celebrations. They include women entrepreneurs, sanitation workers, street vendors, youth innovators, scientists, start-up founders, artisans, farmers, students and beneficiaries of various government schemes, the press release stated.
More than 1,500 people from different States and Union Territories, dressed in traditional attire, will also witness the ceremony.
Several arrangements have been made for public convenience, including 25 cloakrooms at six locations, helpdesks with 200 volunteers and wheelchair assistance at metro stations and parking areas.
Metro services will begin at 4 am on August 15, with free travel for invitees. Parking will also be available at the Parade Ground for visitors with valid parking labels.
The seating enclosures at the Red Fort have been named after major lakes of India, including Chilika, Dal, Loktak, Pangong Tso, Pushkar, Vembanad and Wular.
A post-event Swachhata campaign involving NCC cadets and 'My Bharat' volunteers will be conducted at the Red Fort. Drainage and sewage systems around the venue have also been cleaned in view of possible rainfall.
In the run-up to Independence Day, the Defence Ministry, MyGov, Delhi government departments and Delhi Police organised quizzes, competitions and other activities focused on patriotism, national unity, India's development and the country's freedom movement.
According to the release, around 600 winners of the competitions will be part of the Independence Day celebrations.
To promote patriotic spirit, band performances are also being held at 343 prominent locations across the country by the Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, NCC, CAPFs and other organisations. Entry to these venues is open to the public.
Flag hoisting ceremonies will also be held by the Indian Navy and local administrations in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep. (ANI)
PM Modi to lead 80th I-Day celebrations, address nation for 13th consecutive time from Red Fort
