Prime Minister Narendra Modi will preside over India’s 78th Independence Day celebration on August 15 at Delhi’s historic Red Fort. The Prime Minister will hoist the National Flag and deliver his customary address to the nation from the monument’s ramparts.
This year’s theme, “Viksit Bharat @ 2047,” underscores the government’s vision to transform India into a developed nation by 2047. In a move to enhance public participation, around 6,000 distinguished guests from various sectors will be in attendance to witness the grand event.
The guest list is diverse, featuring youth, members of tribal communities, farmers, women, and achievers from various fields who have benefited from government initiatives. Special invitees include beneficiaries of programs like the Atal Innovation Mission and PM SHRI, as well as volunteers from Mera Yuva Bharat and the National Service Scheme.
Notable attendees include athletes from the recent Paris Olympics, representatives from the Aspirational Blocks Programme, the Border Roads Organisation, and Gram Panchayats that have excelled in priority sector schemes.
The ceremony will showcase a Guard of Honour comprising one officer and 24 personnel each from the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Delhi Police, with the Indian Navy as the coordinating service this year. Commander Arun Kumar Mehta will lead the Guard of Honour, with Major Arjun Singh, Lieutenant Commander Gulia Bhavesh NK, and Squadron Leader Akshara Uniyal commanding the Army, Navy, and Air Force contingents, respectively. Additional DCP Anurag Dwivedi will command the Delhi Police contingent.
Lieutenant Sanjeet Saini will assist the Prime Minister in hoisting the National Flag, which will be accompanied by a 21-gun salute from the 1721 Field Battery (Ceremonial) using indigenous 105mm Light Field Guns. The ceremonial battery will be led by Major Sabnis Kaushik, with Naib Subedar (AIG) Anuthosh Sarkar as the Gun Position Officer.
The National Flag Guard, comprising one officer and 32 personnel from the Army, Navy, and Air Force, along with 128 members of the Delhi Police, will present the Rashtriya Salute. Commander Vinay Dubey will lead this Inter-Services and Police Guard. The Punjab Regiment Military Band, conducted by Subedar Major Rajinder Singh, will play the National Anthem during the flag hoisting and Rashtriya Salute.
Following the Prime Minister’s address, the National Cadet Corps (NCC) cadets will sing the National Anthem. A total of 2,000 cadets from various schools across the country will participate, forming a “My Bharat” logo with customized tricolor kits. Additionally, 500 National Service Scheme (NSS) volunteers will also take part in the celebration.