New Delhi: ‘Beating the Retreat’ ceremony, which marks the formal end of Republic Day celebrations, was on Saturday held at Vijay Chowk in the national capital.
President Ramnath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Army chief Manoj Mukund Naravane, Navy chief Admiral R Hari Kumar, and Air Force chief Air Marshal V R Chaudhari graced the ceremony along with several other dignitaries.
Here is a video of military bands playing Aey Mere Watan Ke Logo as part of the Beating the Retreat ceremony.
Other tunes that were included in the ceremony are Kerala, Hind Ki Sena along with Qadam Qadam Badhaye Ja and Saare Jahan Se Accha. Qadam Qadam Badhaye Ja was written by Vanshidhar Shukla and composed by Ram Singh Thakuri. This song was popularly the quick march of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's Azad Hind Fauj. Saare Jahan Se Accha was written by Muhammad Iqbal.
Notably, for the first time in more than 70 years, favourite hymn of Mahatma Gandhi 'Abide With Me' did not echo at Vijay Chowk. Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon, written by Kavi Pradeep to commemorate the supreme sacrifice made by Indian soldiers during the 1962 India-China war, replaced the popular hymn this year.
Drone Formations & Laser Projection
One thousand Made-in-India drones made different formations putting up an enthralling visual spectacle at the ceremony.
The drone show was organised by the startup Botlab Dynamics' and supported by Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi and the Department of Science & Technology.
India's freedom struggle and the nation's journey since Independence were narrated using Laser projection.
The Beating Retreat ceremony is a centuries-old military tradition, dating back to the days when troops disengaged from a battle at sunset. As soon as the buglers sounded the retreat, the troops ceased fighting, sheathed their arms, and withdrew from the battlefield.
During Republic Day celebrations, the bands march back playing a popular martial tune and the official march of the Armed Forces, Sare Jahan Se Accha. The Beating Retreat Ceremony is organised three days after Republic Day i.e. on January 29 at the time of sunset.