Prime Minister Narendra Modi hoisted the national flag on the occasion of the country's 77th Independence Day at the historic Red Fort. He paid tributes to the great freedom fighters and extended greetings to the citizens on the morning on August 15. The Prime Minister will deliver the customary address to the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort.
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. A number of new initiatives have been taken to celebrate the 77th Independence Day. A large number of guests have been invited as compared to last year.
Around 1,800 people from different vocations, with their spouses, have been invited from across the country to be a part of the celebrations at Red Fort as Special Guests. The initiative has been taken in line with the Government’s vision of ‘Jan Bhagidari’.
A multi-layer security arrangement has been deployed across Delhi with more than 10,000 personnel manning the area in and around the historic Red Fort from where Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation.
Elaborate measures with around 1,000 cameras with facial recognition and video analytic systems have been deployed to ensure security and monitor VVIP movements.
Prime Minister was received by Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Mos Defence Ajay Bhatt and Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane. General Officer Commanding Lieutenant General Dhiraj Seth conducted PM Modi Narendra Modi to the Saluting Base where a combined Inter-Services and Delhi Police Guard presented a general salute to the Prime Minister. Thereafter, the Prime Minister inspected the Guard of Honour.
The Guard of Honour contingent for the Prime Minister consisted 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 Indian Army is the coordinating service this year. The Guard of Honour was commanded by Major Vikas Sangwan. The Army Contingent in the Prime Minister’s Guard was 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 was commanded by Additional DCP Sandhya Swami.