New Delhi: The Republic Day festivities will now commence on January 23 rather than January 24 in order to accommodate Subhas Chandra Bose's birth anniversary, government sources informed ABP News.
"This is in line with Modi Government’s focus on celebrating/commemorating important aspects of our history and culture," the sources said.
The government has already declared Subhas Chandra Bose's birth commemoration as Parakram Divas.
Other commemorative days include August 14 as Partition Horrors Remembrance Day, October 31 as National Unity Day (Sardar Patel's birthday), November 15 as Janjatiya Gaurav Divas (Birsa Munda's birthday), November 26 as Constitution Day, and December 26 as Veer Baal Divas (a tribute to Guru Gobind Singh's four sons), according to sources.
Around 24K People Will Be Allowed To Attend Republic Day Parade This Year: Sources
Due to the Covid situation in the national capital, around 24,000 people will be allowed to attend the Republic Day parade this year, sources in the defence establishment told PTI on Saturday.
The sources added that roughly 1.25 lakh people were allowed to attend the parade in 2020 before the pandemic ravaged India.
According to reports, the Republic Day parade last year took place in the midst of the Covid outbreak, and only around 25,000 people were allowed to attend.
Republic Day 2021 Celebrations
Last year, during the 72nd Republic Day celebrations, President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other dignitaries including vice-president Venkaiah Naidu, and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh were present on the occasion. PM Modi was spotted wearing a special 'Pagdi' from Jamnagar.
The Pagadi was gifted to the PM by the royal family of Jamnagar, Gujarat.