The Indian contingent from the Paris Olympics, student beneficiaries from the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), workers of the Border Roads Organisation and sarpanches were among the 6,000 special guests who attended the 78th Independence Day celebrations today. Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the nation in marking the day as he unfurled the national flag and addressed the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort. Those sitting in the front row included Union ministers Nirmala Sitharaman, Shivraj Singh Chauhan, Amit Shah and S Jaishankar. A surprising seating arrangement caught the attention of many on social media as Leader of the Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, was seen sitting in the second last row alongside Olympic athletes. Traditionally, the Leader of the Opposition, who holds a position equivalent to a Cabinet Minister, is allocated a seat in the front row. This year, however, those seats were reserved for dignitaries including Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Union ministers Nirmala Sitharaman, Amit Shah, S Jaishankar, and Shivraj Singh Chouhan.
Dressed in a white kurta-pyjama, Rahul was seated next to India’s hockey player Gurjant Singh. At the same time, prominent figures, including Olympic medallists like Manu Bhaker and Sarabjot Singh occupied the front rows. Other members of the bronze-winning hockey team, such as captain Harmanpreet Singh and PR Sreejesh, were also seated ahead of Gandhi. The theme of this year’s Independence Day is ‘Viksit Bharat @ 2047’.The gathering comprised people from different walks of life, categorised as youth, tribal community, farmers, women and other special guests, who have excelled in various fields with the help of various government schemes/initiatives. Students benefiting from the Atal Innovation Mission and PM SHRI (Prime Minister’s Schools for Rising India) scheme, and volunteers of the Mera Yuva Bharat (MY Bharat) and National Service Scheme under ‘Meri Maati Mera Desh’ attended the event.
The guests also included tribal artisans, ‘Van Dhan Vikas’ members and tribal entrepreneurs funded by National Scheduled Tribes Finance & Development Corporation and beneficiaries of Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi, Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana and representatives of farmers producing organisations. Accredited social health activists (ASHA), auxiliary nurse midwives (ANM) and anganwadi workers; elected women representatives; beneficiaries of Sankalp: Hub for Empowerment of Women, Lakhpati Didi and Drone Didi initiatives and Sakhi Kendra scheme; and workers of Child Welfare Committees and district child protection units also witnessed the ceremony. One guest from each block of the aspirational blocks programme, workers of the Border Roads Organisation, students from PRERANA School programme, and sarpanches of panchayats which achieved saturation in priority sector schemes were there as well. The gathering comprised nearly 2,000 people from various states and union territories dressed in their traditional attire also attended the grand ceremony. Besides, 3,000 winners of different online competitions, organised by the Defence Ministry in collaboration with MyGov and Akashvani, were part of the celebrations.A total of 2,000 boy and girl cadets (from Army, Navy and Air Force wings) of the NCC from different schools across the country participated in the celebrations. These cadets were seated on Gyanpath, opposite the ramparts. They formed ‘My Bharat’ logo with customised tricolour kits.A total of 500 National Service Scheme (NSS) volunteers also took part.
