New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi hoisted the national flag at the Red Fort as India celebrated its 79th Independence Day.
Flying Officer Rashika Sharma assisted the Prime Minister in the ceremony, after which flower petals were showered from two Indian Air Force Mi-17 helicopters—one carrying the national flag and the other the ‘Operation Sindoor’ flag, piloted by Wing Commanders Vinay Poonia and Aditya Jaiswal.
PM Modi was welcomed at the Red Fort by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, MoS Sanjay Seth, and the Chiefs of the Army, Navy, and Air Force. The Prime Minister also received a ceremonial guard of honour from 128 personnel of the National Flag Guard, the three armed services, and the Delhi Police, led by Wing Commander Arun Nagar.
Earlier, the Prime Minister paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat before proceeding to the Red Fort. This year’s celebrations follow the theme ‘Naya Bharat,’ reflecting the government’s vision for a ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047.
On Gyanpath, opposite the Rampart, 2,500 cadets from the Army, Navy, and Air Force, alongside ‘My Bharat’ volunteers, formed the ‘Naya Bharat’ logo. Around 5,000 special guests from diverse fields, including winners of international sports events, gold medalists of the Khelo India Para Games, top-performing farmers under the National Beekeeping and Honey Mission, and achievers under various government schemes such as PM YUVA, PM-VIKAS, PM Van Dhan, and PM DAKSH, attended the celebrations.
For the first time, bands from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Indian Coast Guard, NCC, CRPF, ITBP, CISF, SSB, BSF, IDS, RPF, and Assam Rifles will perform across more than 140 locations nationwide, commemorating Independence Day and celebrating the success of Operation Sindoor.
Under the leadership of PM Modi, the Har Ghar Tiranga Abhiyan and nationwide Tiranga Yatras have fostered patriotic fervour across the country.
