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Republic Day 2023 – History, Significance, and Why We Celebrate It
Every year 26 January is celebrated as Republic Day in India. This year in 2023, the country will celebrate its 74th Republic Day on Thursday. It is an important national holiday that marks the creation and adoption of the Constitution of India.
People all over India celebrate this day with great enthusiasm and patriotism. Many cultural programs and military parades are held at Rajpath, New Delhi, in which the Indian Armed Forces participate and the national flag is hoisted in many parts of the country. People wish each other a happy Republic Day and experience the essence of being an Indian through these mesmerizing parades and airshows by the Indian Army.
History of republic day
Do you want to know why we celebrate Republic Day?
Republic Day is celebrated to celebrate the implementation of our Indian Constitution on January 26, 1950, which replaced the Government of India Act that imposed the date on our country.
As you know, India got independence on August 15, 1947, but till then India was deprived of any of its constitutions. Rather the laws were primarily based on the Government of India Act 1935. Later on August 29, 1947, for the formation of an independent constitution of our country, Dr. B.R. A resolution was passed to appoint the Drafting Committee headed by Ambedkar as its Chairman.
It took about 2 years 11 months and 18 days to put together the guidelines under our Indian Constitution. Finally, on 26 January 1950, our Indian Constitution came into force. 26 January was chosen as the date because, in 1930 Purna Swaraj, the declaration of Indian independence was made by the Indian National Congress. Therefore, the country celebrates Independence Day, when India became free from British rule, while Republic Day marks the establishment of the Indian Constitution. So, if you are asked, “When was the first Republic Day celebrated”? The answer is 26 January 1950.
Interesting information about Indian Constitution
Constitution of India was written by hand, it took 6 months and 254 nibs were used
India is called the largest republic of the world because the constitution of India is the largest written constitution in the world. There are 448 Articles and 12 Schedules in the Indian Constitution. It took 2 years, 11 months and 18 days to frame the constitution. At the same time, it took 6 months to write the constitution. The special thing is that Prem Bihari Narayan Raizada wrote the original copy of the constitution with his own hands. Raizada used 254 nibs of No. 303 to write it. This nib was imported from England. Apart from this, the painters of Shantiniketan decorated it with their beautiful art.
Didn’t take a dime
Prem Bihari Narayan Raizada was a calligrapher by profession. He learned calligraphy from his grandfather. The country’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru entrusted Raizada with the responsibility of writing the Indian Constitution. When he was asked for his remuneration, he refused to take anything.
Raizada bet
Raizada had refused to take remuneration for writing the constitution, but he had put a condition for it. His condition was that he would write his name on every page of the constitution and write his grandfather’s name along with his name on the last page of the constitution.
The original copy is kept in helium gas
Acharya Nandlal Bose has decorated each page of the Indian Constitution with pictures. Apart from this, Ram Manohar Sinha has done the work of decorating its introduction page. He was a disciple of Nandlal Bose. The original copy of the Constitution is kept in a helium-filled box in the Library of the Parliament of India.
How is Republic Day celebrated in India?
The historical day of Happy Republic Day is celebrated by the people of India with great enthusiasm and pride.
On this day, various flag-hoisting events and parades are organized by the Indian Armed Forces. Many schools across the country have excellent cultural activities, such as parades, singing or dancing, etc.
The most important military parade is held at Rajpath, New Delhi, which showcases a perfect combination of the rich cultural heritage and military capabilities of our country. The Ministry of Defense organizes the Delhi Republic Day Parade to pay homage to the martyrs who laid down their lives for the country and to honor military personnel, civilians, or individuals with gallantry awards for their courageous acts for the country.
A group of regiments of the Indian Army march before the President of India, honoring him with a salute. The parade begins with recognizing the winners of gallantry awards, followed by the display of battle tanks, missiles, and other military equipment. The Prime Minister of India pays tribute to those of the Indian Army who lost their lives for the country by laying a wreath in their memory at the Amar Jawan Jyoti, India Gate.
After this, many armed forces like police or home guards along with the National Cadet Corps showed their enthusiasm by marching on the Rajpath. The parade is followed by several gun salutes, the hoisting of the national flag, and the singing of the national anthem. Gallantry awards are given to the winners. The event ended with an adventure bike ride and airshow by the Indian Air Force.
Importance of Republic Day
Happy Republic Day celebrates the adoption of the Constitution of India on January 26, 1950. After gaining independence from British rule on August 15, 1947, a drafting committee was set up to design an independent constitution for the country under the supervision of Dr. BR Ambedkar. The day symbolizes the power of a free and individual India and the right of Indian citizens to democratically choose their government. The country observes this day as a national holiday to commemorate the adoption of the Indian Constitution.
26 January – National holiday
Happy Republic Day is a reserved holiday in India that is celebrated every year on 26 January to mark the adoption of the Indian Constitution. The constitution was adopted by the Indian Constituent Assembly on 26 November 1949 and came into effect on 26 January 1950 with a democratic setup. It is one of India’s most important national holidays, along with Independence Day and Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti, which are celebrated on 15 August and 2 October each year.
As it is a public holiday across the country every year on 26 January, all local, state, and national level government authorities will remain closed on this day. All other commercial outlets and business organizations also remain closed or have reduced working hours.
Every state shows its glimpse through the exhibition on the Rajpath. The event is graced by cultural functions and parades from the armed forces – the Indian Air Force (IAF), the Indian Naval Forces (INF), and the Indian Army.
On this day Honorary Civil Honor- Padma Awards are given to citizens for India’s contribution in various fields like art, education, social welfare, music, politics, science, technology, etc. Ashoka Chakra, Param Vir Chakra, and Vir Chakra are awarded to brave soldiers for their bravery on the battlefield.
New India should pay its homage to the makers of independent India by serving the country with utmost devotion and dedication. They can do their work by making the nation a better place for everyone to live by staying away from corruption, violence, malpractices, etc. They should adopt a sustainable lifestyle so that their successors also have resources. Everyone should be a torchbearer for the positive change that should happen in the nation – building with very little means. If this happens, India will see an optimistic domino effect and will touch a climax in the future.
2. India gained independence on 15 August 1947, it took about 3 years to draft the constitution, and 26 January 1950 was chosen as the official enactment date for the declaration of “Purna Swaraj” made during the 1930s. The country became officially known as the Republic of India – a “sovereign socialist secular democratic republic” which according to its preamble “secures justice, liberty, equality and fraternity of all its citizens”.
Republic Day in India is celebrated with the laying of a wreath by the Prime Minister of India at the “Amar Jawan Jyoti”, now located in the inner circle, the Amar Chakra (Circle of Immortality), “National War Memorial”, which was inaugurated on 2017. 25 February 2019 by Prime Minister of India “Shri Narendra Damodardas Modi”, Chief of Defense Staff “General Bipin Rawat” and three Chiefs of the Indian Armed Forces.
The National War Memorial was built to honor and pay homage to the martyrs of the Indian Armed Forces who fought in the struggles of independent India. The National War Memorial has four concentric circles and a central obelisk, the circles are arranged in the form of Chakravyuh namely Amar Chakra (Circle of Immortality), Veerta Chakra (Circle of Bravery), Tyag Chakra (Circle of Sacrifice), Rakshak Chakra (Circle of Protection) Designed in.
We can also learn a lot from the 21st century that India has entered. A new India with a dynamic economy and a large and growing middle class has emerged as a leader in the global market. With the introduction of a new generation of technology and several important initiatives, India has been able to further its economic growth in all sectors of the economy. The country is now firmly on the path of becoming the next economic superpower. We are one of the world’s fastest-growing major economies and are expected to be the world’s third-largest by 2030.
Similarly, the recent Indian government has recognized the important role of women in this development and implemented progressive laws and policies that aim to ensure gender equality. Many of us here today are also seen as role models for girls and young women across the country. Our collective success is an inspiration to the rest of the country. It is our India that will inspire the world to dream and work towards fulfilling their aspirations. We should also celebrate our diversity and the harmony and peace that our country continues to enjoy.
Not only the land of four rivers, India is also a land where people from every corner of the world find a home. Indians are constantly traveling across borders to get an education, make a living and pursue their passion. They have enriched the cultural fabric of the country with their rich cultural heritage and have contributed to every form of art, music, literature, and creativity.
The whole world knows about the importance of traveling and exploring different cultures and customs of different countries. Yet much more needs to be done to realize our vision of a stronger, more united, more inclusive, and more prosperous India. We have a significant youth force. About 68% of our population is below 35 years of age. The Republic Day celebration should acknowledge this young upsurge and activate it to act as a source of vitality to realize the vision of a better future.
We are building up our science and technology base. We have a demographic dividend to count on. We have started giving universal access to electricity to rural households. We are investing in clean and renewable energy. We must focus on areas where we can make meaningful progress in the shortest possible time – one of them being healthcare.
Global appreciation for India’s new status as a constitutional republic was also tinged with skepticism. Many were apprehensive about India’s survival: India was too diverse and poor to sustain a constitutional democracy. As history would have it, India and its constitution survived – even as its neighbors and political contemporaries such as Pakistan and Sri Lanka struggled to remain democratic and preserve their constitutions. Republic Day then is not a moment for us to celebrate India’s status as a constitutional republic, but to remind ourselves not to take it for granted.
Interesting facts about the Constitution of India
Take a look at some interesting facts about the Indian Constitution that you should know:
- The Constitution of India is the largest constitution in the world consisting of 117,369 handwritten words.
- Every page of the Indian Constitution has been decorated by artists, and over 2000 amendments were made to the draft.
- Upon completion of the constitution, a total of 238 members of the Constituent Assembly signed the constitution.
- The original copies of the Constitution are carefully kept in the Library of Parliament House, while the book contains 1000 photolithographic reproductions.
- The Constitution of India prohibits dual citizenship.
- It took about 4 years to write the constitution.
- The fundamental rights written in our constitution have been taken from the American constitution.
- USSR inspired the concept of the five-year plan
Epilogue
Now you know that the Republic Day of India celebrates the establishment and adoption of the Indian Constitution to remind people of the efforts that went into the making of the Constitution. The day emphasizes the importance of law and order in the country. Republic Day serves as a reminder that a country cannot remain democratic, be successful, or thrive globally without a judicial system. In my own way, I wish all the countrymen a very happy Republic Day.