India marks 77th Republic Day: PM Modi lays wreath at war memorial

The Prime Minister arrived at the memorial in the morning, where he laid a wreath and observed a moment of silence to honour the fallen.

On Monday, January 26, Prime Minister NarendraModi laid a wreath at the National War Memorial in New Delhi, leading the nation in paying homage to soldiers who died in the line of duty as India marked its 77th Republic Day.

PM Modi pays homage to fallen soldiers and lays a wreath in Delhi’s War Memorial.

The Prime Minister of India, NarendraModi, arrived at the memorial, where he laid a wreath and observed a moment of silence to honour the fallen. The ceremony is a traditional start to Republic Day proceedings and precedes the main celebrations in the capital. The focus later in the day shifted to Kartavya Path, where the grand Republic Day parade began at 10.30 am. The theme for this year’s celebrations is “150 years of VandeMataram”, with the parade set to showcase India’s development journey, cultural diversity and military capabilities. At the core of the parade were elaborate defence displays, cultural performances, and vibrant tableaux by states and central ministries.

Maharashtra showcased Ganeshotsav celebrations.

On Monday, Maharashtra presented a blend of modernity and tradition as it showcased the Ganesh festival as a symbol of self-reliance at the Republic Day parade. Dressed in traditional attire, a troupe of women dancers performed ‘Lezim’, a folk dance, on either side of the tableau depicting Ganeshotsav celebrations during the parade on the Kartavya Path. Besides Maharashtra, there were tableau highlights from West Bengal, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Puducherry, Punjab, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, and Uttar Pradesh.

The special celebration also saw mixed scouts march proudly in the 77th Republic Day parade. A woman officer was also seen leading an all-women CRPF contingent at the Republic Day parade.