Stage set for 75th Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort

At the time of the flag hoisting two Mi 17 1V helicopters of the Indian Air Force in Amrut Formation will be showering flower petals at the venue. (Representative image)

‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’, which is marking the 75th year of Independence Day on August 15 will start with Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be hoisting the National Flag from the ramparts of Red Fort. This will be followed by his customary address to the Nation.

Details of what is planned at Red Fort

According to the Ministry of Defence (MoD) statement issued on Saturday (August 14, 2021), Prime Minister Modi will be received by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Minister of Defence State Ajay Bhatt and Defence Secretary Dr Ajay Kumar on his arrival at Red Fort.

Then he will be introduced to the General Officer Commanding (GoC), Delhi Area, Lieutenant General Vijay Kumar Mishra, by the Defence Secretary. After which the GoC Delhi Area will escort the PM to the Saluting Base. A combined Inter-Services and Delhi Police Guard will present a general salute to PM Modi, and followed by the inspection of the Guard of Honour.

The contingent for the Guard of Honour which is being coordinated by the Indian Navy will be having one officer and 20 men each from the Army, Navy, Air Force and Delhi Police.

Commander Piyush Gaur will command the Guard of Honour and the Army contingent will be commanded by Major Vikas Sangwan, the naval contingent by Lt Commander Sune Phogat, and the Air Force contingent by Squadron Leader A Berwal. Also, Additional DCP (West District) Subodh Kumar Goswami will be commanding the Delhi Police contingent.

More about the events at Red Fort

After the Guard of Honour the PM will proceed to the ramparts escorted by the GoC Delhi area from where the national flag will be hoisted. On reaching the dais will be greeted by the Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Ajay Bhatt, and CDS General Bipin Rawat, and the three service chiefs.

Soon after being hoisted the Tricolour will receive a ‘Rashtriya Salute’ and the Navy Band will play the National Anthem and the Rashtriya Salute. The band which is going to be conducted by MCPO Vincent Johnson will have 16 men.

PM Modi will be assisted by Lt Commander P Priyambada Sahoo in hoisting the National Flag and this will be synchronised with the 21 Gun Salute. This gun salute is going to be fired by the gunners of the elite 2233 Field Battery (Ceremonial) and the ceremonial battery is commanded by Lt Col Jitendra Singh Mehta, the Gun Position Officer will be Naib Subedar (AIG) Anil Chand.

National Flag Guard

There will be five officers and 130 men from the three services — Army, Navy, Air Force and Delhi Police. They will be presenting the Rashtriya Salute when the flag is hoisted by the prime minister. And, according to the MoD statement, Inter-Services Guard and Police Guard will be commanded by Commander Kuldeep M Neralkar from the Indian Navy.

Each contingent in the National Flag Guard will have different commanders: The navy will be commanded by Lt Commander Praveen Saraswat, Major Anshul Kumar will command the Indian Army contingent and the Air Force contingent by Squadron Leader Rohit Malik. Additional DCP (South West District) Amit Goel will command the Delhi Police Contingent.

For the first time ever

At the time of the flag hoisting two Mi 17 1V helicopters of the Indian Air Force in Amrut Formation will be showering flower petals at the venue.

Wing Commander Baldev Singh Bisht will be the captain of the first helicopter and the second will be flown by Wing Commander Nikhil Mehrotra.

This will then be followed by the address of the PM and then 500 NCC cadets from different schools will sing the national anthem.

For the first time there will be thirty two Olympic medal winners including javelin thrower Subedar Neeraj Chopra, who won India’s first ever Gold Medal in track and field event. Also present will be two officials of Sports Authority of India (SAI) and other support staff as well as 240 Olympians.

And in honour of the Corona warriors, a separate block on the South side of the Rampart has been created.