South African President Cyril Ramaphosa attends as Chief Guest

Impressive Parade and enthusiasm mark the celebration

PM lays a wreath at Amar Jawan Jyoti and pays tribute to martyrs

NEW DELHI  (TIP): Celebrations for the 70th Republic Day began on Saturday, January 26,  with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in attendance as the chief guest, amid heavy security deployment in the city.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid his tributes to the martyrs by laying a wreath at Amar Jawan Jyoti in the presence of Defense Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and the three service chiefs.

Later Modi, wearing his traditional kurta-pajama and trademark Nehru jacket, reached the Rajpath and received and greeted President Ram Nath Kovind and the chief guest.

At the unfurling of the Tricolor, the band played the national anthem with a 21-gun salute fired in the background.

Most of the ministers of the Modi government, including Home Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, former prime ministers Manmohan Singh and Deve Gowda, and Congress veteran Ghulam Nabi Azad were among those present on the occasion.

The overall theme for the Republic Day celebrations this year is the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi and tableaux of many states, themed on the iconic freedom fighter, were  lined up for the occasion.

(Source: PTI)