80th Independence Day: PM Modi to lead Red Fort celebrations on August 15

New Delhi: The prime minister, Narendra Modi, will lead the 80th Independence Day celebrations from the Red Fort on August 15. This year’s ceremony will mark 150 years of Vande Mataram and highlight the contribution of young Indians to the country’s journey towards Viksit Bharat 2047. For the first time, Vande Mataram will be rendered as part of the Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort.

Ceremony at the Red Fort

The prime minister will be received at the Red Fort by the defence minister, Rajnath Singh, minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and defence secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh. He will then be escorted to the saluting base, where a combined guard of honour from the Indian Army, Indian Navy, Indian Air Force and Delhi Police will present a general salute. The prime minister will subsequently inspect the guard of honour.

The guard of honour will include one officer and 24 personnel each from the Army, Navy, Air Force and Delhi Police. The Army is the coordinating service for this year’s celebrations. The guard will be commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Arjun Singh.

The prime minister will then proceed to the Red Fort ramparts, where he will be received by the defence minister, Rajnath Singh; the minister of state for defence, Sanjay Seth; the chief of defence staff, General NS Raja Subramani; the chief of the air staff, Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh; the chief of the naval staff, Admiral Krishna Swaminathan; and chief of the Army staff, General Dhiraj Seth.

Flag hoisting and ceremonial salute

Captain Sonia Singh Chauhan will assist the prime minister in hoisting the national flag. The flag hoisting will be synchronized with a 21-gun salute by the 1721 Field Battery (Ceremonial), using indigenous 105mm light field guns. The national flag guard, comprising personnel from the Army, Navy, Air Force and Delhi Police, will present the rashtriya salute (national salute).

After the Tiranga is hoisted, the Army band will play Vande Mataram, which will be sung by those present at the Red Fort, followed by the national anthem. Two Indian Air Force Mi-17 helicopters will shower flower petals over the venue. One helicopter will carry the National Flag, while the other will carry a flag depicting Vande Mataram.

The prime minister will then address the nation from the Red Fort ramparts. At the conclusion of his speech, NCC cadets and “My Bharat” volunteers will sing Vande Mataram, followed by the National Anthem.

Youth and special guests

A total of 2,500 NCC cadets and My Bharat volunteers will take part in the celebrations. They will be seated along Gyanpath and form the words “वंदे मातरम्” (Vande Mataram). View cutters displaying the theme “Viksit Bharat 2047” will also be installed along Gyanpath.

Around 5,000 special guests from different sections of society have been invited to attend the ceremony. They include women entrepreneurs, sanitation workers, farmers, artisans, youth innovators, scientists, startup founders, healthcare workers, students, metro workers, cab drivers and beneficiaries of several government schemes. More than 1,500 people from different states and Union territories, dressed in traditional attire, will also attend.

Arrangements for visitors

Several arrangements have been made to facilitate public access. 25 cloak rooms will operate at six locations, while 200 volunteers from NCC and My Bharat will assist visitors along with police personnel. Wheelchair assistance will be available at metro stations and parking areas. 

Delhi Metro services will begin at 4am on August 15, with free travel for invited guests using QR codes provided with their e-invitations. Parking will be available at Parade ground for visitors with valid parking labels.

In view of possible rainfall, rain ponchos will be provided to invitees at Madhav Das Park and August 15 Park. Drainage and sewage systems around the Red Fort and nearby areas are also being cleaned to prevent water overflow. Traffic restrictions on the day will be reflected on Google and Mappls Maps to help citizens plan their movement.

The seating enclosures have been named after major lakes of India. The 25 names include Badkhal, Bhimtal, Chandratal, Chilika, Dalpat Sagar, Dimna, Dudhsagar, Haflong, Harike, Hussain Sagar, Kanwar, Kankaria, Kolleru, Loktak, Lonar, Pangong Tso, Pulicat, Pushkar, Rabindra Sarobar, Ramgarh Tal, Rudrasagar, Sakhya Sagar, Shanti Sagar, Vembanad and Wular. 

The celebrations will also include a post-event Swachhata Campaign involving NCC cadets and My Bharat volunteers to carry out plogging and remove waste after spectators leave the Red Fort.

Competitions and nationwide celebrations

Ahead of Independence Day, the Ministry of Defence, in collaboration with MyGov, conducted a series of quizzes and competitions on themes including artificial intelligence and Viksit Bharat 2047, India’s journey from 1947 to 2047, the Constitution, women’s role in the freedom movement, space technology and nuclear technology. Around 600 winners of these competitions will attend the celebrations.

Beyond the Red Fort, patriotic band performances are being held at 343 locations across the country by bands of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Indian Coast Guard, NCC, central armed police forces and other organizations. Flag-hoisting ceremonies will also be conducted in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep by the Indian Navy and local administrations.