New Delhi: On the occasion of India’s Republic Day, a total of 26 tableaux were showcased on the Kartavya Path, reflecting the country’s diverse powers and its ever-evolving cultural inclusivity. These included tableaux from 16 states and union territories and 10 ministries/departments of the central government. All the tableaux highlighted the theme ‘Golden India: Heritage and Development,’ displaying the diverse powers of India and its promising future shaped by continuous cultural evolution.
Among the participating state/UT tableaux, Goa’s was the first, showcasing the state’s rich cultural heritage. Uttarakhand’s tableau exhibited cultural heritage and adventure sports. Haryana’s tableau focused on the Bhagavad Gita, while Jharkhand’s tableau depicted its legacy and progress as ‘Golden Jharkhand: Heritage and Progress.’ Gujarat’s tableau highlighted ‘Golden India: Heritage and Development.’ Andhra Pradesh’s tableau showcased eco-friendly wooden toys, Etikoppaka Bommalu. Punjab’s tableau was based on the theme, ‘Punjab: Land of Knowledge and Wisdom.’
Uttar Pradesh’s tableau was centered around ‘Mahakumbh 2025 – Golden India: Heritage and Development,’ while Bihar’s tableau displayed ‘Golden India: Heritage and Development’ with a focus on Nalanda University. Madhya Pradesh’s tableau depicted the ‘Kuno National Park – Land of Cheetahs.’ Tripura’s tableau presented ‘Endless Faith: Worship of 14 Deities in Tripura,’ highlighting the Karchi Puja. Karnataka’s tableau showcased the origin of stone sculpture at Lakkundi, and West Bengal’s tableau focused on ‘Laxmi Bhandar and Lok Prasar Yojana’ to promote empowerment and self-reliance in Bengal.
Chandigarh’s tableau was themed ‘Chandigarh: A Harmonious Blend of Heritage, Innovation, and Sustainability,’ while Delhi’s tableau highlighted quality education. The tableau of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu paid tribute to the brave naval personnel at the Kukri Memorial and Daman Aviary Bird Park.
Following these, the ministries’ tableaux began with the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment’s tableau based on the theme ‘India’s Constitution, Our Heritage, Development, and the Foundation of Our Path.’ The Ministry of Tribal Affairs’ tableau presented the Tribal Pride Year. The Ministry of Women and Child Development’s tableau showcased the journey of women and children under various schemes. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy’s tableau focused on ‘Golden India: Heritage and Development.’
Other notable tableaux included the Ministry of Rural Development, which featured ‘Lakpati Didi,’ the Department of Financial Services showing India’s remarkable financial development, and the Ministry of Earth Sciences presenting modern meteorology and weather forecasting. The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying’s tableau honored indigenous cattle breeds as symbols of sustainable rural development. The Ministry of Culture’s tableau narrated the story of ‘Golden India: Heritage and Development,’ while the Central Public Works Department’s tableau displayed India’s Constitution’s 75 years using a floral tableau.
This year, the cultural presentation titled ‘Jayati Jay Mamah Bharatam’ featured 5,000 artists performing over 11 minutes, showcasing more than 45 dance forms from across the country. The performance covered the entire Kartavya Path from Vijay Chowk to C-Hexagon, enabling all visitors to enjoy the spectacular show. Previously, artists performed only in front of the President’s platform.
The program continued with the Corps of Signals Motorcycle Rider Display Team, known as the ‘Dare Devils,’ performing breathtaking stunts. The team demonstrated their bravery through various formations like Bullet Salute, Tank Top, Double Jimmy, Devil’s Down, Ladder Salute, Shatrujeet, Shraddhanjali, Mercury Peak, Info Warriors, Lotus, and Human Pyramid.
One of the most awaited segments of the parade was the ‘Fly-Past’ by 40 aircraft/helicopters from the Indian Air Force, including 22 fighter jets, 11 transport aircraft, and seven helicopters, showcasing an impressive air show. The lineup included Rafale, SU-30, Jaguar, C-130, C-295, C-17, AWACS, Dornier-228, and NN-32 aircraft, as well as Apache and MI-17 helicopters. They performed several formations, including Flag, Ajay, Satluj, Rakshak, Arjan, Netra, Bhima, Amrit, Vajrang, Trishul, and Vijay. The final Vertical Charlie maneuver was performed by the Rafale fighter jet.