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On August 15th, The Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh will unfurl the Tricolor on the ramparts of the Red Fort to celebrate the 59th Independence Day. After unfurling the Tricolor, Dr Manmohan Singh will address the Nation.
On arrival at Lahore Gate of Red Fort, the Prime Minister will be received by the Defence Minister Shri Pranab Mukherjee and the Minister of State for Defence Shri Bijoy Krishna Handique and Defence Secretary Shri Shekhar Dutt.
The Defence Secretary will introduce General Officer Commanding, Delhi Area, Major General P C Bhardwaj to the Prime Minister. The GOC Delhi Area will then conduct the Prime Minister to the Saluting Base where a combined inter-services and police guard will present general salute to the Prime Minister. Thereafter Dr Manmohan Singh will inspect the guard of honour.
The Guard of Honour contingent for the Prime Minister will consist of five officers and 96 men drawn from Army, Navy, Air Force and Delhi Police. This year, the Army being the coordinating agency, the Guard of Honour will be commanded by Major Pankaj Sahani. The Naval contingent will be commanded by Lt Sukaran Singh, the Army contingent by Capt Manoj A P and the Air Force contingent by Sq. Ldr. Gaurav Saluja. The Delhi Police contingent will be commanded by Asstt Commissioner of Police, Shri Bhisham Singh
The 4th battalion of the Sikh light Infantry represents the Army contingent in the Guard of Honour for the Prime Minister. This battalion has the honour of accepting the ‘Surrender of Portuguese Forces’ from Governor General of Goa in 1961. This battalion was the last battalion for the Indian Army to be stationed in Red Fort before the historical fort was handed over to the Archaeological Survey of India in December, 2003.
After inspecting the guard of honour, the Prime Minister will proceed to the rampart where he will be greeted by the Defence Minister and the Minister of State for Defence, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Arun Prakash, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Shashindra Pal Tyagi and Chief of Army Staff Gen Joginder Jaswant Singh.
The GOC, Delhi area will conduct the Prime Minister to the dais to unfurl the National Flag. He will be assisted by Captain BS Chhikara in unfurling the National Flag.
The Ceremonial Field Battery commanded by Major Sivdasan M will present a 21-gun salute. Capt. Ravi Raina will be the Gun Position Officer The National Flag Guard comprising 133 men will form up in four combined inter services contingents of Army, Navy, Air Force and Delhi Police. They will present Rashtriya salute to the National Flag. The combined Guard will be commanded by Lt. Col Pramod Mamtani. Each contingent comprises 32 men and one officer. The Naval Contingent will be commanded by Lt Cdr Samar Bhishma Desai, the Army contingent by Maj Manish Kumar and the Air Force contingent by Sqn Ldr P Rajesh Pothi. The Delhi Police contingent is being commanded by Additional DCP Sanjay Kumar. Number 2 Air Force band will perform for the National Flag Guard. The 3rd battalion of Jammu and Kashmir Rifles makes up the Army contingent for the National Flag Guard this year. This battalion was raised in 1856 in holy ambience of Raghunath Temple in Jammu. The battalion distinguished itself during the J& K operations in 1947-48 where 21 Officers, 04 Junior Commissioned Officers and 55 other ranks made the supreme sacrifice, earning kudos and the Theatre Honour ‘J&K 1947-48’ for its role in the operations. The Army band from the Grenadiers will play the National Anthem when the National Flag Guard presents the Rashtriya Salute as the Prime Minister unfurls the National Flag. The band will be conducted by Subedar Major Santosh Kumar. The Guard of Honour will be positioned directly in front of the National Flag across the moat below the rampart. After unfurling the National Flag, the Prime Minister will address the nation. After the Prime Minister’s address, school children and NCC Cadets will sing the National Anthem.
About eleven hundred Junior Division Cadets of the National Cadet Corps from Delhi Directorate comprising Army, Navy, Air Force and Girls wings are participating in the Flag Hoisting Ceremony this year. The cadets will also participate in the singing of National Anthem and patriotic songs along with school children.
In the Flag Hoisting ceremony 3500 students (boys & girls) from 28 government and government-aided schools under the Directorate of Education, National Capital Territory of Delhi will sing the National Anthem. They will also sing 13 patriotic songs in various Indian languages before the start of the Independence Day ceremony.
BMR / SKS / HS
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