India celebrates Republic Day on January 26 annually with a lot of pride and fervor. It is a day that is important to every Indian citizen. It marks the day when India became truly independent and embraced democracy. In other words, it celebrates the day on which our constitution came into effect. On 26 January 1950, almost 3 years post-independence, we became a sovereign, secular, socialist, democratic republic.
History of Republic Day
While we got independence from British rule on August 15, 1947, our country was still lacking a concrete constitution. Moreover, India also did not have any experts and political powers which would help in the functioning of the state affairs smoothly. Up until then, the 1935 Government of India Act was basically modified in order to govern, however, that act was more bent towards the colonial rule. Therefore, there was a dire need to form an exclusive constitution that would reflect all that India stands for.
Thus, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar led a constitutional drafting committee on August 28, 1947. After drafting, it was presented to the Constituent Assembly by the same committee on November 4, 1947. This whole procedure was very elaborate and took up to 166 days to complete. Moreover, the committee organized sessions were kept open to the public.
No matter the challenges and hardships, our constitutional committee left no stone unturned to include rights for all. It aimed to create the perfect balance so all citizens of the country could enjoy equal rights pertaining to their religions, culture, caste, sex, creed and more. At last, they presented the official Indian constitution to the country on January 26, 1950.
Moreover, the first session of the India Parliament was also conducted on this day. In addition to that, 26th January also witnessed the swearing-in of India’s first president, Dr. Rajendra Prasad. Thus, this day is very important as it marks the end of the British rule and birth of India as a Republic State.
Republic Day Celebrations
Indians celebrate January 26 each year with lots of enthusiasm and zeal. On this day, people forget their religion, caste, creed, sex, and more. It brings together the country as a whole. It truly shows the diversity of our country. The capital city of India, New Delhi, celebrates it with a Republic Day Parade that showcases the might of the Indian Military and the cultural diversity of our country.
These parades take place in other cities as well, where a lot of schools participate in. It is a delight to watch the children and professionals put in so much effort. The way they grace the parade makes one proud of their country. We also do National Flag Hoisting on this day. In New Delhi, after the President of India hoists our National Flag, 21 guns salute follow it with the national anthem played by the military band.
Further, in schools, March Past takes place and it is mandatory for every student to attend the celebrations. In many schools, they distribute sweets on this day as well. While it is a very joyous day, we must not forget the struggle of freedom that our forefathers took part in. Moreover, it is a day to celebrate the spirit of freedom and make sure to help India reach greater heights in the future.
FAQs on Republic Day
Q.1 Why do we celebrate Republic Day?
A.1 We celebrate Republic Day as it was the day when the constitution of India came into effect.
Q.2 In which year was the constitution of India formed?
A.2 The official Indian constitution was presented to the country on January 26, 1950.