Google is marking India’s 74th Republic Day with a doodle designed by Ahmedabad-based artist Parth Kothekar. The doodle artwork has been crafted from intricately hand-cut paper and has the magnificent Rashtrapati Bhavan in the background.
What else does the doodle show?
Besides the Rashtrapati Bhavan, the illustration shows several elements of the annual January 26 parade. It shows the iconic India Gate, the marching contingent of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), as well as motorcycle riders.
The artist speaks
Kothekar said it took him four days, and six hours a day, to complete the artwork.
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“I had goosebumps and read and reread the email multiple times as I couldn’t believe it (selection of illustration for doodle). I never thought I would get such an opportunity. I wished to present India’s diversity in a single artwork so that the viewer can get a glimpse of the complexity of the nation,” HT’s sister publication Mint quoted him as saying.
Republic Day of India
On November 26, 1949, the Constituent Assembly was able to form the Constitution of India. Two months later, on January 26, 1950, the Constitution was implemented and India declared itself a sovereign, democratic and republic state. January 26 is among three national holidays in the country, the other two being the Independence Day (August 15) and Gandhi Jayanti (October 2).
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The Republic Day parade is the biggest attraction every year. During the parade, the Indian armed forces exhibit their might, while the country’s cultural diversity is also on display through tableaus. A foreign dignitary is invited as the chief guest for the festivities, with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi being the chief guest this year, and the first from his country.
