India’s biggest drone show – with 3,500 made-in-India drones – will be a part of the mega spectacle at the iconic Vijay Chowk in Delhi at the grand Beating Retreat event. President Droupadi Murmu – the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces – will be gracing the annual event, along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. Classical ragas will set the mood and invoke the spirit of patriotism as the Republic Day celebrations conclude on a high note.
Here are ten points on the Beating Retreat ceremony:
1) At the grand drone show, the success of start-up ecosystem, technological prowess in the country will be on display with the made-in-India drones. Organised by Botlabs Dynamics, the magnificent drone show will light up the evening sky over the Raisina hills.
2) In a first, a three-dimensional anamorphic projection will be organised during the event on the facade of North and South block. Anamorphic sensors are speciality tools that affect how images get projected.
3) ‘Agniveer’ will the first of the 29 tunes to be played during the event, which will be followed by the enthralling tunes like ‘Almora’, ‘Kedar Nath, ‘Sangam Dur’, ‘Queen of Satpura’, ‘Bhagirathi’, ‘Konkan Sundari’ by Pipes and Drums band.
4) At the event music bands of the Army, the Navy, the Air Force and the State Police and Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) demonstrate their talent soaked in the spirit of patriotism. “Indian Air Force’s band will play ‘Aprajey Arjun’, ‘Charkha’, ‘Vayu Shakti’, ‘Swadeshi’, while fascinating ‘Ekla Cholo Re’, ‘Hum Taiyyar Hai’, and ‘Jai Bharati’ will be played by the band of Indian Navy. The Indian Army’s band will play ‘Shankhnaad’, ‘Sher-e-Jawan’, ‘Bhupal’, ‘Agranee Bharat’, ‘Young India’, ‘Kadam Kadam Badhaye Ja’, ‘Drummers Call’, and ‘Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon,” a government statement highlighted.
5) The Beating Retreat ceremony marks the culmination of the four-day Republic Day celebrations.
6) As per the statement by the Ministry of Defence, “The ceremony traces its origins to the early 1950s when Major Roberts of the Indian Army indigenously developed the unique ceremony of display by the massed bands. It marks a centuries old military tradition, when the troops ceased fighting, sheathed their arms and withdrew from the battlefield and returned to the camps at sunset at the sounding of the Retreat. Colours and Standards are cased and flags lowered. The ceremony creates nostalgia for the times gone by.”
7) On Saturday, PM Modi had reviewed the march-past by the National Cadet Corps (NCC). He also released a special commemorative coin of ₹75.
8) “In the last 8 years, the number of daughters has increased two times in Police and Paramilitary forces. In all three branches of the armed forces, women are being posted on frontlines,” PM Modi said, hailing women power.
9) “For the youth of India, this is a time of new opportunities. Everyone is talking about India, saying ‘India’s time has come’. This can be attributed to the youth of India,” he further said.
10) Earlier this week, the country had celebrated its 74th Republic Day in a grand manner.
