Independence Day: PM to unfurl tricolour at Red Fort
India Blooms News Service
New Delhi, Aug 14 (IBNS) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will unfurl the national flag from the ramparts of the Red Fort on Wednesday (August 15) to celebrate the 66th Independence Day.
After unfurling the tricolour, Singh will address the nation.
On arrival at Lahore Gate of Red Fort, the Prime Minister will be received by Defence Minister AK Antony, Minister of State for Defence MM Pallam Raju and Defence Secretary Shashikant Sharma.
The Defence Secretary will introduce the General Officer Commanding, Delhi Area, Lt. General Vijay Kumar Pillai 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 Singh.
Thereafter, Singh will inspect the Guard of Honour.
The National Flag Guard comprising 32 men and one officer each from Army, Navy, Air Force and Delhi Police will present Rashtriya Salute at the time of unfurling of the National Flag by the Prime Minister.
Commander Siji Jacob from Indian Navy will be in command of this Inter-Services Guard and Police Guard.
The Naval Contingent for the National Flag Guard will be commanded by Lt Cdr Rajesh Agnihotri, the Army contingent by Major Vivek Kumar, Air Force contingent by Sqn Ldr Jimmy Johnson and Delhi Police contingent by Additional DCP Pankaj Kumar Singh.
The Naval Band will play National Anthem when the National Guard presents ‘Rashtriya Salute’ while unfurling of the National Flag by the Prime Minister. All Service personnel in uniform will stand and salute. The Band will be commanded by B Sudarshanan, Master Chief Petty Officer Musician Ist Class.
Two Naval Officers, Lt. Ravikant Shuklaand Lt. Manish Chowdhary will be positioned on either side of the saluting dais for the PM for ADC duties. Lt. Commander Arunima Raja will assist the Prime Minister in unfurling of the National Flag.
The Army contingent for the National Flag Guard is from the 10th Battalion of the Sikh Light Infantry (Parbat Ali). It was raised on January 01, 1967 at Ranchi. Soon after the raising, the Battalion got an opportunity to display its dauntless courage.
The Guard of Honour contingent for the Prime Minister will consist of one officer and 24 men each from Army, Navy, Air Force and Delhi Police.
The Guard of Honour will be positioned directly in front of the National Flag across the moat below the ramparts.
This year, Navy being the coordinating agency, the Guard of Honour will be commanded by Commander A Vinith from the Indian Navy.
The Army contingent will be commanded by Lt Paresh Pralhad Kulkarni of the Madras Regiment, Naval Contingent by Lt Cdr Arjun Nair, Air Force contingent by Sqn Ldr Vikram Thiagaraman and the Delhi Police contingent by ACP Deepak Yadav.
The Army contingent for PM’s Guard is drawn from the 28th Battalion of the Madras Regiment.
After inspecting the Guard of Honour, the Prime Minister will proceed to the ramparts of the Red Fort where he will be greeted by Defence Minister, Minister of State for Defence, Chief of Army Staff General Bikram Singh, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Nirmal Verma and Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal NAK Browne.
The GOC Delhi area will conduct the Prime Minister to the dais to unfurl the National Flag.
The unfurling of the tri-colour will synchronize with the 21 Gun Salute fired by the valiant gunners of the elite 871 Field Regiment (SHINGO).
The ceremonial battery will be commanded by Lt. Col Vijay Kumar Shah, Sena Medal and the Gun Position Officer will be Sub (AIG) Narayan Rao.
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 seven hundred Cadets of the National Cadet Corps from the Delhi Directorate comprising Army, Navy and Air Force wings are participating in the flag hoisting ceremony this year.
The cadets will also participate in the singing of patriotic songs along with the school children.
Three thousand five hundred girl students from 40 government and government-aided schools under the Directorate of Education, National Capital Territory of Delhi will sing the National Anthem.
They will also sing patriotic songs in different regional languages before the start of the Independence Day ceremony.
