5,000 special guests witness I-Day celebrations at Red Fort: ‘A dream come true’

Hundreds of students, NCC cadets, volunteers and special guests gathered at the Red Fort for the 80th Independence Day celebrations

Amid patriotic fervour, hundreds of school students, NCC cadets, volunteers, welfare scheme beneficiaries, and others gathered at the Red Fort to mark the 80th Independence Day and recite “Vande Mataram”, officially played for the first time from the ramparts of the historic Mughal-era fort.

5,000 special guests gather at Red Fort for historic celebration

Prime Minister Narendra Modi greets children during the Independence Day celebrations at the historic Red Fort in Delhi (REUTERS)

Attendees also included nearly 5,000 special guests from different walks of life – International Yoga Day volunteers, women entrepreneurs under PM Mudra Yojana, MY Bharat volunteers and beneficiaries of PMAY(U) and street vendors under PM SVANidhi.

An Army band played “Vande Mataram” while guests sang the national song, followed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi hoisting the National Flag and the recitation of the National Anthem.

21-gun salute, IAF flypast add grandeur to ceremony

The Tricolour received a “Rashtriya Salute” and flower petals were showered as two Mi-17 helicopters of the Indian Air Force – one with the national flag and the other with a flag depicting “Vande Mataram” – welcomed the guests. The ramparts were also decorated with floral arrangements depicting the national flag at the centre and “Vande Mataram” in Hindi.

“I came to catch a glimpse of the PM, tour the historic Red Fort, and watch helicopters,” said 8-year-old Deepak Bishnoi, pointing to the PM’s striking red tie-and-dye turban. The boy wore a Bharat Scouts and Guides uniform adorned with tricolour accessories.

Rain clouds clear as celebrations continue at Red Fort

Visitors arrived at the fort early in the morning, navigating layers of barricades and stringent security checks, prepared for rain as dark clouds gathered overhead. However, just minutes into the Prime Minister’s address at 7:37 a.m., the weather changed, and clouds gradually gave way to clear skies, transforming the atmosphere at the historic venue.

“I live very close to the Red Fort, and it rains almost every year on Independence Day. Thankfully, it didn’t, and I was able to enjoy my first visit to an I-Day event without any interruptions,” said 13-year-old Yash Rawat, who studies in a Daryaganj-based government school.

It was the first time for 23-year-old Tanu and 26-year-old friend Khusboo Tomar, both Delhi University students, who finally received an invitation card after trying several times in past.

For Deepika Singh Singraur, a 42-year-old lecturer at a private college in Gurugram, it was like a childhood dream come true. “It has finally been fulfilled today. Next year, I am surely going to bring my daughter as well,” she said.

Udit Narayan, a 36-year-old Gurugram-based engineer working in the power sector, said being seated alongside defence personnel and just a few metres from members of Parliament offered a brief break from her corporate routine.

“I am a corporate person, so the event felt very vibrant to me,” he said.

As the sun grew brighter, many took out their phones and clicked selfies with the historic Red Fort in the background.