76th Republic Day Celebrated with Grandeur in Gurugram

Gurugram celebrated the 76th Republic Day with a grand event at Tau Devi Lal Stadium, featuring parades, cultural performances, and speeches on governance and development.

The 76th Republic Day was celebrated with enthusiasm and patriotic fervour in Gurugram, with the district-level event held at Tau Devi Lal Stadium. Haryana’s forest and environment minister Rao Narbir Singh unfurled the national flag as the chief guest at the event.

Rao Narbir Singh with Deputy Commissioner of Police Ajay Kumar, Police Commissioner Vikas Arora and DCP Traffic Virender Vij during the 76th Republic Day celebration at Tau Devi Lal Stadium in Gurugram Sector 38 on Sunday. (Parveen Kumar/HT Photo)

The event commenced with a solemn tribute at the war memorial at the District Council Building (John Hall), where Singh, accompanied by senior officials, paid homage to the sacrifices of freedom fighters and defence personnel who were killed in action. Singh laid a floral wreath at the memorial and expressed gratitude for their contributions to the nation. Later, he proceeded to Tau Devi Lal Stadium where he inspected the parade and took the ceremonial salute.

Addressing the gathering, Singh said he was proud to unfurl the national flag on the sacred land of Mata Sheetla Devi and Guru Dronacharya. He spoke about the ongoing “Our Constitution - Our Pride” campaign begun by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which aims to educate the younger generation about Constitutional values.

He also spoke about the welfare schemes that the government has successfully implemented through the use of technology to improve governance and minimise human intervention. He also spoke about the success of the “No Fee, No Bribe” model which has aimed to create a transparent and efficient administrative system.

Singh spoke about the growth of infrastructure in Gurugram and Haryana, saying that all districts in the state are now connected through national highways, and major infrastructure projects such as the KMP-KGP expressways have been completed. He mentioned the Haryana Orbital Rail Corridor which is under development. He said that the government has ensured 100% procurement of farmers’ produce at MSP, with food grain production increasing from 15.35 million tonnes in 2014-15 to 20.88 million tonnes in 2023-24. The number of electricity consumers in Gurugram has surged from 5.491 million in 2014-15 to 8.056 million. The Rajiv Gandhi Thermal Power Plant in Khedar, Hisar, is set to establish an 800 MW ultra-supercritical thermal power unit at a cost of ₹7,250 crore, while another 800 MW plant is planned in Yamunanagar, he said.

He spoke about the government’s efforts to boost Haryana’s industrial growth by creating an “ease of doing business” ecosystem. He said that various obstacles to industrial growth related to certificates, licences, and approvals have been streamlined to attract investors, who can now avail all necessary approvals online within stipulated time frames. He said that the government is committed to women’s empowerment, noting that the state’s sex ratio has improved from 861 to 910 over the past decade.

After the parade, school students performed PT exercises, dumbbell drills, and demonstrated yoga followed by a cultural programme. Blue Bells School in Gurugram Sector 4 presented a tableau on the Indian Constitution, while DAV School in Sector 49 highlighted environmental conservation with a performance promoting a pollution-free atmosphere. Students from Government Girls Senior Secondary School, Arjun Nagar, enacted the story of Mahishasura Mardini, while those from Government Senior Secondary School in Sector 4 performed a Rajasthani folk dance. Students from the Government Girls Senior Secondary School, Jacobpura, celebrated the festival of Lohri. The highlight of the cultural segment was a powerful Haryanvi folk dance performance by students of Government Model Sanskriti School, Sushant Lok, Sector 43.

The event also showcased various tableaus depicting Gurugram’s development and the government’s agenda. Departments such as women and child development, Gurugram traffic police, horticulture department, Haryana state transport, health department, Ayush department, and agriculture and farmers welfare department presented their initiatives through live displays. The tableau jointly presented by the horticulture department, traffic police, and RTA was awarded first place, followed by the roadways tableau in second place, and the joint presentation by MCG and the agriculture department securing third place.

The Government Model Sanskriti School, Sushant Lok, Sector 43 won first place in the cultural programme, followed by Government Girls Senior Secondary School at second place, and Government Girls Senior Secondary School, Jacobpura at third place. In the parade, the women’s police contingent got first place, followed by the traffic police and the NCC girls’ contingent. The Umang Bharadwaj Trophy was awarded to the NCC contingent.

The celebrations concluded with a rendition of the national anthem by students of Government Girls College, Sector 14.