Independence Day 2023 highlights: World leaders extend greetings to India

Fifty nurses along with their family from across the country have been invited as special guests to participate in the Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort by PM Modi.

"I would like to thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Government of India from the bottom of my heart for inviting us to participate in the Independence Day celebration in New Delhi. It is recognition of our efforts during COVID-19," Anita Tomar, one of the invited nurses, said. 

President Murmu highlighted the role of women freedom fighters like Matangini Hazra, Kanaklata Baruah, Kasturba Gandhi, Sarojini Naidu, Ammu Swaminathan, Rama Devi, Aruna Asaf Ali and Sucheta Kriplani, saying that they have set inspiring ideals for all future generations of women to serve the nation and the society.

"I am happy to note that the economic empowerment of women is being given special focus in our country. Economic empowerment strengthens the position of women in the family and society. I urge all fellow citizens to give priority to women empowerment. I would like our sisters and daughters to overcome challenges with courage and move ahead in life. Development of women was among the ideals of our freedom struggle," she said.

President Droupadi Murmu urged the people to move forward with the spirit of brotherhood and stressed that their identity as "citizens of India" is above all other identities of caste, creed, language and region. President Murmu hailed India's economic performance amid the global uncertainty, saying, “The government has succeeded in protecting the common people from high inflation while also providing a more extensive security cover to the poor. The world looks up to India for global economic growth.”

"Each of us has many identities – apart from caste, creed, language and region, we are also identified with our families and professions – but there is one identity that is above all. That is our identity as citizens of India. Each one of us is an equal citizen; each one of us has an equal opportunity, equal rights and equal duties, in this land," the President said.

"But it was not always so. India is the mother of democracy and since ancient times we had democratic institutions functioning at the grassroots. But long years of colonial rule wiped them out. On 15th August 1947, the nation woke up to a new dawn. We not only won freedom from foreign rule but also the freedom to rewrite our destiny," she said.

PM Modi reacted to three-time Grammy award-winning musician Ricky Kej’s instrumental rendition of the Indian national anthem. Ricky Kej created the version in collaboration with the 100-member British Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and released a 60-second video on the eve of Independence Day. 

Taking to Twitter, PM Modi wrote, “Wonderful. It will certainly make every Indian proud.”

Major Nikita Nair and Major Jasmine Kaur will assist PM Modi in unfurling the National Flag. The whole unfurling will be synchronised with the 21 Gun Salute by the valiant gunners of the elite 8711 Field Battery (Ceremonial). 

You go, girls! 

All official invites for the celebrations at Red Fort have been sent online through aamantran portal (www.aamantran.mod.gov.in). 

As many as 17,000 e-invitation cards have been issued through the portal.

Amazing, right?

An online selfie contest will be conducted by the Ministry of Defence on the MyGov portal from August 15-20. 

What you got to do? Take selfies at one or more of 12 selfie points designated by the government. Upload them on the MyGov platform. 

And voila! 

Twelve winners, one from each installation, will be selected on the basis of the online selfie contest. The prize money is… ₹10,000 each.

Selfie points dedicated to different schemes and initiatives of the government have been installed at 12 locations as part of the Independence Day celebrations. These locations are: National War Memorial, India Gate, Vijay Chowk, New Delhi Railway Station, Pragati Maidan, Raj Ghat, Jama Masjid Metro Station, Rajiv Chowk Metro Station, Delhi Gate Metro Station, ITO Metro Gate, Naubat Khana and Sheesh Ganj Gurudwara.

The special guests include:

1. Over 400 Sarpanches of more than 660 vibrant villages
2. 250 from Farmer Producer Organisations scheme
3. 50 participants each of Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Scheme and Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana
4. 50 Shram Yogis of the Central Vista Project
5. 50 each Khadi workerss
6. 50 each primary school teachers, nurses and fishermen. 
7. Seventy-five couples from each State/Union Territory

Around 1,800 “Special Guests” will be a part of August 15 celebrations at the historic Red Fort under PM Modi's "Jan Bhagidari" initiative. The guests will be present as PM Modi unfurls the National Flag and delivers his customary address to the nation. 

The renovated iconic clock tower at Lal Chowk was inaugurated by Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha ahead of the Independence Day. The historic clock tower- ‘Ghanta Ghar’- has been renovated along with Lal Chowk. It is part of the Srinagar Smart City Project.

The clock tower was illuminated in the colours of the national flag as tourists flocked to participate in the inauguration event.

Have you listened to 'Yeh Desh' song yet?

Well, music maestro Bickram Ghosh's released a soulful anthem 'Yeh Desh' on the eve of Independence Day. Bickram Ghosh said, “On the occasion of our Independence Day 2023, Eternal Sounds released a song named 'Yeh Desh' which is composed by me. Celebrity singers have sung on this track like the great Hariharan, Shaan, Richa Sharma, Mahalaxmi Iyer, and Kavita Seth. The song is beautifully penned by Sutapa Basu and various other artists have contributed. One of the very important people who has graced this song with a beautiful video is Indrajit Nattoji, who has used the technique of painting animation to create a wonderful, very beautiful and colourful video. We do hope that the entire country and all Indians living across the globe love our song."

You can catch it here

Centre will bestow recognition upon the dedicated individuals of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO)- "Karmyogis." 50 distinguished Karmyogis from the BRO along with their spouses, have been invited as special guests to the 77th Independence Day Ceremony at the Red Fort in Delhi. The “Karmyogis” have “tirelessly contributed to the monumental task of nation-building through their unwavering devotion and duty”, the government said. 

This year’s Independence Day will culminate the ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ celebrations, which were launched by PM Modi from Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. This day ushers the country into Amrit Kaal with renewed vigou, PM Modi said. 

PM Modi will unfurl the National Flag at Ref Fort today and deliver the customary address to the nation from the ramparts of the historic monument.

PM Modi said, “A very inspiring address by Rashtrapati Ji, outlining India's developmental strides and presenting a vision for all-round progress in the times to come.”

Various iconic buildings and monuments were illuminated in the Tricolours lights on the eve of Independence Day. These included:

1, Media Tree in Tamil Nadu's Coimbatore

2. Varanasi Railway Station in Uttar Pradesh 

3. Hyderabad's Charminar

4. Calcutta High Court, Howrah Bridge and Victoria Memorial in West Bengal

5. Old Delhi Railway Station, New Delhi Railway Station and India Gate

6. Clock Tower at Lal Chowk in Srinagar lit up in Tricolour ahead of Independence Day.

7. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus in Mumbai

HGS Dhaliwal, Commissioner of Police of the Special Cell of Delhi Police said, “This time, August 15 is a more sensitive occasion as we have a G-20 meet scheduled three weeks from now in the Indian presidency and the main events will be held in New Delhi." "Anti-terror steps are being taken. There are a lot of anti-social elements; in view of that, we are doing whatever the Delhi Police has to do," the senior police official added. 

More than 40,000 security personnel, anti-drone radars, anti-aircraft guns, facial recognition closed circuit TV cameras, and sealed borders are among the security preparation that has been done put in place in Delhi for Independence day. 

Delhi Police have beefed up security arrangements in the national capital as police personnel checked vehicles on the occasion of Independence Day.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation on August 15 from the ramparts of historic Red Fort in the national capital.