President Kovind to address nation on Republic Day eve: When, where to watch

President Ram Nath Kovind will address the nation on the eve of India’s 72nd Republic Day on Monday. His speech will be telecast at 7pm on the entire national network of All India Radio (AIR) and over all channels of Doordarshan in Hindi followed by the English version.

The address will then be broadcast in regional languages by regional channels of Doordarshan. AIR will broadcast regional language versions from 9:30pm onwards on its respective regional networks, the President's Secretariat said in a statement.

In his previous address on the eve of Republic Day, Kovind had invoked constitutional ideals and the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi. "Our Constitution gave us rights as citizens of a free democratic nation, but also placed on us the responsibility to always adhere to the central tenets of our democracy – justice, liberty, equality and fraternity. It becomes easier for us to follow these constitutional ideals, if we keep in mind the life and values of the Father of our Nation,” he had said.

Backing the Goods and Services Tax (GST), the President had said every policy initiative of the government is guided by the ‘nation-first’ principle. “The roll-out of the GST has realised our vision of ‘One country, One tax, One market’. It is being complemented by the e-NAM scheme, which is strengthening the process of creating ‘one market for one nation’ and will benefit farmers,” he said in his speech before the nation.

As India gears up celebrate the 72nd Republic Day on Tuesday, this year's parade will be different amid the coronavirus pandemic. The parade, however, will also be a witness to many firsts, including the flypast with Rafale jets and soldiers wearing masks to ensure Covid-19 protocols are followed as they display the country’s military might. The number of officials participating in the parade has been reduced to from 144 to 96 this year due to the pandemic.

Flight lieutenant Bhawana Kanth will also be a part of the Republic Day parade, becoming the first woman fighter pilot to take part in the country’s biggest ceremony. This year's Republic Day parade will be organised without a chief guest, a first in more than five decades.

Soon after the Republic Day parade at Rajpath, farmers, who have been protesting against three agricultural laws enacted in September last year, will hold a tractor rally. The Delhi Police on Sunday gave in-principle approval to farmers to carry out their tractor rallies in the national capital from three border points – Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur. While the police pegged the number of tractors at around 30,000, farm leaders said there would be about 250,000 tractors entering the national capital from the three border points.