Bhubaneswar: The 71st Republic Day saw rising patriotic fervour as Odisha celebrated the historic date when the country became an independent republic after its constitution came into effect.
Governor Prof. Ganeshi Lal unfurled the National Flag and took salute of the parade at the state-level parade held at Mahatma Gandhi Marg in Bhubaneswar. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik attended the event as the guest of honour.
In a departure from the prevailing tradition, the Chief Minister this year did not hoist the National Flag and take salute during the celebrations in Cuttack. Finance Minister Niranjan Pujari instead did the honours.
The parade in the Odisha capital saw 48 contingents led by DCP (Traffic) Sagarika Nath, special tableaus and other cultural programmes. The contingents, however, marched in column formation unlike the line formation which has been the practice.
Meanwhile in Delhi, President Ram Nath Kovind unfurled the Tricolour followed by the National Anthem with a booming 21-gun salute. President of Brazil Jair Bolsonaro was the chief guest for this year’s Republic Day.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tributes to soldiers by laying a wreath at National War Memorial.
