India celebrated its 76th Republic Day (R-day) on 26 January 2025 with great patriotism. The Republic Day parades and events took place at Kartavya Path (formerly known as Rajpath) in New Delhi, Delhi. Republic Day commemorates the adoption of the Constitution of India, which came into effect on 26 January 1950, making India a sovereign, democratic, and republic nation.
- President of India, Droupadi Murmu, unfurled the National Flag, followed by the National Anthem and a 21-gun salute using 105-millimeter (mm) Light Field Guns, an indigenously made weapon.
Theme of the Republic Day 2025:
The 76th Republic Day celebrations, themed ‘Swarnim Bharat: Virasat aur Vikas,’ (Golden India: Heritage and Development) highlighted India’s military strength, cultural heritage, and development.
About the Chief Guest:
The President of Indonesia, Prabowo Subianto, was the Chief Guest for the 76th Republic Day celebrations, marking him as the fourth Indonesian leader to be invited for this honor.
About the 76th Republic Day Parade: The ceremony began with a visit from Prime Minister (PM) of India,Narendra Modi. The parade was led by Lieutenant (Lt.) General Bhavnish Kumar, General Officer Commanding, Delhi Area.
i.A highlight of the parade was a 148-member all-women marching contingent from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).
ii.A 160-member marching contingent and a 190-member band contingent from Indonesia participated in the Republic Day parade for the first time.
Highlights of Awards:
President Confers 942 Awards on Defence Personnel:
During the Republic Day 2025 event, a total of 942 personnel from the Police, Fire, Home Guard & Civil Defence (HG&CD), and Correctional Services were awarded Gallantry and Service Medals.
- It is important to note that the Government of India has simplified the award system by combining 16 different gallantry and service medals into four main categories. These are President’s Medals for Distinguished Service (PSM), Gallantry Medals (GM), Medals for Meritorious Service (MSM), State wise/ force wise Medals
Breakup of Medals Given on Republic Day 2025:
| Name of the Medals | Number of Awardees |
|---|---|
| Gallantry Medals (GM) | 95 |
| President’s Medals for Distinguished Service (PSM) | 101 |
| Medals for Meritorious Service (MSM) | 746 |
About the Awards:
i.The GM is awarded to individuals who perform acts of exceptional bravery, such as saving lives or property, preventing crimes, or capturing criminals, with consideration of the risk involved in relation to their duties.
ii.The PSM is awarded for extraordinary service, MSM recognizes outstanding contributions marked by dedication and responsibility
Key Points:
I Among the 95 Gallantry Medals, 28 were given to personnel from Left Wing Extremism-affected areas, 28 from Jammu & Kashmir (J&K), 3 from the North-East, and 36 from other regions for their acts of courage.
Click here for official list of gallantry medals
ii.Out of 101 PSM, 85 were awarded to Police Service, 5 to Fire Service, 7 to Civil Defence & Home Guard, and 4 to Correctional Service.
Click here for official list of PSM
iii For the 746 MSM, 634 went to Police Service, 37 to Fire Service, 39 to Civil Defence & Home Guard, and 36 to Correctional Service.
Click here for official list of MSM
Click here for official list of State wise/Force wise medals
iv.President approves the Jeevan Raksha Padak Awards:
The President of India approved the Jeevan Raksha Padak Series of Awards – 2024 for 49 individuals, including 17 recipients of Sarvottam Jeevan Raksha Padak, 9 of Uttam Jeevan Raksha Padak, and 23 of Jeevan Raksha Padak. Among them, six awards were given posthumously.
Break-up of Awards Jeevan Raksha Padak Awards 2024:
| Awards | Number of Awardees |
|---|---|
| Sarvottam Jeevan Raksha Padak | 17 |
| Uttam Jeevan Raksha Padak | 9 |
| Jeevan Raksha Padak | 23 |
Click here for full list of Jeevan Raksha Padak 2024
About the Jeevan Raksha Padak:
The awards were established in 1961. These awards recognize acts of bravery where individuals risk their lives to save others. Each recipient receives a medal, a certificate and a monetary reward.
The awards are given in three categories:
i.Sarvottam Jeevan Raksha Padak – Awarded for extraordinary courage in saving lives when the rescuer faces extreme danger.
Monetary allowance: Rs 2 lakh
ii.Uttam Jeevan Raksha Padak – Given for significant bravery in rescuing lives under great risk.
Monetary allowance: Rs 1.5 lakh
iii Jeevan Raksha Padak – Conferred for notable courage in life-saving efforts under dangerous circumstances.
Monetary allowance: Rs 1 lakh
The President approved the President’s Tatrakshak Medal (PTM) and Tatrakshak Medal (TM) for eight Indian Coast Guard (ICG) personnel on the 76th Republic Day.
- Since January 26, 1990, these awards have been presented every year on Republic Day to recognize the courage and commitment of ICG personnel in safeguarding India’s maritime borders.
| Medal | Recipient |
|---|---|
| President’s Tatrakshak Medal (Distinguished Service) (PTM) | Additional Director General (ADG) Anil Kumar Harbola, Inspector General (IG) Homesh Kumar Sharma |
| Tatrakshak Medal (Gallantry) (TM) | Commandant (Comdt) Anshuman Raturi – Assistant Commandant (Asst Comdt) Manish Singh – Sameer Ranjan, Uttam Navik (U/Nvk) |
| Tatrakshak Medal (Meritorious Service) (TM) | Inspector General (IG) Jyotindra Singh, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Atul Joshi, Shanmugham Sankar, Pradhan Adhikari (P/Adh) |
President approves 58 Mentioned-in-Despatches awards
President Murmu approved 58 Mentioned-in-Despatches awards for Armed Forces personnel, including four posthumous awards.These awards honor courage, dedication, and exceptional service in various military operations.
i.The Indian Army (IA) received 55 awards, including 14 for Operation Rakshak (with four posthumous), 8 for Operation Snow Leopard, 6 for Operation Hifazat, 2 for Operation Sahayta, 1 each for Operations Rhino, Meghdoot, Mulkhyama, Reconnaissance, Zokhawthar, and Falcon, 2 for Operation Gurihajan, 4 for Operation Casualty Evacuation (CAS Evacuation), 1 for Internal Security (IS) Duty, and 12 for Miscellaneous Operations.
ii.The Indian Air Force (IAF) received 3 awards for Operation Sankalp.
The President approved Gallantry awards to 93 Armed Forces and Central Armed Police Forces personnel, including 12 posthumous. These include two Kirti Chakras, including one posthumous; 14 Shaurya Chakras, including three posthumous; one Bar to Sena Medal (Gallantry); 66 Sena Medals, including seven posthumous; two Nao Sena Medal (Gallantry) and eight Vayu Sena Medals (Gallantry), including one posthumous.
31 Tableaux and First-Ever Tri-Services Tableau at Kartavya Path on Republic Day
This year, 31 tableaux from 16 states and Union Territories (UTs) and 10 ministries and departments of the Central Government (CG) displayed the theme ‘Swarnim Bharat: Virasat aur Vikas’, showcasing India’s diverse heritage and its forward-moving, inclusive growth.
i.For the first time, a Tri-services tableau was featured at Kartavya Path, representing the coordinated efforts of the three branches of India’s armed forces.
ii.Haryana’s tableau focused on the Bhagavad Gita, and Uttar Pradesh’s(UP) tableau highlighted the ongoing Mahakumbh 2025.
iii.The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) showcased a captivating tableau at the Republic Day parade at Kartavya Path.The display focused on India’s progress in renewable energy (RE).
Click here for full details about the tableau
Points to Note:
i.For the first time, three government school bands, including two all-girl teams, performed at the 76th Republic Day parade, captivating the audience. These school bands were part of the 16 teams that competed in the National School Band Competition held on January 24-25 at Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium, New Delhi.
ii.The Sinhtoo dance, a traditional folk dance from the Hatti community of Sirmaur district of Himachal Pradesh (HP) was showcased for the first time at the Republic Day celebrations. The name “Sinhtoo” means “lion cub” in the Pahari dialect
- Around 200 artists performed, with lion masks central to the performance, symbolizing wildlife conservation.
iii.The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) based in New Delhi showcased its innovations for national security through its tableau, highlighting major achievements of 2024.
A key attraction was the Pralay missile, a short-range tactical missile developed in India, which was displayed for the first time.
National School Band Competition Prizes Awarded during 76th Republic Day Celebrations
During the 76th Republic Day Celebrations (RDC), Sanjay Seth , Minister of State (MoS), Ministry of Defence (MoD) awarded prizes to the winners of the National School Band Competition on January 25, 2025 in New Delhi.
Culmination of India’s 76th Republic Day Celebrations with Beating Retreat Ceremony
The grand finale of 76th Republic Day celebrations took place on 29 January , 2025 with the Beating Retreat ceremony at Vijay Chowk, New Delhi.
