Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lead the nation in celebrating the 77th Independence Day from the iconic Red Fort in Delhi on 15 August. He will unfurl the National Flag and deliver the customary address to the nation from the ramparts of the historic monument.

This year’s Independence Day will culminate the ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ celebrations, which were launched by the PM from Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad, Gujarat on 12 March  2021 and will, once again, usher the country into ‘Amrit Kaal’ with renewed vigour to realise  the dream of making India a developed country by 2047.

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A number of new initiatives have been taken to celebrate the 77th Independence Day. A large number of guests have been invited as compared to last year.

Around 1,800 people from different vocations, with their spouse, have been invited from across the country to be a part of the celebrations at the Red Fort as Special Guests. The initiative has been taken in line with the government’s vision of ‘Jan Bhagidari’.

These ”Special Guests’ include over 400 Sarpanches of more than 660 vibrant villages; 250 from Farmer Producer Organisations scheme; 50 participants each of Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Scheme and Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana; 50 Shram Yogis (construction workers) of the Central Vista Project, including the New Parliament Building; 50 each Khadi workers, those involved in construction of border roads, making of Amrit Sarovar & Har Ghar Jal Yojana as well as 50 each primary school teachers, nurses and fishermen. Some of these Special Guests are scheduled to visit the National War Memorial and call on Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt as part of their stay in Delhi.

Seventy five (75) couples from each State/Union Territory, in their traditional attire, have also been invited to witness the ceremony at Red Fort.

Selfie points dedicated to different schemes & initiatives of the government have been installed at 12 locations, including 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 schemes/initiatives include Global Hope: Vaccine & Yoga; Ujjwala Yojana; Space Power; Digital India; Skill India; Start-up India; Swachh Bharat; Sashakt Bharat, Naya Bharat; Powering India; Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana and Jal Jeevan Mission.

As part of the celebrations, an online selfie contest will be conducted by the Ministry of Defence on MyGov portal from August 15-20. People are encouraged to take selfies at one or more of the 12 installations and upload them on MyGov platform to take part in the contest. Twelve winners, one from each installation, will be selected on the basis of the online selfie contest. The winners would be given prize money of Rs 10,000 each.

Upon his arrival at the Red Fort, the PM will be received by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, his deputy Ajay Bhatt and Defence Secretary Shri Giridhar Aramane. The defence secretary will introduce the General Officer Commanding (GoC), Delhi Area, Lieutenant General Dhiraj Seth to the PM. The GoC Delhi Area will then conduct Modi to the Saluting Base where a combined Inter-Services and Delhi Police Guard will present general salute to the PM. Thereafter, he will inspect the Guard of Honour.

As soon as the National Flag is unfurled by the PM, flower petals will be showered at the venue by two Advanced Light Helicopters Mark-III Dhruv of the Indian Air Force in the Line Astern Formation.

After the showering of flower petals, the PM will address the nation. At the conclusion of the speech of the PM, the cadets of National Cadet Corps (NCC) will sing the National Anthem.