India‘s military might and cultural heritage was on full display as the iconic grand parade of the Republic Day got underway in New Delhi’s Rajpath on Wednesday. India is celebrating its 73rd Republic Day this year. 

The Republic Day celebrations are being held amid tight security in the national captial and with the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic looming large for a second consecutive year. The Delhi Police has issued strict guidelines for people attending the parade this year, which includes fully vaccinated status and adibing of COVID protocols. 

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid his tributes to fallen personnel of the Indian Armed Forces. He laid a wreath at the National War Memorial, where he was received by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and the heads of the three defence forces. 

The Republic Day parade includes 21 tableaux, a cultural performance by 480 dancers from across the country and march past with tanks, missiles and a grand flypast which will include as many as 75 aircraft of the Indian Air Force. 

The march past on Republic Day began with Param Vir Chakra and Ashok Chakra gallantry award winners following the parade commander in their jeeps.

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Retired Subedar Major Yogender Singh Yadav, who won India’s highest wartime gallantry award Param Vir Chakra for showing exemplary bravery during the 1999 Kargil war, was in the first of the three jeeps.

Yadav was conferred the rank of Honorary Captain on Independence Day last year.

Subedar Sanjay Kumar, who also won the Param Vir Chakra for showing exceptional bravery during the 1999 Kargil war, was in the second jeep.

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Colonel D Sreeram Kumar — who won India’s highest peacetime gallantry award Ashok Chakra for showing exceptional bravery during an anti-terrorist operation in Imphal on October 23, 2008 — was in the third jeep.

All three jeeps — each with an award winner — drove parallel during the parade.