Republic day:
In India, 26 January is celebrated every year as Republic Day because it came into force on this day in 1950. The Indian Constitution replaced the 1935 Act to establish itself as the governing document of India. This day has been declared as a national holiday by the Government of India. The outline of the new Indian Constitution was prepared and approved by the Indian Constitutional Assembly and it was announced to celebrate it on 26 January every year in the joy of India becoming a republican country.
Chief Guest of Republic Day 2023:
India and Egypt are celebrating the 75th anniversary of their diplomatic relations on 26 January 2023 (26 January 2023). The Chief Guest of India on this 74th Republic Day is the President of Egypt "Abdel Fatah El Sisi". This time the aim is to show 23 tableaux on Republic Day. Out of these 23 tableaux, 17 tableaux will be of states and union territories and 6 tableaux will be of different ministries and departments. Register with us to watch the Republic Day and Beating Retreat ceremony.
And then, participate in various online activities organized by MyGov right here. Stay connected virtually with Indians across the country and around the world by watching Republic Day live, and also get a collector's edition 'Certificate of Commitment' to show your love and solidarity for our 73rd Republic Day.
Chief Guest of Republic Day 2021:
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson would have been the chief guest on the occasion of Republic Day, but due to the new strain of Corona spreading in Britain, Boris Johnson canceled his visit to India.
Chief Guest of Republic Day 2020:
The Government of India invites a foreign leader every year on the occasion of the Republic Day parade. In the year 2020, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro was the chief guest of the Republic Day Parade 2020. On the occasion of the 69th Republic Day 2018, for the first time as the chief guest, the head of state of 10 ASEAN countries (Association of South East Asian Nations) will become the chief guest.
The guests included Sultan Hassan-al Bolkiah (Brunei), Hun Sen (Prime Minister of Cambodia), Joko Widodo (President of Indonesia), Thongloun Sisolith (Prime Minister of Laos), Najib Razak (Prime Minister of Malaysia), Htin Kyaw (President of Myanmar) ), Rodrigo Duterte (President of the Philippines), Halimah Yacob (President of Singapore), Prayuth Chan-ocha (Prime Minister of Thailand) and Nguyen Tan Dung (Vietnam) etc.
History of Republic Day Celebration:
India got independence from the British rule on 15th August in the year 1947. At that time there was no permanent constitution of the country. For the first time, the first draft of the Indian Constitution was presented by the Drafting Committee to the National Assembly on 4th November in the year 1947. The first draft of the Indian Constitution was signed by the National Assembly on 24 January in the year 1950 in two versions in Hindi and English.
Then the Indian Constitution came into existence on 26 January 1950 i.e. Republic Day. Since then, 26 January was started to be celebrated as Republic Day in India. On this day India was declared as Poorna Swaraj country, hence it started to be celebrated every year as the anniversary of Poorna Swaraj.
Importance of celebrating 26 January:
Republic Day is a symbol of true courage for independent India where military parade, exhibition of military goods, salute to the national flag by the President of India and various events are organized on this day. The Indian flag consists of three colors in the horizontal direction (saffron at the top, white in the middle and green at the bottom, all colors in equal proportion) and a wheel in the center (blue with 24 spokes) representing Ashoka.
Shows the lion of the capital Sarnath. India is a country where people of different culture, society, religion and language live together in harmony. Independence is a matter of great pride for India as it was achieved after years of overcoming various difficulties and obstacles.
List of Chief Guests of Indian Republic Day (from 1950 to 2023):
| Year | Post and Name of the Chief Guest | Country concerned |
| 2023 | President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi | Egypt |
| 2022 | Kasym-Jomart Tokayev (President of Kazakhstan), Sadyr Japarov (President of Kyrgyzstan), Emomali Rahmon (President of Tajikistan), Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov (President of Turkmenistan), Shavkat Mirziyoyev (President of Uzbekistan) | Five guests (Heads of State of Central Asia) |
| 2021 | - | - |
| 2020 | President Jair Bolsonaro | Brazil |
| 2019 | President, Cyril Ramaphosa | South Africa |
| 2018 | Sultan Hassan-Al Bolkiah (Brunei), Hun Sen (Prime Minister of Cambodia), Joko Widodo (President of Indonesia), Thongloun Sisolith (Prime Minister of Laos), Najib Razak (Prime Minister of Malaysia), Htin Kyaw (President of Myanmar) ), Rodrigo Duterte (President of the Philippines), Halimah Yacob (President of Singapore), Prayuth Chan-ocha (Prime Minister of Thailand), Nguyen Tan Dung (Vietnam) | Head of ASEAN countries |
| 2017 | Crown Prince, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan | Abu Dhabi |
| 2016 | The President, François Hollande | France |
| 2015 | The President, Barack Obama | USA |
| 2014 | Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe | Japan |
| 2013 | The King, Jigme Kesar Namgyel Wangchuck | Bhutan |
| 2012 | Prime Minister, Yingluck Shinawatra | Thailand |
| 2011 | The President, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyuno | Indonesia |
| 2010 | President, Lee Myung Bak | Republic of Korea |
| 2009 | The President, Nursultan Nazarbayev | Kazakhstan |
| 2008 | The President, Nicolas Sarkozy | France |
| 2007 | The President, Vladimir Putin | Russia |
| 2006 | The King, Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud | Saudi Arabia |
| 2005 | King, Jigme Singh Wangchuck | Bhutan |
| 2004 | The President, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva | Brazil |
| 2003 | The President, Mohammad Khatami | Iran |
| 2002 | The President, Kassam Utim | Mauritius |
| 2001 | The President, Abdelaziz Bouteflika | Algeria |
| 2000 | The President, Olusegun Obajanjo | Nigeria |
| 1999 | Raja Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Deo | Nepal |
| 1998 | The President, Jacques Chirac | France |
| 1997 | Prime Minister, Basadio Pandey | Trinidad and Tobago |
| 1996 | The President, Dr. Fernando Henrique Cardoso | Brazil |
| 1995 | The President, Nelson Mandela | South Africa |
| 1994 | Prime Minister, Goh Chok Tong | Singapore |
| 1993 | Prime Minister, John Major | UK |
| 1992 | President, Mario Soares | Portugal |
| 1991 | President, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom | Maldives |
| 1990 | Prime Minister, Anirudh Jugnauth | Mauritius |
| 1989 | Nguyen Van Linh | Vietnam |
| 1988 | The President, Junius Jayawardene | Sri Lanka |
| 1987 | President, Elaine Garcia | Peru |
| 1986 | Prime Minister, Andreas Papandrieu | Greece |
| 1985 | President, Raul Alphonsine | Argentina |
| 1984 | King Jigme Singh Wangchuck | Bhutan |
| 1983 | The President, Sehu Shagari | Nigeria |
| 1982 | King, John Carlos I | Spain |
| 1981 | The President, José López Portrillo | Mexico |
| 1980 | The President, Valery Giscard the Staying | France |
| 1979 | Prime Minister, Malcolm Fraser | Australia |
| 1978 | The President, Patrick Hillary | Oirlond |
| 1977 | First Secretary, Edward Girek | Poland |
| 1976 | Prime Minister, Jacques Chirac | France |
| 1975 | President, Kenneth Kaunda | Zambia |
| 1974 | The President, Josip Broz Tito | Yugoslavia |
| Prime Minister, Sirimavo Ratwatte Dias Bandaranaike | Sri Lanka | |
| 1973 | The President, Mobutu Sese Seiko | Jair |
| 1972 | Prime Minister, Seevusagar Ramgoolam | Mauritius |
| 1971 | The President, Julius Nyerere | Tanzania |
| 1970 | - | - |
| 1969 | Prime Minister, Todor Zikov | Bulgaria |
| 1968 | Prime Minister, Alexey Kozygin | Soviet Union |
| The President, Josip Broz Tito | Yugoslavia | |
| 1967 | - | - |
| 1966 | - | - |
| 1965 | Rana Abdul Hamid, Minister of Food and Agriculture | Pakistan |
| 1964 | - | - |
| 1963 | The King, Norodom Shinnok | Cambodia |
| 1962 | - | - |
| 1961 | The Queen, Elizabeth II | UK |
| 1960 | President, Kliment Voroshilov | Soviet Union |
| 1959 | - | - |
| 1958 | Marshal Yi Jianying | China |
| 1957 | - | - |
| 1956 | - | - |
| 1955 | Governor General, Malik Ghulam Mohammed | Pakistan |
| 1954 | The King, Jigme Dorji Wangchuck | Bhutan |
| 1953 | - | - |
| 1952 | - | - |
| 1951 | - | - |
| 1950 | President, Sukarno | Indonesia |
Now practice related questions and see what you learnt?
☞ Indian Republic Day GK Questions and Answers 🔗
Read also:
- Famous 30+ Slogans of Indian Freedom Fighters 🔗
- List of National Independence Days of World's All Countries 🔗
- Name of Countries that have their own Republic Day 🔗
- List of Famous Historians of Indian History and their Lifetime 🔗
Indian Republic Day FAQs:
The National Bravery Awards award is presented during the Republic Day parade. The Indian Council for Child Welfare started these awards in 1957.
Several military contingents participate in the Republic Day procession in India. It consists of various forces of various armed forces, which may include Navy, Air Force, Army, Police Force and other armed forces.
On Republic Day in India, the President is given a 21-gun salute. This tradition symbolizes honor and respect for the highest office in the country. The salute is performed by the Indian Army with artillery guns firing in unison.
Even though India got independence on 15 August 1947, but on 26 January 1950, India became a full republic. The whole of India celebrates this day as Republic Day. The constitution was fully prepared on 26 November 1949 but after waiting for two months, it was implemented on 26 January 1950.
The country's first President, Dr. Rajendra Prasad declared India a full republic on January 26, 1950 by hoisting the flag with a 21-gun salute. Since then every year this day is celebrated as Republic Day and this day is a national holiday across the country.