The grand finale of India’s 76th Republic Day celebrations will take place on Wednesday with the iconic Beating Retreat ceremony at Vijay Chowk, set against the majestic backdrop of the Raisina Hills, according to a press release issued by the Ministry of Defence.
This year’s ceremony will showcase 30 captivating Indian tunes played by the bands of the Indian Army (IA), Indian Navy (IN), Indian Air Force (IAF), and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), marking the close of the Republic Day festivities.
The event will be attended by President Droupadi Murmu, Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, along with other Union Ministers, senior officials, and the public.
The ceremony will open with the massed bands playing the rousing tune ‘Kadam Kadam Badhaye Ja,’ followed by performances of Indian compositions such as ‘Amar Bharati’, ‘Indradhanush’, ‘Jai Janam Bhumi’, ‘Nati in Himalayan Valley’, ‘Ganga Jamuna’, and ‘Veer Siachen’ by the Pipes & Drums band. The CAPF bands will delight the audience with tunes like ‘Vijay Bharat’, ‘Rajasthan Troops’, ‘Aye Watan Tere Liye’, and ‘Bharat ke Jawan’.
The IAF band will feature tunes like ‘Galaxy Rider’, ‘Stride’, ‘Rubaru’, and ‘Millennium Flight Fantasy’, while the IN band will perform pieces including ‘Rashtriya Pratham’, ‘Nishak Nishpad’, ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’, ‘Spread the Light of Freedom’, ‘Rhythm of the Reef’, and ‘Jai Bharati’. The IA band will then play ‘Veer Sapoot’, ‘Taqat Watan’, ‘Mera Yuva Bharat’, ‘Dhruv’, and ‘Faulad Ka Jigar’.
The ceremony will culminate with the Massed Bands performing ‘Priyam Bharatam’, the patriotic song ‘Aye Mere Watan Ke Logon’, and the traditional ‘Drummers Call’. The event will conclude with the stirring and ever-popular tune ‘Sare Jahan se Acha’, played by the Buglers.
The principal conductor for the ceremony will be Commander Manoj Sebastian, with Subedar Major (Honorary Captain) Bishan Bahadur leading the IA Band, MCPO MUS II M Antony conducting the IN Band, and Warrant Officer Ashok Kumar directing the IAF Band. Head Constable GD Mahajan Kailash Madhava Rao will conduct the CAPF Band, while Subedar Major Abhilash Singh will lead the Pipes & Drums, and Naib Subedar Bhupal Singh will direct the Buglers.
