Representing India’s diverse dance forms, nearly 2,500 artistes will perform on Kartavya Path during the 77th Republic Day parade, which will mark the sesquicentenary of the national song, Vande Mataram.
The broader theme of the performance will be “Swatantra Ka Mantra. Vande Mataram” and “Samriddhi Ka Mantra, Viksit Bharat”, officials said.
The creative team includes music director M M Keeravani, lyricist Subhash Sehgal, narrator Anupam Kher, and choreographer Santosh Nair, under the overall supervision of Sandhya Purecha. Creative design and costumes are being handled by Sandhya Raman. Keeravani, who gained international recognition after his Oscar-winning Naatu Naatu from RRR, expressed his excitement on social media.
"Dear all, Vande Mataram! On the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the iconic song Vande Mataram, I feel deeply honoured and privileged to have composed the music for the 26th January Republic Day Parade… This grand presentation will be performed by 2,500 artists from across India," he posted.
The artistes will represent classical dance forms including Bharatnatyam, Kathak, Odissi, Kuchipudi, and Manipuri. Enclosure backdrops along Kartavya Path will feature old paintings illustrating the song’s opening stanzas, while floral tributes at the main stage will honour composer Bankim Chandra Chatterjee.
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In a departure from tradition, enclosures for the parade will be named after Indian rivers rather than using ‘VVIP’ labels. The Beating Retreat Ceremony on January 29 will see enclosures named after Indian musical instruments.
President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and President of the European Council Antonio Costa will be the chief guests at the parade.
Around 10,000 people from diverse walks of life have been invited as special guests, including para-athletes, natural farmers, transgender citizens, ISRO scientists, and winners of key government initiatives. Arrangements have been made for visits to the National War Memorial, Pradhan Mantri Sangrahalaya, and interactions with ministers.
The defence ministry said band performances by the Army, Navy, Indian Air Force, and Coast Guard will be held at over 235 locations across 120 cities from January 19-26 to celebrate the national song.
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