Thousands flocked to the Red Fort on a humid but breezy Tuesday morning as Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered his tenth consecutive address to the nation on India’s 77th Independence Day.
The attendance at this year’s celebration crossed pre-pandemic levels, with more than 20,000 people present, from senior Ministers, government officials, and Armed Forces officers to NCC cadets, school children, and ordinary citizens from different parts of the country. Approximately 1,800 special invitees of the PM were present at Red Fort, including contingents of Central Vista construction workers, village leaders, fisherpersons, teachers, and farmers.
Floral decorations, which have been the highlight of many past Independence Day celebrations, were visibly reduced on the walls of the Red Fort this year. However, what caught every eye was the logo of the upcoming G-20 summit, crafted with flowers. From the decorations to the audiovisuals being displayed at the venue to the PM’s speech itself, references to India’s G-20 presidency were ubiquitous.
