3000 soldiers, 100 aircraft joined the first parade, know at what time India became Republic

76th Republic Day 2025: On 26 January 1950, India became a Republic at 10:18 am. 6 minutes later, at 10:24 pm Dr. Rajendra Prasad took the oath of office. The then Chief Justice Hiralal Kania administered him the oath. After that, the first President of the country, Dr. Rajendra Prasad gave speeches in Hindi and English.

On this day, the Constitution of India came into force in 1935 in place of the Government of India. The draft of the Constitution of India was completed on 26 November 1949 and the Constituent Assembly approved it. But it is said that on 26 January 1930, the Congress gave the slogan of Purna Swaraj. So after waiting for 2 months, on 26 January 1950, the country’s last Governor General C. Rajagopalachari announced the Indian Republic.

Even before independence it was decided that India would have its own constitution

The ‘Indian Independence Act’ was passed in the British Parliament on 18 July 1947. This is why India was partitioned and Pakistan was formed. Under this Act, Pakistan announced its independence on 14 August 1947 and India on 15 August 1947. However, a year before independence, it was decided on 9 December 1946 that India would have its own constitution. Constituent Assembly was formed for him. The Constitution of India was formed after the meeting lasted for 2 years 11 months and 18 days. On 26 November 1949, the Constituent Assembly also approved the Constitution of India.

First Republic Day parade took place in the evening

At present, the Parade of Republic Day is in the morning, but the first parade was in the evening. On 26 January 1950, at 2:30 pm, Rajendra Prasad sat in the buggy and left Rashtrapati Bhavan. He reached the National Stadium at 3:45 pm while passing through areas like Connaught Place. At that time the National Stadium was known as Irwin Stadium.

The buggy in which the President rode was 35 years old. Six Australian horses were pulling that buggy. In the evening, the President was given a salute of 31 cannons at the parade ground. The first parade in 1950 was also involved in the public. The first parade consisted of 3 thousand soldiers and 100 aircraft.

The tradition of calling the chief guest at the Republic Day celebrations was from the first parade itself. In the first Republic Day celebrations, the then President of Indonesia, Dr. Sukarno was a special guest.

Parade on Rajpath since 1955

The location of the Republic Day parade was not fixed for the first 5 years. From 1950 to 1954, the parade was sometimes held at Irwin Stadium or sometimes at Red Fort or Ramlila Maidan. In the year 1955, it was decided that the parade would start from Rajpath and go to the Red Fort. Since then, a parade is held at Rajpath every year. Mushaira was also organized at the Red Fort in the year 1955.

Pakistan Governor General Malik Ghulam Mohammed was the chief guest at the parade held at Rajpath for the first time in 1955. As the years passed, the grandeur of the Republic Day parade also increased. In response to an RTI, the government said, “In 2001, Rs 145 crore was spent while in 2014 it was spent Rs 320 crore.”