Opinion Before the first parade to celebrate the new republic, a busy morning for Indian democracy

Seventy-five years ago, on January 26, 1950, the nation’s first Republic Day parade was held in the afternoon at New Delhi’s Irwin Stadium (christened National Stadium in 1951 and renamed Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium in 2002). Even as that first parade marked India’s transition to a democratic republic and celebrated the adoption of the Constitution, quiet but important changes were brewing since that morning.

President Rajendra Prasad on his way to India’s first Republic Day parade in 1950. (Photo: M/s Punjab Photo Service)

Power shift

One of the most significant shifts to take place that day was the transfer of power from C Rajagopalachari, India’s last Governor-General to Independent India’s first President.

At 9.45 am, President-elect Rajendra Prasad left his residence, 1, Queen Victoria Road (now Dr Rajendra Prasad Road). On his arrival at Government House (now Rashtrapati Bhavan), he was received by an aide-de-camp to Governor-General C Rajagopalachari.

At 10 am, Rajagopalachari’s family, including his wife, reached the Durbar Hall. Two minutes later, Prasad and Rajagopalachari proceeded towards Durbar Hall. On the steps of the hall stood interim Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, who received and ushered them inside. While Prasad and Rajagopalachari walked side by side towards the dais, Nehru stayed one step behind.

Army Chief General (later Field Marshal), KM Cariappa, Navy Chief Admiral Sir Edward Parry, defence minister Baldev Singh Chokkar and Air Chief Air Marshal Sir TW Elmhirst at the first Republic Day Parade. (Express Archive)

On the dais, Rajagopalachari sat on the right, while Prasad was on the left. At 10.15 am, the ceremony commenced with the National Anthem. Three minutes later, at 10.18 am, Rajagopalachari read the “proclamation” announcing the birth of the Republic and the letter from the Constituent Assembly announcing the name of the President of the Republic of India. The proclamation stated, “Whereas the people of India, having solemnly resolved to constitute India into a sovereign democratic republic, adopted, enacted and gave to themselves on the 26th day of November, 1949, in their Constituent Assembly the Constitution of India… therefore, it is hereby proclaimed that on and from this, the 26th day of January, 1950, India, that is, Bharat, so formed into a Union shall be a sovereign democratic republic, and the union and its component units, the states, shall exercise all powers and functions of government and administration in accordance with the provisions of the said Constitution.”

The announcement was followed by Rajagopalachari and Prasad literally exchanging their seats — the President-elect now sat on the right side.

Oath of office and a new flag unfurled

Administered the oath of office by India’s first Chief Justice, Harilal Jekisundas Kania, the newly appointed President was given a national salute, followed by the band playing the National Anthem once again and a 31-gun salute. The Governor-General’s flag was lowered, and the President’s flag hoisted in its place. Moments later, Prasad administered the oath of office to Nehru and his Cabinet.

India’s first Republic Day parade at Irwin Stadium in 1950. (Photo: M/s Punjab Photo Service)

The oath-taking was followed by a farewell for Rajgopalachari, which included a resolution passed by the new Cabinet. The resolution thanked the former Governor-General “to record their deep and grateful appreciation of his labours and his service to the country”. Rajagopalachari would later write to Nehru, “I feel more than rewarded in the most generous recognition expressed in the resolution of the Cabinet, for what I did.”

The personnel of all forces were administered an oath of allegiance to the Constitution the same morning: “I … do swear in the name of God that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the Constitution of India as by law established and that I will, as in duty bound, honestly and faithfully serve in the… of the Union of India and go wherever ordered by air, land or sea, and that I will observe and obey all commands of the president of the Union of India and the commands of any officer get over me even to the peril of my life.”

India’s first Republic Day parade at Irwin Stadium in 1950. (Photo: M/s Punjab Photo Service)

Though the ceremony at Government House ended around 10.35 am, the President left for Irwin Stadium only at 2.30 pm. Along the route taken by the presidential convoy — from Parliament Street, outer Connaught Circus, Barakhamba Road to Bhagwandas Road and the stadium — personnel from the Army, Navy, Air Force and the police stood to greet the procession.

Parking arrangements for bicycles, tongas

Back at the stadium, special arrangements were made for audiences arriving from nearby villages to see the ceremony. The arrangements included parking spaces for bicycles, tongas, cars and other vehicles.

At 3.45 pm, Prasad was at the venue, where an eager parade was waiting to celebrate the birth of the new republic. Sukarno, the first president of Indonesia, was the chief guest. Incidentally, Prabowo Subianto, the eighth President of Indonesia, is the chief guest this year.

The first Republic Day Parade at Irwin Stadium in New Delhi. (Express Archive)

On arrival at the stadium, Defence Minister Baldev Singh received Prasad and introduced him to the three service chiefs. The President unfurled the Tricolour and the bands played the National Anthem, after which Prasad, sitting in a jeep, inspected the parade.

Once the President returned to the saluting base, the parade — comprising nearly 3,000 personnel from the Army, Navy, Air Force and police — started. The biggest highlight of India’s first Republic Day celebration was the parade of units representing all the Armed forces, led by Brigadier Moti Sagar of the Gorkha Regiment.

No ban on fly-past

The festivities included a fly-past, comprising four-engine Liberators and heavy bomber aircraft of the Royal Indian Air Force, over the stadium. Despite a ban on formation flying over towns and cities then, Air Marshal Sir Thomas Walker Elmhirst, then the Chief of Air Staff and Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Indian Air Force, approved one anyway in view of the significance of the event.

Coverage of India’s first Republic Day parade on the front page of the Indian Express. (Express Archive)

Three military awards recognising acts of bravery in the presence of the enemy were instituted and notified the same day: Param Vir Chakra (highest honour), Maha Vir Chakra and Vir Chakra. Another award, the Ashok Chakra, was instituted for both the Armed Forces and civilians to recognise acts other than in combat with the enemy (in maintaining law and order, for example). At the parade that day, Param Vir Chakras were awarded to Major Somnath Sharma (who had died in the Battle of Budgam in 1947) and Lance Naik Karam Singh (India’s first living soldier to be awarded the honour for heroic deeds performed despite 16 bullet injuries in Tithwal sector of Jammu and Kashmir during the 1948 conflict with Pakistan).

Rajagopalachari and his wife boarded the President’s Dakota and took off for Madras (now Chennai). By 5 pm that day, the President was back at the Government House.