New Delhi:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will unfurl the national flag and deliver his seventh consecutive Independence Day speech from the iconic Red Fort on Saturday. According to a Defence ministry statement, the prime minister will also receive the Guard of Honour contingent, consisting of one officer and 24 men each from the Army, Navy, Air Force and Delhi Police. Major Shweta Pandey will assist the prime minister in unfurling the National Flag.
On his arrival at 7.18 AM in front of the Lahore Gate of the Red Fort, the prime minister will be received by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar. The defence secretary will introduce the General Officer Commanding (GoC), Delhi Area, Lt Gen Vijay Kumar Mishra to the prime minister. The GoC Delhi Area will then conduct the prime minister to the Saluting Base where a combined inter-services and police guards will present general salute to him, following which he will inspect the Guard of Honour, the statement said.
The Guard of Honour will be positioned directly in front of the National Flag across the moat below the ramparts. This year, Army being the coordinating Service, the Guard of Honour will be commanded by Lt Col Gaurav S Yewalkar. Army contingent in the prime minister’s Guard will be commanded by Major Palvinder Grewal, the Navy contingent by Lt Commander K V R Reddy, while Squadron Leader Vikas Kumar will lead the Air Force contingent and the Delhi Police contingent will be led by Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Jitender Kumar Meena. After inspecting the Guard of Honour, the prime minister will proceed to the ramparts of the Red Fort where he will be greeted by the defence minister, Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, Chief of Army Staff General M M Naravane, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Karambir Singh and Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal R K S Bhadauria. The GoC Delhi area will conduct the prime minister to the dais on the rampart to unfurl the National Flag. After the tri-colour is unfurled by the prime minister, the National Guard will give ‘Rashtriya Salute’ to the National Flag, the statement said. The unfurling of the tri-colour will synchronise with the 21 Gun Salute fired by the gunners of the elite 2233 Field Battery (Ceremonial). The ceremonial battery will be commanded by Lt Col Jitendra Singh Mehta and the Gun Position Officer will be Naib Subedar (AIG) Anil Chand.
The National Flag Guard comprising 32 men and one officer each from the Army, Navy, Air Force and Delhi Police will present ‘Rashtriya Salute’ at the time of unfurling of the National Flag by the prime minister. Major Surya Prakash from the Army will be in command of this Inter-Services Guard and Police Guard. The Naval Contingent for the National Flag Guard will be commanded by Lt Commander Vivek Tingloo, Air Force contingent by Squadron Leader Mayank Abhishek and Delhi Police contingent by Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Sudhanshu Dhama. After unfurling the National Flag, the prime minister will address the nation. After the speech of the prime minister is over, the National Cadet Corps cadets will sing the National Anthem. A total of 500 NCC cadets (Army, Navy and Air Force) from different schools will be taking part, it added.
