Republic Day LIVE: Military might, cultural diversity on display at parade

India's 72nd Republic Day celebrations began with PM Modi paying homage to war heroes at National War Memorial. Catch LIVE updates on the Republic Day of India 2021 parade and celebrations.

9:01 AM

India's colourful heritage comes alive in Google's Republic Day doodle

India's art and architecture, cultural and sartorial heritage have been captured in a fascinating and colourful doodle by Internet search giant Google to mark the 72nd anniversary of the country's Republic Day.

 

The artwork showcases beautiful old buildings in the backdrop in light saffron hue along with people in the front in green shade, with the letters of the company's name in blue emblazoned in the middle, in a nod to the tricolour.

 

While letters 'G' and 'O' stand towards the left of a caparisoned elephant with a mahout, last three letters of 'Google', are positioned to its right. The majestic pachyderm itself represents the second 'O' in the technology bellwether's name.

8:58 AM

Republic Day 2021 LIVE: Nirbhaya case officer among 38 Delhi Police cops awarded

Thirty eight officers and men of the Delhi Police have been conferred with the Police Medal for their services. Of them, 17 have been awarded the Police Medal for Gallantry (PMG), three get the President's Police Medal for Distinguished Service and 18 get the Police Medal for Meritorious Service on the occasion of Republic Day.

 

Inspector Pratibha Sharma, who was the investigating officer of the 'Nirbhaya Case' has been conferred with the Police Medal for Meritorious Service.

8:54 AM

Republic Day 2021 LIVE: Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla unfurls the Tricolour at his residence

8:49 AM

Republic Day 2021 LIVE: Security heightened at Connaught Place and Mother Teresa Crescent Marg

8:46 AM

Republic Day 2021 LIVE: ITBP jawans march with the national flag on a frozen water body in Ladakh

8:38 AM

Republic Day 2021 LIVE: Tamil Nadu guv Banwarilal Purohit lays wreath at the War Memorial in Chennai

8:30 AM

Queues get longer at some stations, Delhi Metro says due to R-Day security, COVID norms

Very long queues were seen at Patel Chowk and some of the other key Delhi Metro stations on Monday, with DMRC authorities attributing it to security checking ahead of Republic Day and Covid-19 safety norms.

 

Many commuters took to social media to share photos and videos of serpentine queues outside many stations.

 

According to a video shared by a commuter, the queue at Patel Chowk snaked its way out of the station premises, and spilled on to the street sides.

8:25 AM

Republic Day 2021 LIVE: Chief of Southern Air Command Air Marshal Amit Tiwari gets Param Vishisht Seva Medal

Air Marshal Amit Tiwari AVSM, VM, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Air Command has been awarded with the most prestigious presidential award Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM) on the occasion of Republic Day 2021.

 

The President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, in the coming days, will confer the PVSM on Air Marshal Amit Tiwari at a function to be held at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

7:57 AM

Republic Day 2021 LIVE: Farmers' tractors with Tricolour ready for Republic Day tractor rally

7:42 AM

Group Captain Kesavan Harisankar awarded Vishisht Seva Medal

Group Captain Kesavan Nair Harisankar of Southern Air Command has been awarded with the prestigious Presidential award Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM) on the occasion of Republic Day.

 

The President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, in the coming days, will confer the VSM on Group Captain Harisankar at a function to be held at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

7:25 AM

UK PM Boris Johnson greets India on R-Day, says working together to eliminate Covid

The UK and India are working side by side to free humanity from the coronavirus pandemic, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said in a special reference to the vaccine collaboration in his Republic Day message on Tuesday.

 

Johnson was due to be in New Delhi as the chief guest at the annual parade to mark the India's 71st Republic Day but had to call off the visit to focus on the domestic crisis unleashed by the emergence of a new, deadlier variant of coronavirus in the UK at the end of last year.

 

In his video message to celebrate the birth of an extraordinary Constitution that established India as the biggest sovereign democracy in the world, the UK PM reiterated his plan to visit India in the coming months.

7:22 AM

Republic Day 2021 LIVE: India to display cultural, economic, military might today

India's military might, cultural diversity, social and economic progress will be on display during the 72nd Republic Day celebrations at the majestic Rajpath in the national capital today. Apart from tableaus of Armed forces, 17 tableaus from different states and nine tableaus from different ministries/departments of the central government and Paramilitary Forces and six from Ministry of Defence will also be on display during the annual parade. Read on...

7:17 AM

Tight security for Republic Day celebrations

With the national capital on Tuesday witnessing two big events--Republic Day celebrations and a farmers' tractor parade--the city has been brought under heavy security cover with deployment of thousands of security personnel in central Delhi and several border points. Read on...

7:08 AM

Republic Day 2021 LIVE: PM Modi greets nation on R-Day