THE HEADLINES:
- Nation celebrates its 66th Republic Day with enthusiasm, Country’s Military prowess and cultural diversity showcased on Rajpath; Barack Obama becomes the first US President to attend the ceremony.
- Prime Minister promises a predictable tax regime; Says, his Office will monitor all big projects.
- Legendary Cartoonist R K Laxman passes away.
- 12 killed, 5 injured in a tempo-train collision in Hisar in Haryana.
- Tri series Cricket match between India and Australia at Sydney abandoned due to rain.
- In Australian Open, Sania Mirza and Leander Paes with their partners reach mixed doubles quarterfinals.
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India's military prowess and achievements in different fields, state-of-the-art defence platforms, its diverse cultural and social traditions was put on display at the 66th Republic Day parade in New Delhi today. The synchronised military and police contingents marched proudly to the lilting tunes of bands through Rajpath where President and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces Pranab Mukherjee took the salute from a specially erected dais.
US President Barack Obama was the Chief Guest of the event becoming the first American President to attend India's parade. A highlight of this year's parade was the display for the first time of the recently acquired long-range maritime surveillance and anti-submarine P-8I aircraft and the long-range advanced MIG-29K fighter plane.
The Republic Day ceremony commenced at Amar Jawan Jyoti at India Gate where Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the nation in paying homage to the martyrs by laying a wreath.
Before commencement of parade President Pranab Mukherjee conferred the highest peacetime gallantry Award Ashok Chakra posthumously to Naik Neeraj Kumar Singh and Major Mukund Varadarajan who laid their life during anti-terrorist operations in Jammu and Kashmir. The award was received by the wives of the martyrs.
With women's Empowerment being the theme of this year's parade, for the first time all-women's contingent of the armed forces marched down the Rajpath.
The parade displayed indigenously developed medium-range surface-to-air missile 'Akash', multi barrel rocket launcher 'Pinaka', laser-guided missile capable T-90 Bheeshma tank, infantry combat vehicle BMP-II Sarath and T-72 with Trawl. The indigenously built stealth destroyer INS Kolkata was also displayed which was inducted in the Indian Navy in July last year.
The main attraction of the parade was sparkling show of air power, fascinating tableaux depicting the diverse culture and dance by colorfully dressed school children, a giant mechanised lion symbolic of Make in India policy. 24 children who have been awarded with the National Bravery Award also participated in the parade.
Reports of Republic Day celebrations have also came in from different States and Union Territories across the country.
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The people of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh celebrated the Republic Day with much pomp and enthusiasm with Governor ESL Narasimhan hoisting the national flag in both the states. Addressing people of Telangana, the Governor stressed on the need for building up a corruption-free society, augmenting welfare of the poor and for balanced development in all spheres of economy.
People of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh today celebrated the Republic Day for the first time after the state reorganisation. Though they separately celebrated the national festival for the first time, the enthusiasm among people remained same while they thronged the grounds where official celebrations were held. Governor ESL Narasimhan has unfurled the national flag at Vijayawada and later hoisted the tri-colour in Hyderabad, at about 300 kilometres distance, at the official ceremonies of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. He reviewed at both places colourful parade, took salute from the armed forces and addressed people of the two Telugu States. Despite swine flu advisories by health authorities, people turned up at the Parade Grounds in Hyderabad as this is the first Republic Day after the state formed in June last year. Lakshmi, AIR News, Hyderabad.
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Expatriate Indian community in West Asia region is celebrating the nation’s 66th Republic Day with nationalistic fervor and enthusiasm. Large number of NRIs took part in celebrations at various embassies and Consulates across the region. India’s Ambassador to UAE, M.K.Lokesh hoisted the National Flag at the Indian Embassy premises in Abu Dhabi. In Dubai, Republic day festivities are at its peak.
India’s Consul General Anurag Bhushan unfurled the tricolor at the Indian Consulate and subsequently at the Indian High School in Dubai. He called upon the youngsters to imbibe the values enshrined in our constitution and be proud of our rich heritage, diversity and cultural pluralism. The star attraction was a choreographed musical dance drama performance by the students on gender equality, women’s empowerment and against female foeticide. Atul K Tiwary, AIR News, Dubai.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said that Prime Minister's Office will monitor all big business projects. Addressing the India-US CEO Forum Meeting, Mr Modi said good governance is the solution to all problems faced by the business class. He said ease of doing business initiative has been taken up by the government to facilitate business.
Our goal is ease of economy where skills infrastructure and resources will not be constrained to growth.
US President Barack Obama, in his address, said he is excited that not only is the US investing in India, but Indians are also investing in the US. He said it is good news that Indo-US trade has increased by 60 per cent in the last few years.
Later addressing the India-US Business Summit, Mr Modi said India has energy of the youth, enterprise of business and genius of farmers. He said India's goal is an economy with no hurdles. The Prime Minister said India's goal is an economy with no hurdles and an economy where skills, infrastructure and resources will not be constraints to growth.
He said growth in the eight core sectors of the economy has increased sharply, and inflation is at a 5 year low. He promised a predictable tax regime and said railway revolution is also in the pipeline.
Addressing the gathering, US President Barack Obama said India and US are true global partners and his visit is not only big on symbolism, but also on substance. He said trade between India, and US is at a record high of100 billion dollars per year. He said US companies will like to invest 2 billion dollars in renewable energy. Mr Obama also announced EXIM bank's commitment of one billion dollars for US exports to India. He said there is great interest on part of US companies to find consistency, clarity, greater simplicity in regulatory and tax environment in India.
We need to be faster in business environment, more transparent and more consistent and more protective. In knowledged based economy, entrepreneurs needs to be confident about their particular work and property that will be protected.
Thanking Mr Modi for inviting him for Republic Day celebrations, he said the parade was spectacular and it was a tribute to Indian democracy.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Barack Obama will jointly address the nation in the next edition of "Mann Ki Baat" on All India Radio.
The programme will be broadcast tomorrow at 8 pm over the entire network of All India Radio. It will also be live streamed for domestic and global netizens. The regional channels will broadcast the programme at 9 am on Wednesday.
The Prime Minister has been addressing the nation over All India Radio every month since last October through the "Mann Ki Baat" programme.
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The "breakthrough" achieved by India and the US over the landmark civil nuclear deal, six years after it was signed, dominated American media coverage of US President Barack Obama's unprecedented second visit to the country. A headline of The Wall Street Journal said, "Obama, Modi Say Progress Made on Civil Nuclear Trade', while another in The Washington Post said 'Obama, India's Modi claim breakthrough on nuclear issues.'
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In Haryana, 12 people killed at the spot and five seriously injured in an accident near Barwala in Hisar district when a tempo collided with train on an unmanned railway crossing. As per reports, there were total 19 passengers in the tempo. Police is investigating the case. More details are awaited.
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Legendary cartoonist R K Laxman passed away at a hospital in Pune this evening after a prolonged illness. He was 94. Laxman, was admitted to the hospital on January 17 for urinary infection. Laxman, brother of late novelist RK Narayan, is survived by wife Kamala and son Srinivas, a former journalist. Laxman was famous for his 'You Said It' pocket cartoon, featuring the most identifiable ‘common man'.
R K Laxman immortalised the passive, hapless 'common man' with an uncanny perception and sarcasm in a daily commentary on his life that brought smiles to millions. Every morning for over five decades, his fans waited for the Common Man who, with his signature checked jacket, dhoti, Gandhi-glasses and twin tufts of gravity-defying hair, watched life and politics in India. With his masterful strokes using the space of couple of inches, he exposed the hypocrisy in politics, leaving many a politician red-faced. The son of a school teacher --- Rasipuram KrishnaswamyLaxman- who rose to become India's best known political cartoonist, was born in Mysore on October 24, 1921.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi has greeted the people of Australia on Australia Day which is being celebrated today. In a tweet, Mr Modi said that he will always cherish the warmth of the people of Australia received during his visit in November last year.
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China today extended conditional support for India's Nuclear Suppliers Group membership bid but said "prudence and caution" needs to be exercised on the issue. The statement comes a day after US President Barack Obama backed India's inclusion into the elite 48-member body. Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying said at a media briefing in Beijing today that China believe such an inclusion should be conducive to the integrity and effectiveness of the regime and decision should be made on consensus. She said that China support the group to include new members and it support India to take further measures to meet the requirements for the inclusion in the group.
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In Greece, The far-left Syriza party, which won general election yesterday, has formed an anti-austerity governing coalition with the right-wing party Greek Independents. Syriza leader Alexis Tsipras has vowed to renegotiate Greece's bailout, worth 268 billion dollars, to end Greece's humiliation and pain. Several European politicians have warned him to respect bailout terms.
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Rain played spoilsport as the tri-series cricket match between India and Australia at Sydney was today abandoned.
India were 69 for two in 16 overs when play was stopped due to rain and after a wait of three hours the umpires decided to call off the match. The two teams take two points each from today's match, which means that the final league game between India and England on 30th of this month in Perth will be a straight knockout for a chance to play Australia in the final on 1st of next month. Unbeaten Australia have 15 points while win less India have two and England have five points. Anand Saurabh, AIR News, Delhi.
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Sania Mirza and Leander Paes carved out contrasting wins with different partners to reach the mixed doubles quarterfinals at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne today. Top seeds Sania and her Brazilian partner Bruno Soares edged past Abigail Spears and Santiago Gonzalez 7-5, 6-7, 10-8 while seventh seeds Paes and Martina Hingis out played the Spanish combine of Anabel Medina Garrigues and Pablo Andujar 6-3, 6-1.
In the Women's singles, Serena Williams today made it to the quarter-finals while two-time champion Victoria Azarenka was bundled out.
Defending champion Stan Wawrinka clinched a thrilling fourth set tie-breaker to down Spain's Guillermo Garcia-Lopez in Men's singles. World number one Novak Djokovic takes on unseeded Gilles Muller of Luxembourg later today.
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