Republic Day celebrations underway in Delhi

NEW DELHI: Celebrations for the 71st Republic Day began on Sunday in the national capital with Brazilian President Jair Messias Bolsonaro in attendance as the chief guest. Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid his tributes to martyrs by laying a wreath at the National War Memorial in the presence of defence minister Rajnath Singh, the three service chiefs and Chief of Defence Staff Bipin Rawat.

Later Modi, wearing traditional kurta-pajama and a jacket, reached Rajpath and greeted President Ram Nath Kovind and the chief guest. The prime minister sported a saffron turban on the occasion.

During the unfurling of the tricolour, the band played the national anthem with a 21-gun salute in the background.

Most ministers of the Modi government, including home minister Amit Shah, defence minister Rajnath Singh and external affairs minister S Jaishankar were present on the occasion along with former prime ministers Manmohan Singh and Deve Gowda, and Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad.