Commemorating Adaptation Of World’s Longest Constitution

As we approach Republic Day 2022, it is the ideal time to reminisce about every aspect of the Indian Constitution that is worthy of tribute.

Let’s start by revealing the fact that India has the world’s longest written Constitution consisting of 1,46,385 words. A more amazing fact is that there are two hand-written copies of the Indian Constitution, in English and Hindi both. After that many books on the Constitution of India have been written.

Republic day (Gantatra Diwas) was the day when the Indian Airforce also became an independent body, earlier it was a controlled body known as Royal Air Force India.

Republic Day History

The history of Republic day in India is associated with the history of the Indian Constitution. After getting independence from the British Government on 15th August, a drafting committee of 7 members headed by Dr. B. R. Ambedkar was constituted on 29th August 1947.

The Committee submitted a draft on 4th November 1947 to the Constituent Assembly, and on 24th January 1950, it was signed by 308 Assembly members after more than 150 modifications. More than 2 years and 11 months were taken to write the Constitution of India.

What happens On Republic Day?

Apart from sending “Happy Republic Day” wishes and updating Republic day status on WhatsApp, there are official activities performed on 26 January.

Delhi Republic Day parade is held on Rajpath and the President of India addresses the nation. But do you know when was the first Republic Day parade held? The first Republic Day parade was held in 1955.

In the Republic Day parade, defense forces and representative groups of different states perform. The diversified culture of India is represented in a very creative manner. Along with this, awards such as Padma awards, Bharat Ratna, and Kirti Chakra are given to deserving candidates.

The Republic Day ceremony continues for three consecutive days and ends on 29th January. On the last day, the ceremony ends up with the beating retreat ceremony. It ends with playing “abide with me”, a Christian hymn that is considered one of the favorites of Mahatma Gandhi.

Last year, there were a lot of restrictions on the Republic Day celebrations due to Covid-19. The children below 15 and senior citizens above 65 were not allowed to visit the venue. There were no foreign guests on the occasion and the physical audience was limited to 25000 only, which was 83% less than in 2019.

Republic day celebration 2022 amid Omicron. 

On Republic Day the President of India unfurls the National Flag and regiments of the Army, Navy, and Air Force march from Rashtrapati Bhawan to Red Fort via Rajpath. Due to the current pandemic situation this year, only five to eight thousand people are allowed to attend the Republic Day ceremony physically.

However, to show your love and solidarity for the 73rd Republic Day, you can register and watch the event online. The Government of India encourages citizens to register online and show their love for the country. You may also watch the Republic Day celebrations on the official Indian RDC Youtube channel, Doordarshan National, and NIC’s Republic Day website.

Learn From The Constitution Of India

The Constitution of India gives us the privilege of living in freedom and with many rights. Equal rights are guaranteed to all citizens because it upholds ethics and moral values. Indian Constitution demonstrates the importance of equality. It becomes the responsibility of every citizen to respect the right of equality given to us. We must emphasize equality in our life and should contribute to building an equal society.

Pankaj Rai