Odisha wins best Republic Day 2024 parade tableau award; Gujarat's tableau is people's choice (PHOTOS)

Odisha's vibrant tableau, celebrating women's empowerment and showcasing the state's rich handicraft and handloom sector during the 75th Republic Day parade, has secured the first prize in the judge's choice category among the tableaux presented by various states and Union Territories. The announcement was made on Tuesday during a ceremony held at Delhi Cantonment.

Gujarat's tableau, featuring the Dhordo tourism village, claimed the first position in the people's choice category. The awards were presented at the ceremony. The culture ministry's tableau, themed 'Bharat: Mother of Democracy,' earned the first prize among the tableaux presented by various ministries and departments during the ceremonial parade, while the Ministry of Home Affairs' tableau depicting 'vibrant villages' secured the second prize.

A total of 16 tableaux from states and Union Territories and nine from central ministries and departments were showcased during the grand celebrations, with French President Emmanuel Macron attending as the chief guest.

Odisha's winning tableau prominently featured women's involvement in the handicraft and handloom sector through live demonstrations, showcasing their adaptation to technology with cashless transactions and e-platform marketing. The tableau also highlighted the government's support for artisans under the "Viksit Bharat" program. The "War Horse of Konark Temple" represented Odisha's rapid progress, while the divine elephant "Kandarpa Hasti" symbolized women's dedication to "Viksit Bharat."

Gujarat's tableau, themed 'Dhordo: Global Identity of Gujarat's Border Tourism,' showcased the art and culture of Kutch. Tamil Nadu's tableau highlighted the historical significance of the Kudavolai electoral system, dating back to the 10th century Chola era, marking an early stride towards democracy.

Uttar Pradesh's tableau featured an artistic image of Ram Lalla, and it depicted the country's first operational high-speed regional rapid transit system (RRTS). Uttar Pradesh's tableau had won the top award in 2022 with the theme 'One District One Product and Kashi Vishwanath Dham.' The winners in the people's choice category were selected through public voting conducted via the MyGov platform.