The 77th Republic Day celebrations concluded with the traditional Beating Retreat ceremony at Vijay Chowk. Presided over by President Droupadi Murmu, the event featured captivating performances by bands of the Armed and Central Armed Police Forces.
The 77th Republic Day celebrations concluded with the traditional Beating Retreat ceremony at Vijay Chowk on Thursday, presided over by President Droupadi Murmu, bringing the national festivities to a ceremonious close.
In a post on X, the President said the ceremony offered a befitting conclusion to the Republic Day celebrations. The bands from the Armed Forces and the Central Armed Police Forces captivated the audience with remarkable performances that reflected the spirit of national unity and the enduring valour of India's armed forces. "The melodious tunes epitomised the nation's rich cultural heritage and military traditions," the post further added.
The 77th Republic Day celebrations concluded with the Beating Retreat ceremony at Vijay Chowk, presided over by President Droupadi Murmu. The ceremony offered a befitting conclusion to the national festivities. Bands from the Armed Forces and the Central Armed Police Forces… pic.twitter.com/GmMUY8K2M8 — President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) January 29, 2026
Grand Finale at Vijay Chowk
The iconic Vijay Chowk was reverberated with captivating Indian tunes during the Beating Retreat ceremony on January 29, 2026, marking the culmination of the 77th Republic Day celebrations. According to a release from Ministry of Defence, the bands of the Indian Army, the Indian Navy, the Indian Air Force and the Central Armed Police Forces played an array of foot-tapping melodies before a distinguished audience, comprising President Droupadi Murmu, Vice-President CP Radhakrishnan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh, other Union Ministers, senior officials and the public.
A Medley of Patriotic Tunes
The ceremony began with the Massed band's 'Kadam Kadam Badhaye Ja', followed by melodious tunes by the Pipes & Drums band such as 'Atulya Bharat', 'Veer Sainik', 'Mili Jhuli', 'Nritya Sarita', 'Marooni', and 'Jhelum'. The Central Armed Police Forces bands played 'Vijay Bharat', 'Hathrohi', 'Jai Ho' and 'Veer Seepahi'. The tunes played by the band of the Indian Air Force included 'Brave Warrior', 'Twilight', 'Alert', and 'Flying Star', while the Indian Navy band played 'Namaste', 'Sagar Pawan', 'Matribhumi', 'Tejasvi', and 'Jai Bharati'. It was followed by the band of the Indian Army playing 'Vijayee Bharat', 'Aarambh Hai, Prachand Hai', 'Aye Watan, Aye Watan', 'Anand Math', 'Sugamya Bharat', and 'Sitare Hind'. The Massed Bands then played the tunes 'Bharat Ke Shaan', 'Vande Mataram' and 'Drummers Call'. The event came to a close with the ever-popular tune of 'Sare Jahan Se Acha' played by the Buglers, a release stated.
Conductors of the Ceremony
The principal conductor of the ceremony was Squadron Leader Leimapokpam Rupachandra Singh. The Indian Army Band conductor was Subedar Major Prakash Joshi, while M Antony, MCPO MUS II and Warrant Officer Ashok Kumar were the conductors of the Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force bands, respectively. The conductor of the Central Armed Police Forces band was INSP Chetram. The Pipes & Drums band played under the instructions of Subedar SP Chourasia, while the Buglers performed under the leadership of Subedar Manoj Kumar.
A Nod to Indian Musical Heritage
This year, the seating enclosures at Vijay Chowk for the ceremony were named after Indian instruments i.e., Bansuri, Damaru, Ektara, Esraj, Mridangam, Nagada, Pakhawaj, Santoor, Sarangi, Sarinda, Sarod, Shehnai, Sitar, Surbahar, Tabla and Veena. (ANI)
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