President visits Advani to confer Bharat Ratna
The President visited the house of Mr Advani, who has not been keeping well, in New Delhi to bestow upon him the nation's highest civilian honour.
Indian tunes based on Indian classical ragas were the flavour of ‘Beating Retreat’ ceremony, which was held amid rain in the national capital on Sunday evening.
The ceremony was graced by President Droupadi Murmu at the historic Vijay Chowk in the heart of the capital. Prime Minister Narendra Modi
and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh were also present on the occasion.
As many as 29 captivating and foot-tapping Indian tunes were played by the music bands of the Army, the Navy, the Air Force and the State Police and the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) amid rain in the national capital.
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The ceremony commenced with the massed band’s ‘Agniveer’ tune which was followed by enthralling tunes like ‘Almora’, ‘Kedar Nath, ‘Sangam Dur’, ‘Queen of Satpura’, ‘Bhagirathi’, ‘Konkan Sundari’ by Pipes and Drums band.
Indian Air Force’s band played ‘Aprajey Arjun’, ‘Charkha’, ‘Vayu Shakti’, ‘Swadeshi’, while fascinating ‘Ekla Cholo Re’, ‘Hum Taiyyar Hai’, and ‘Jai Bharati’ was played by the band of Indian Navy.
The Indian Army’s band played ‘Shankhnaad’, ‘Sher-e-Jawan’, ‘Bhupal’, ‘Agranee Bharat’, ‘Young India’, ‘Kadam Kadam Badhaye Ja’, ‘Drummers Call’, and ‘Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon’.
The event came to a close with the ever-popular tune of ‘Sare Jahan se Acha’. The principal conductor of the ceremony was Flight Lieutenant Leimapokpam Rupachandra Singh.
While the Army band was led by Subedar Major Diggar Singh, the Naval and Air Force band commanders were M Anthoni Raj and Warrant Officer Ashok Kumar. The conductor of the State Police and CAPF bands was Assistant Sub Inspector Prem Singh.
The Buglers performed under the leadership of Naib Subedar Santosh Kumar Pandey, and the pipes and drums band were played under the instructions of Subedar Major Baswaraj Vagge.
‘Beating Retreat’ ceremony at the Vijay Chowk on 29 January every year marks the culmination of the four-day-long Republic Day celebrations. It has emerged as an event of national pride when the Colours and Standards are paraded.
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