Independence Day Celebrations at Red Fort NOT TO BE PUBLISHED / BROADCAST BEFORE 0000 HRS ON AUGUST 14/15, 2015 The Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will unfurl the National Flag from the ramparts of the Red Fort, tomorrow to celebrate the 69th Independence Day. After unfurling the Tricolour, Shri Narendra Modi will address the nation. On arrival at Lahori Gate of Red Fort, the Prime Minister will be received by the Defence Minister Shri Manohar Parrikar, Minister of State for Defence Rao Inderjit Singh and Defence Secretary Shri G Mohan Kumar. The Defence Secretary will introduce the General Officer Commanding, Delhi Area, Lt. Gen Rajan Ravindran to the Prime Minister. The GoC Delhi Area will then conduct the Prime Minister to the Saluting Base where a combined Inter-Services and Police Guards will present general salute to the Prime Minister. Thereafter, Shri Narendra Modi will inspect the Guard of Honour. The Guard of Honour contingent for the Prime Minister will consist of one officer and 24 men each from Army, Navy, Air Force and Delhi Police. The Guard of Honour will be positioned directly in front of the National Flag across the moat below the ramparts. This year, Navy being the coordinating Service, the Guard of Honour will be commanded by Commander Yoginder Sharma of the Indian Navy. The Army Contingent in the Prime Minister's Guard will be commanded by Major Sumiran Vyas, the Navy contingent by Lt Cdr Chanoraveer Singh Yadav, while Sqn Ldr Shakthi Vigneshwar will lead the Air Force contingent and the Delhi Police contingent by SDPO Shri Rohit Meena. The Army contingent for Prime Minister's Guard is drawn from the 8th Jammu & Kashmir Light Infantry (Siachen). The battalion was raised as the First Battalion Border Scouts by volunteers who took up arms in the aftermath of communal passion and the smouldering embers of partition to check the multitude of Kabailies intruding into Poonch on 18 December 1947. Born in Battle and Purified in Blood, the battalion was re-designated as 08th Jammu & Kashmir Militia on 15 April 1948. In 1971 war, the battalion was outnumbered but never outclassed in valour and fought the defensive battle successfully despite enemy's passion for Chhamb. For this the battalion was awarded Battle Honour - Laleali and Piquet 707. The Regiment was rechristened Jammu & Kashmir Light Infantry on 27 April 1976. During the Siachen tenure in June 1987, the battalion created history by capturing 'Quaid Post' at an altitude of 21,153 feet, the highest battlefield in the world. The post was renamed as 'Bana Top' in honour of Naib Subedar Bana Singh, Param Vir Chakra. The battalion was awarded COAS Unit Citation in 2001 for its sterling performance in Jammu & Kashmir, Poonch Sector. The Battalion established the United Nations Mission in Sudan 2006 and was conferred with United Nations Unit Citation in the year 2007 for handling the bloodiest of clashes ever in the history of Sudan. The battalion yet again proved its mettle during its 2008 tenure at Kupwara in Jammu & Kashmir when Naib Subedar Chuni Lal, Vir Chakra, Sena Medal, who laid down his life following the highest traditions of Indian Army while fighting terrorists, was bestowed with the highest peacetime gallantry award, Ashok Chakra (Posthumous). With this, the battalion joined the elite group of 'Bravest of the Brave' battalions. Apart from this, the battalion was once again conferred with Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Unit Citation in 2009 for its splendid performance on the Line of Control in Jammu & Kashmir. The Battalion is presently one of the most decorated battalions of the Indian Army with Naib Subedar Chuni Lal, Ashok Chakra (Posthumous), Vir Chakra, Sena Medal as one of the most decorated soldier. Presently, the Battalion is performing the prestigious duty of Ceremonial Army Guard to the President of India. After inspecting the Guard of Honour, the Prime Minister will proceed to the ramparts of the Red Fort where he will be greeted by Defence Minister Shri Manohar Parrikar, Minister of State for Defence Rao Inderjit Singh, Chief of the Army Staff General Dalbir Singh, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha and Chief of Naval Staff Admiral RK Dhowan. The GOC Delhi area will conduct the Prime Minister to the dais to unfurl the National Flag. The unfurling of the tri-colour will synchronize with the 21 Gun Salute fired by the valiant gunners of the elite 871 Field Regiment. The ceremonial battery will be commanded by Lt. Col Aditya Kumar Devrani, Shaurya Chakra, Sena Medal and the Gun Position Officer will be Regiment Havildar Major (Assistant Instructor in Gunnery) Sonu Yadav. The National Flag Guard comprising 32 men and one officer each from Army, Navy, Air Force and Delhi Police will present Rashtriya Salute at the time of unfurling of the National Flag by the Prime Minister. Commander Harpreet Singh from Indian Navy will be in command of this Inter-Services Guard and Police Guard. The Naval Contingent for the National Flag Guard will be commanded by Lt Cdr Adil Mohideen, the Army contingent by Maj Kundan Singh, Air Force contingent by Sqn Ldr Himanshu Singh and Delhi Police contingent by Additional DCP Shri Deepak Gauri. The Naval Band will play National Anthem when the National Guard presents 'Rashritya Salute' while unfurling the National Flag by the Prime Minister. All Service personnel in uniform will stand and salute. The Band will be commanded by S Jankiraman, Master Chief Petty Officer Musician 2nd Class. Two Naval Officers, Lieutenant VSSG Rao and Lieutenant Pramod will be positioned on either side of the saluting dais for the Prime Minister for ADC duties. Lt Commander Deepika Choudhary will assist the Prime Minister in unfurling of the National Flag. The Army contingent for the National Flag Guard is drawn from the 9th Battalion of the Garhwal Rifles. The Battalion was raised on 01 January 1965 by Late Lt Col PGR Nair. Since then, the Battalion has served in varied terrain, participated in numerous operations and has distinguished itself in all spheres. The Battalion has completed 50 years of distinguished and dedicated service to the nation on 01 January this year. Ninth Battalion of the Garhwal Rifles is the only battalion of the Garhwal Rifles to have been awarded the Ashok Chakra, the highest peacetime gallantry award in 1985. The Battalion is one of the first units of the Indian Army to be awarded the Chief of the Army Staff's Unit Appreciation in 1992. The Battalion has so far been awarded two Kirti Chakras, three Shaurya Chakras, seven Sena Medals, one Vishist Seva Medal, one Jeevan Raksha Padak, two Mention-in-Despatches, 21 Chief of Army Staff Commendation Cards, one Vice Chief of Army Staff Commendation Card and 27 GOC-in-C Commendation Cards. After unfurling the National Flag, the Prime Minister will address the nation. After the Prime Minister's address, school children and NCC Cadets will sing the National Anthem. Seven hundred cadets of the National Cadet Corps coming from 20 schools of Delhi Directorate comprising Army, Navy and Air Force wings are participating in the flag hoisting ceremony this year. The cadets will take part in the singing of patriotic songs along with the school children. In total, three thousand five hundred girl students from 45 government schools of eastern, north-eastern, northern, north-western, and central zones of Directorate of Education, Government of Delhi will sing the National Anthem. They will also sing patriotic songs in different regional languages during the celebrations. On this occasion these school children will display the formation of 'Jai Bharat'. N Ao/DM/RAJ
