President hosts official reception on occasion of Independence Day in New Delhi

On the occasion of Independence Day, President of India, Pranab Mukherjee, on Friday (August 15) hosted the official reception for the Prime Minister, his ministerial colleagues, diplomats, lawmakers, senior government officials and leading public figures.

The function was organised on the lawns of the famed Mughal Gardens of Rashtrapati Bhavan, the Presidents House in New Delhi.

The ceremony commenced with the arrival of Indian President Mukherjee accompanied with the playing of the national anthem by the military band.

Prime Minister, Narendra Modi and Vice President, Hamid Ansari were present at the occasion.

The reception was also graced by the presence of India's Interior minister, Rajnath Singh and Indian finance and defence minister, Arun Jaitley, of the ruling Bharatiya Janata party along with other lawmakers of the ruling and opposition parties, diplomats as well as top brass of the armed forces.

Independence Day in India is celebrated on August 15 to commemorate the freedom from the British rule and its birth as a sovereign nation in 1947.

The day commences with hoisting of the national tri-colour flag by the Prime Minister at the historic Red Fort in New Delhi.

India celebrated its 67 years of independence where the newly elected Modi unfurled the national flag and delivered his first speech at the historic podium of the Red Fort in New Delhi.