150 girls from Gujarat schools to add colour to R-Day parade with 'Garba' performance

A group of 150 girls from different schools of Gujarat are set to delight the crowd with a colourful 'Garba' performance at the Republic Day parade here on Rajpath, an achievement that has left the students ecstatic.

Besides, students from three different schools in Delhi, which have been selected for the first time to take part in the ceremonial parade, would also regale the crowd with Rajasthani folk dance, Bengali Baul-themed rendition and Yoga routines, officials said on Friday.

The students who will perform 'Garba' have been drawn from two schools in Gandhinagar -- J M Chaudhari Sarvajanik Kanya Vidyalaya and Sarkari Prathmik Shala, and another from Gondal in Rajkot district -- Kantaben Babubhai Bera Kanya Vidyalaya.

"For the 71st Republic Day, the Directorate of Education and Ministry of Defence have selected three Delhi schools and the West Zone Cultural Centre of Udaipur wherein a total of 474 girls and 162 boys will present colourful cultural programmes," a senior official said.

A section of students from all the four teams selected for the grand January 26 parade gave a short performance after they were unveiled at an event held at the DRDO Bhawan here on Friday.

A team of 166 students from Sarvodaya Kanya Vidyalaya B-Block in Delhi's Janakpuri, a girls school, will present Rajasthani folk dance, including Kalbelia dance, while 16 girls and 99 boys of Vinay Nagar Bengali Senior Secondary School will present a performance based on Baul singers of Bengal.

Students of Arvind Gupta DAV Centenary Public school, 97 girls and 63 boys will present different Yoga postures.

Sudha Bharatbhai, 12, a class 8 student of Kantaben Babubhai Bera Kanya Vidyalaya, was overwhelmed at the prospects of performing at the Rajpath.

"I am too excited, and we will be performing in front of Prime Minister Modiji, who is from our home state. So, we are doubly proud," she told PTI.