Every year on 26 January India celebrates its Republic Day. This year, India is celebrating 72nd Republic Day on 26 January 2021. On this day in 1950, our constitution was implemented in the country and India became a democratic republic.

Republic Day is a day of pride and honor for every Indian citizen. After centuries under Britishers rule, we attained independence on 15 August 1947, but after two and a half years of independence of the country, i.e. on 26 January 1950, India became an independent republic.

On Republic Day, celebrations held across the country but the main celebration held at the nation’s capital, Delhi at Rajpath, India Gate. Parades by the Army, Navy, and Air force, state tableau, a dance performance by the school children are some of the ways in which republic day is celebrated. Also the PM, and the Chiefs of the three Armed forces reach the Amar Jawan Jyoti before the parade on Rajpath to pay tribute to the martyrs at Amar Jawan Jyoti.

On the occasion of Republic Day, Why PM and President pay tribute at Amar Jawan Jyoti? What is the Significance of Amar Jawan Jyoti?

Amar Jawan Jyoti is an Indian memorial constructed after the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 to commemorate the martyred and unknown soldiers of the Indian Armed Forces who died during the war. Amar Jawan Jyoti consists of a marble pedestal on which a cenotaph is situated. “Amar Jawan” (Immortal Soldier) is scripted in gold on all four sides of the cenotaph and on top, an L1A1 Self-Loading Rifle stands on its barrel with a helmet of the Unknown Soldier on top. The pedestal is bound by four urns, one of which holds a continuously burning flame. (Source: Wikipedia)

 Amar Jawan Jyoti was inaugurated in the year 1979 by the then PM Indira Gandhi. Indira Gandhi paid tribute to the martyred soldiers on the occasion of 23^rd Republic Day. Since then, it became a tradition for the Prime Minister and the President to pay tribute to the martyrs here on the occasion of Independence Day and Republic Day.

A rifle is placed in the middle of the Amar Jawan Jyoti monument, on which a soldier’s helmet is mounted. The rifle and cap symbolize the soldiers who lost their lives during the Indo-Pak war.

Amar Jawan Jyoti is managed by Army, Navy, and Air Force personnel. Here, soldiers are posted 24*7. On the respective service day, the Chief of the  Defence Staff, along with the Army Chief, Navy Chief, and Air Force Chief visits the monument to pay tribute to the Fallen Heroes of the Nation.

One of the unique features of Amar Jawan Jyoti is that it has four urns on all four corners of the Memorial having flames in it. One of these flames keeps burning throughout the year as a tribute to martyred soldiers.

From 2020 onwards, the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, pays tribute to soldiers at the National War Memorial instead of India Gate on the occasion of Republic Day. The National War Memorial inaugurated by Narendra Modi on 25 February to honor all known martyrs (post-independence) of the Indian Armed Forces with their names written in ‘Golden letters and, with the igniting of the eternal flame of Jawans “Amar Jawan Jyoti”.