Defexpo India-2002

On the evening of January 29, Vijay Chowk on Rajpath resonated with music as soldiers dropped their guns and took up drums and bugles to take part in the ‘Beating the Retreat’ ceremony.

Bands from the Armed Forces played lively, sombre and also melancholic tunes. The ceremony which marked an end to the 53rd Republic Day celebrations started in the evening with the arrival of President, Mr K R Narayanan. Prime Minister, Mr A B Vajpayee, Defence Minister, Mr George Fernandes and the three Service Chiefs were already seated. The musical treat comprising mostly martial tunes began with the band of Buglers, playing down the path between the South Block and North Block till they reached Vijay Chowk. The marching soldiers synchronised their steps to the rhythm of sons of the brave, my home and godhuli to name a few of the tunes. The drums reached their crescendo during the rather aptly titled on the snare drums.

The ceremony came to an end with a musical rendition of sare jahan se achha followed by the national anthem. Five new tunes were added to the Beating Retreat repertoire this year. These included India for peace, veer sipahee, new millennium and sitara-e-hind.

The Foreign Minister of Russia, Mr Iger Ivanov with the Defence Minister, Mr George Fernandes at South Block, New Delhi

Vice Admiral OP Bansal, DG, Coast Guard addressing a press conference in New Delhi on the occasion of silver jubilee of Coast Guard