Delhi and India's first Republic Day, 1950.

A newspaper clipping showing eager onlookers at Connaught Circus waiting for the first-ever presidential cavalcade in January 1950. This was the occasion when India became a republic and elected its first president, Dr. Rajendra Prasad. As the capital city, Delhi was at the heart of it all. As you can see, crowds scaled the buildings at Connaught Circus to get a view of the passing parade. It must have been a spectacular affair.

Unlike the carefully orchestrated spectacle that Republic Day has become today, the first parade in 1950 offered a relatively ‘up-close’ view of Dr. Rajendra Prasad’s carriage as it passed through several locations around the city. Irwin Amphitheatre (today known as Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium) was the site chosen for the presidential inauguration, with the ruins of the ‘Old Fort’ in the background (see below).

One commonality between the parades of today and those in 1950 is the military pageantry involved. The strength of the Republic was displayed through flyovers and military parades, which have become enduring features of the event. While, in theory, the declaration of a new republic constituted a rupture with the past, it’s worth remembering that the marching bands and displays of military strength were rooted in older British traditions. In Delhi, military marches and flyovers had become common in the preceding decades, reaching their zenith during the ‘Victory Day’ celebrations after World War II. Delhi and India’s first Republic Day therefore gave a new, postcolonial meaning to these traditions.