New Delhi, January 7: Republic Day 2022 will fall on Wednesday this year. One of the three national festivals along with Gandhi Jayanti (October 2) and the Independence Day (August 15), the Republic Day is celebrated and the armed forces hold a parade in honour of the day. The Republic Day is celebrated on January 26 in India every year to mark the day the Constitution of India came into force on January 26, 1950, making India a democratic republic. As the third wave of COVID-19 has set foot in India, the nation will be bringing together the 73rd Republic Day at the peak of the third wave, say experts. Here's all we know about the Republic Day 2022 celebrations so far.

As per reports, India is planning on inviting the heads of five Central Asian countries as the chief guest for the Republic Day event. As per tradition, India every year invites a foreign dignitary as the chief guest on the Republic Day. This year, the heads of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan are the likely guests to be invited, according to news reports.

As per reports, the Central Vista project route has also been opened for the R-day parade. If things go as planned, the Republic Day Parade contingents will be marching on the grand Central Vista project route. The Central Vista redevelopment projects is underway and is the plan to revamp a 3 kilometers long Rajpath between Rashtrapati Bhavan and India Gate and will have the new Parliament building near the present one with increased seating capacity.

The Republic Day parade marches from the Rashtrapati Bhawan along the Rajpath, to India Gate. From the India Gate, the parade goes on to march up to the Red Fort.

As per tradition, the preparations for the Republic Day begins as soon as the new year sets in in January. Ahead of Republic Day, the Border Security Force (BSF) has already intensified patrolling and surveillance in border areas. A senior BSF officer said that ahead of Republic Day, the BSF strengthens vigil in border areas to prevent any kind of infiltration.

The first ever Republic Day Parade in India was held on 26 January 1950. The President of Indonesia Sukarno was the chief guest. Since then, a number of heads of the state have graced the event. January 26, 1950 is also the day when the first President of India, Dr Rajendra Prasad, officially took charge of the office as the first citizen of the country.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 07, 2022 02:39 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).