India's 69th Republic Day Celebrated By Google Doodle

Today's Google Doodle celebrates the 69th Republic Day of India. Republic Day is celebrated to mark the day when India formally adopted the constitution and became an independent republic. The main celebration of Republic Day involves a parade in the national capital which starts from the iconic India Gate and carries on along the Rajpath. The parade includes marching contingents, various tableaux, and performances showcasing the different cultures of the country. This year's parade will feature tableaux from 14 states and union territories and nine central ministries.

India adopted the constitution on November 26, 1949, which came into force on January 26, 1950, marking the country's first Republic Day.

It is customary to host a leader of a foreign country as the chief guest of the Republic Day celebrations in Delhi. But this year, in a first, the parade will see 10 chief guests - the leaders of all member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN. In another first, the ASEAN flag will also be flown during the parade.

Apart from the tableaux from various states and union territories, a major attraction of the parade is the armed forces contingents. The marching contingents aside, several aircraft, military vehicles, and weapons are displayed during the parade. The aircraft also perform a flypast, involving different formations.

Another new addition to this year's parade will be that of 113 women from the Border Security Force, or BSF, who will roar across the Rajpath performing breathtaking stunts on motorcycles. The women squad has been named Seema Bhavani or "the border braves". The women contingent will showcase 16 types of stunts, including "Pyramid", "Fish Riding", "Shaktiman", "Bull Fighting" and "Seema Prahari".