Nurses, farmers and more... The special guests invited for PM Modi's I-Day speech

This year marks the 77th anniversary of Independence Day, and the central government is organising an extensive celebration. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hoist the flag on Delhi’s Red Fort, and then address the country as is customary. The event’s theme is “Nation First, Always First,” and over 1800 special guests from different walks of life have been invited as part of the “Jan Bhagidari” campaign this year, which encourages citizens all around the nation to take part in the celebrations. Let’s take a look at the list of special guests. Also read: Why Mahatma Gandhi skipped Independence Day celebrations on 15 August 1947 Special guests from all “walks of life” Around 1,800 special guests from every corner of the country, representing a variety of professions, have been invited, according to the defence ministry statement released on 13 August. Sarpanches from “Vibrant Villages,” teachers, nurses, farmers, fishermen, labourers who helped build the Central Vista Project in New Delhi, employees in the khadi (handspun cloth) industry, teachers who have received national awards for their work in education, workers for the Border Roads Organisation, and participants in the “Amrit Sarovar” and “Har Ghar Jal Yojana” projects carried out in various regions of the nation are all included. The goal of the “Vibrant Villages” programme is to raise the level of living for those who live in border villages. In order to reverse the tendency of emigration and so strengthen border security, the project aims to incentivize residents to remain in these settlements. Some of these special guests are scheduled to visit the National War Memorial and call on Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt as part of their stay in Delhi, the statement said. Additionally, 75 couples from each state and Union Territory, in their traditional attire, have been invited to witness the ceremony, according to the defence ministry statement released on 13 August. A larger number of guests have been invited compared to last year. Also read: How India’s freedom struggle influenced political movements across the world Beneficiaries of central government schemes invited According to PTI, 250 from the farmer-producer organisations scheme; 50 participants each of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Scheme (PM-KISAN) and the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY); 50 ‘shram yogis (construction workers)’ of the Central Vista project, including the new Parliament building; 50 khadi workers, those involved in construction of border roads, making of Amrit Sarovars and Har Ghar Jal Yojana each, as well as 50 primary school teachers, and fisherfolk each. [caption id=“attachment_12995122” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] PM Modi will unfurl the national flag and deliver the customary address to the nation from the ramparts of the historic monument. PTI[/caption] Two programme recipients from the state of Maharashtra have been selected to attend the Independence Day celebrations at the venerable Red Fort. According to Hindustan Times, the 54-year-old farmer from Pune,  Ashok Sudam Ghule said, “I never imagined I’d get the chance to visit New Delhi’s Red Fort. Being there on Independence Day feels like a dream fulfilled.” Ghule, a sugarcane farmer with a 1.5-acre piece of land, is a beneficiary of the PM-KISAN scheme. With some exclusions, the PM-KISAN scheme is intended to provide financial assistance to farming families who own property that is suitable for cultivation. In accordance with this programme, three equal payments of Rs 2,000 each totalling Rs 6,000 are made annually directly into the farmers’ Aadhaar-linked bank accounts. Beneficiaries of various Central government schemes from Uttarakhand will be among the 1,700 people invited from across the country as special guests. Dinesh Chandra Tripathi from a village in Nainital who is among the invitees from Uttarakhand, said it was a proud moment for him to be invited as a special guest to witness the Independence Day celebrations. Tripathi runs a Farmer Producer Organisation with 521 farmers. Another FPO beneficiary, Bharat Singh Rautela from Jhala village in Uttarkashi district expressed a similar sentiment. Also read: I-Day 2023: A look back at the gritty women who fought during the freedom struggle Nurses to witness the event On Tuesday, the grand event will be witnessed by 50 nurses in all. “Three nurses” from the state of Haryana are among the VIP visitors who have been invited, reported ANI. Speaking to the media in Haryana’s Faridabad, Savita Rani who works as a Nursing Officer in the Blood Bank of Badshah Khan Civil Hospital appreciated the initiative saying that she, her family and the hospital staff are feeling happy and honoured for her to be a part of this grand occasion. Savita Rani, according to DD News, did “outstanding work” during the difficult COVID-19 pandemic, which afflicted many countries, including India, and caused a large number of fatalities. On 12 May, Nursing Day, President Droupadi Murmu congratulated Rani for her efforts. Not the first time PM Modi has repeatedly worked to ensure that the common people of India feel acknowledged and recognised for their efforts in the nation’s development as part of the government’s “Jan Bhagidari” campaign. In 2022, Anganwadi workers, street vendors, mortuary workers and mudra scheme borrowers were among the special guests for the 76th Independence Day. Last year also witnessed a Made-in-India gun being fired in a ceremonial salute at Red Fort for the first time. According to India TV, the special guests invited to the Republic Day parade in January this year included Swachhagrah, frontline workers, auto-rickshaw drivers, construction workers, and labourers who created the magnificent tableaus. Also read: 76th Independence Day: What is the ‘Meri Mati Mera Desh’ campaign announced by PM Narendra Modi? Boosting mass participation Selfie points dedicated to different schemes and initiatives of the government have also been installed at New Delhi railway station, Pragati Maidan, Raj Ghat, the metro stations at Jama Masjid, Rajiv Chowk, Delhi Gate and the ITO metro gate, Naubat Khana and Sheesh Ganj Gurudwara, the ministry said in the statement. The defence ministry will also conduct an online selfie contest on the MyGov portal from August 15-20. All official invites have been sent online through the Aamantran portal and 17,000 e-invitation cards have been issued through it, it added. The press release said, “As part of the celebrations, an online selfie contest will be conducted by the Ministry of Defence on the MyGov portal from August 15-20. People are encouraged to take selfies at one or more of the 12 installations and upload them on MyGov platform to take part in the contest.” Independence Day celebrations This year’s Independence Day will also see the culmination of the ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’, launched from the Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad by Modi on 12 March 2021, and will, once again, usher the country into ‘Amrit Kaal’ with renewed vigour to realise the dream of making India a developed country by 2047, reported PTI. PM Modi will unfurl the national flag and deliver the customary address to the nation from the ramparts of the historic monument. Bleachers have been installed at the Gyan Path, on which the cadets will be seated in their official white dress, it added. Another highlight of the programme will be the G20 logo, which will be part of the floral decorations at the Red Fort, the ministry said. The Indian Army has initiated strict security protocol across the national capital, and the Centre has announced that Major Nikita Nair and Major Jasmine Kaur will assist the Prime Minister in unfurling the National Flag, as per PTI. Also read: How Mahatma Gandhi used khadi to fight the British Agenda Upon his arrival at the Red Fort, PM Modi will be received by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Bhatt and Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane. Lt Gen Seth will then conduct the prime minister to the saluting base, where a combined Inter-Services and Delhi Police Guard will present a general salute to the prime minister. The Indian leader will then inspect the guard of honour contingent, which will consist of one officer and 25 personnel each from the Army, Air Force and the Delhi Police and one officer and 24 personnel from the Navy. The Army is the coordinating service this year. The guard of honour will be commanded by Maj Vikas Sangwan. Later, PM Modi will proceed to the ramparts of Red Fort, where he will be greeted by the defence minister, his deputy, Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan, Army Chief Manoj Pande, Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar and Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari. Lt Gen Seth will then conduct the prime minister to the dais on the ramparts to unfurl the national flag, the statement said. “After being unfurled, the Tricolour will receive a ‘Rashtriya Salute’. The Army band, consisting of one JCO (junior commissioned officer) and 20 other ranks, will play the national anthem during the unfurling of the national flag and presenting of the Rashtriya Salute. The band will be conducted by Naib Subedar Jatinder Singh,” it said. The unfurling of the national flag will be synchronised with the 21-gun salute by gunners of the elite 8,711 Field Battery (Ceremonial), the statement said. The National Flag Guard, comprising five officers and 128 other ranks from the Army, Navy, Air Force and the Delhi Police, will present the Rashtriya Salute at the time of unfurling of the national flag by the prime minister, it added. As soon as the Tricolour is unfurled, flower petals will be showered at the venue by two Advanced Light Helicopters Mark-III Dhruv of the Indian Air Force in the Line Astern formation. Thereafter, the prime minister will address the nation. At the conclusion of Modi’s speech, National Cadet Corps cadets will sing the national anthem and 1,100 boy and girl cadets (Army, Navy and Air Force) from different schools across the country will take part during this festival, the statement said. With inputs from agencies