Twitterati celebrate 72nd Independence Day, praise all-women SWAT team; Tricolour hoisted in Kabul

As the nation celebrates its 72nd Independence Day on Wednesday, Indians across the world are sharing on Twitter what freedom means to them and how they define independence. The day’s events started with Prime Minister Narendra Modi hoisting the Tricolour , followed by his address to the nation from the Red Fort in Delhi. As the celebrations for the historic day proceeded, here is how people on Twitter observed this day: Indian tennis star Sania Mirza said she received her independence when she started playing for her country, a day after replying to a troll who asked her if her independence day fell on Tuesday, when Pakistan celebrated the special day.

While politicians also took to Twitter to wish the country a happy Independence Day, National Conference leader Omar Abdullah asked for internet and phone services to be restored in Jammu and Kashmir.

Jammu University hoisted a 140-foot national flag in Jammu.

In Assam and Gujarat, giant flags were unfurled. A 1,100-meter-long Tricolour was unfurled in Gujarat’s Surat, with thousands of people taking part in a five-kilomtre-long ‘Shaan-e-Tiranga’ rally, organised by the Agrawal Vikas Trust.

India’s Independence Day was also celebrated in other countries. A flag-hoisting ceremony was held in Kabul, Afghanistan, in the presence of officials from the Indian High Commission and members of the Indian community.

Celebrities also wished the country a happy Independence Day. Salman Khan asked his followers to strive to be financially and emotionally independent and also took the opportunity to share the teaser for his upcoming film, Bharat.

Other actors, including Amir Khan , Shahid Kapoor  and Kriti Sanon also took to Twitter to wish the country a happy Independence Day, sharing what freedom means to them. Comedian Vir Das asked his followers about their Independence Day checklist while sharing his.

Padma Shri-winning sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik created a beautiful work of art commemorating India’s multiculturality.

The Indo-Tibetan Border Police tweeted a picture of soldiers holding the national flag while trudging through the snow in the Himalayas.

Besides Independence Day wishes, Twitter has also has been abuzz about the deployment of an all-women SWAT team at the Red Fort.

Police forces of various states also took to social media to share their wishes. The Bengaluru Police said it “salutes real heroes on Independence Day”.

The Mumbai Police posted a video, in which it said freedom and responsibility were incomplete without each other, just like Mumbai and Mumbaikars.