New Delhi saw the celebration of 62nd Independence Day on 15 August 2008 with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh unfurling the tricolour flag of India at the Red Fort. He was received by Defence Minister Shri AK Antony and the Minister of State for Defence Shri M M Pallam Raju, Minister of State for Defence Production Rao Inderjit Singh and Defence Secretary Shri Vijay Singh.
After introduction with the General Commanding Officer, Major General KJS Oberoi, Indian PM inspected the Guard of Honour. With the 21st gun salute fired by elite 299 Field Regiment the flag was unfurled by PM Dr. Manmohan Singh and the band lead by Junior Warrant Officer Alfred played the National anthem of India. Followed by this was PM's speech to the nation in which he talked of his vision for a prosperous, peaceful and secular nation. He discussed the National Common Minimum Programme (rural development, economic growth), the seven sutras (the seven priorities for Government – agriculture, water, education, health care, employment, urban renewal and infrastructure), issues relating malnutrition, economic growth, modern energy sources, good governance (Government transparency, efficiency and responsiveness), terrorism, equal rights for minorities, social equality, regional imbalance, environment threats and overall welfare. Indian Prime Minister inspired young children by asking them to chant "Jai Hind" three times at the end of his speech.
After the speech, National Cadet Corps and school kids sang the Anthem "Jana Gana Mana" 
enlivening the crowds that had gathered to celebrate the pride of freedom from past struggle and colonialism. The national flag swayed in the air, thousands of tri color balloons were released in the sky as the national anthem was sung, symbolising the celebration of the freedom of the spirit of India. The flag hosting ceremony saw the participation of more than 1000 cadets from Delhi Directorate singing patriotic songs including "Mera rang de basanti chola" and "Sarforshi ki tamanna ab hamare dil main hai."
During the ceremony Red fort was well guarded by 64,000 Delhi Police officials, 10,000 security personnel from Central Reserve Police Force, the Central Industrial Security Force and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police. Indian Air Force helicopters flew overhead, providing security to the city. Sharpshooters and anti-aircraft guns were installed in buildings through out the city.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh also attended the 'At Home' function organised at Rashtrapati Bhavan on the occasion of the 62nd Independence Day, in New Delhi on August 15, 2008 along with the President, Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil, the Union Minister for Railways, Shri Lalu Prasad, the Defence Minister, Shri A. K. Antony, the Minister of State for Railways, Shri R. Velu and the Minister of State for Environment and Forests, Shri Namo Narain Meena.
The President, Smt. Pratibha Patil honored the renowned Sculptor, Shri Ram V. Sutar who prepared the statue of Shaheed Bhagat Singh, which is unveiled at Parliament House. The Vice President, Shri Mohd. Hamid Ansari, the Speaker, Lok Sabha, Shri Somnath Chatterjee, the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh and other dignitaries are also seen. The president later laid wreath at the Amar Jawan Jyoti at India Gate as the soldiers marched past as homage to brave soldiers.
Indian Prime Minister did parikrama and paid floral tributes to the Samadhi of late Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri at Vijayghat, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru at Shantivan, Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat, Rajiv Gandhi at Veerbhoomi and to Indira Gandhi at Shakti Sthal on the occasion of 62nd Independence Day of India.
With the ceremonial rituals and speeches India is indeed moving towards living the dream that Gandhiji once saw leading to a new, reformed and free India:
The outward freedom that we shall attain will only be in exact proportion to the inward freedom to which we may have grown at a given moment. And if this is a correct view of freedom, our chief energy must be concentrated on achieving reform from within.
- Mahatma Gandhi (1869 - 1948)
By Nikki Rattan
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