Republic Day of India celebrated in US

Washington, Jan 27: India's Ambassador to the US Ronen Sen unfurled the national flag here to mark the the 59th Republic Day of India. He read out the address of Indian President Pratibha Devisingh Patil before an audience, comprising mostly Indian-Americans, yesterday. Being a week-end, a fairly large number of people turned up, braving the chilly weather.

On 26 January, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, accompanied by the three service chiefs, led the nation in paying homage to the martyrs by laying a wreath at the Amar Jawan Jyoti -- the eternal flame. Thereupon, President Pratibha Devisingh Patil, accompanied by this year's Chief Guest, French President Nicholas Sarkozy, arrived at the ceremonial dais on the majestic Rajpath in a clatter of hooves, escorted by the armed horsemen of the President's Body Guard.

UNI