India celebrates 70th Republic Day today: What’s difference between Republic Day & Independence Day

New Delhi, Jan 26: Saturday, January 26, is being celebrated as the Republic Day in India. Similar to August 15, Indians celebrate this date in January with hoisting of the Tricolour and plunging into depths of patriotic emotion.

But there must be some difference between August 15 and January 26 even though the mode of celebrations is similar.

It was on August 15, 1947, that India had got independence from the British rule who had wielded power in this country for almost two centuries.

However, India was yet to be a republic at the time of its formal independence and it was only on January 26, 1950, when the country adopted its constitution and became a republic. The first general elections took place in India two years later, in 1952.

The Constitution of India was drafted on November 26, 1949, a couple of months before it came into operation.

Republic Day is an occasion when the nation salutes its citizens and highlights the contribution made to the life of the republic.

It is the day when the government recognises contributions made by its citizens and awards the picked ones.

The Independence Day, on the other hand, is about paying homage to the nation's martyrs and soldiers who sacrificed their lives for the motherland.

Another difference between the ways of celebrating the two dates is that while an extravagant parade is held on January 26 where each state and Union Territory of the country makes their distinct mark, Independence Day sees everybody celebrating as a nation as a whole.

The nation also sees addresses by the president on the eves of both Independence and Republic Day. The prime minister, on the other hand, addresses the nation from the ramparts of Red Fort in Delhi only on Independence Day.