What’s new in ‘Beating the Retreat’ event today, 1,000 ‘Made in India’ drones to captivate visitors for the first time

The Band performing at the ‘Beating Retreat’ ceremony, at Vijay Chowk, in New Delhi on January 29, 2018.

New Delhi: A new drone show will be one of the major attractions of this year’s ‘Beating the Retreat’ celebrations and will be graced by President Ram Nath Kovind at Vijay Chowk in New Delhi on Saturday (January 29, 2022).

For the first time, the celebrations will feature a show of over 1,000 ‘Made in India’ drones to commemorate 75 years of the country’s independence, which is being celebrated as the ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ across the country.

The drone show is organized by startup ‘Botlab Dynamics’ and supported by Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi and Department of Science and Technology. The show will be of 10 minutes in which drones made with indigenous technology will be included. Synchronized background music will also be played during the drone show.

Other dignitaries including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defense Minister Rajnath Singh will also witness the show, which has been conceptualized, designed, produced and choreographed under the ‘Make in India’ initiative.

Martial music with Indian fervor will be the flavor of the festival this year as a total of 26 performances will enthrall the audience with music played by bands from the Indian Army, Navy, Air Force and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs). ,

The entry band will be a mass band playing the tunes of ‘Veer Sainik’. This will be followed by Pipes and Drums Band, CAPF Band, Air Force Band, Naval Band, Army Military Band and Mass Band.

Several new tunes have been added to the festival to celebrate the ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ and these include ‘Kerala’, ‘Hind Ki Sena’ and ‘Ae Mere Watan Ke Logan’.

The event will conclude with the ever-popular tune of ‘Saare Jahan Se Achcha’.

Another attraction will be the Projection Mapping Show to commemorate 75 years of Independence. The show, of approximately 3-4 minutes duration, will be screened on the walls of North and South blocks before the end of the ceremony.

Like the Republic Day Parade, eco-friendly invitation cards have been prepared for the ‘Beating the Retreat’ ceremony related to COVID-19. The card is prepared from the seeds of medicinal plants of Ashwagandha, Aloe Vera and Amla. People are being encouraged to plant it in their gardens/ flower pots and reap the age-old medicinal benefits.

It is worth mentioning that ‘Beating the Retreat’ is an age-old military tradition dating back to the days when soldiers withdrew from battle at sunset. As soon as the buglers called for a retreat, the soldiers stopped fighting, put down their weapons and withdrew from the battlefield. This is why the practice of standing still while voicing the retreat is maintained to this day.

The colors and standards are covered and the flags are lowered upon retreat.