The transition from a dominion under British rule to a sovereign, democratic republic on January 26, 1950, stands as a defining moment in India’s history. This journey was marked by meticulous planning, persistent efforts, and a celebration of newfound freedom that echoed across the nation.

January 26 holds a special place in India’s political calendar because, in 1929, the Congress party declared ‘Purna Swaraj,’ rejecting the dominion status proposed by the British regime. The vision for a sovereign and democratic nation gained momentum, leading to the demand for a Constitution that would encapsulate India’s ethos and aspirations.

The genesis of India’s Republic, however, can be traced back to the year 1920 when the first general elections were held to elect members to the inaugural bicameral central legislature – a legislature with two houses – and provincial councils. Parliament in Delhi was inaugurated in a ceremony attended by the Duke of Connaught on February 9, 1921. Little did the nation know that this was a precursor to a monumental transformation that would unfold decades later.

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India’s association with the British crown continued even after gaining independence on August 15, 1947. The Government of India Act of 1935 governed the nation, acting as the interim constitutional framework, for three more years post-independence. The wheels of change, however, were set in motion, culminating in the drafting of a new Constitution that would redefine India’s political landscape.

On January 26, 1950, the Constitution of India came into effect, replacing the colonial-era Government of India Act of 1935. This marked the birth of the Indian Republic, and Dr Rajendra Prasad assumed the presidency, symbolising a shift from allegiance to the British monarch to an independent Indian head of state.

The Constituent Assembly, which had toiled over the drafting process for approximately three years, transitioned into the Parliament of India until the nation conducted its first general elections in 1951-52. Dr BR Ambedkar, appointed as the chairman of the drafting committee, played a pivotal role in the constitution-making process. 

The deliberations and amendments over the new Constitution stretched over 2 years, 11 months, and 17 days, with 11 sessions held during this period, covering 165 days. The adoption of the Constitution on November 26, 1949, was a precursor to the Republic Day celebrations.

“We, the people of India having solemnly resolved to constitute India into a sovereign socialist secular democratic republic and to secure to all its citizens: justice, liberty, equality and fraternity,” read the preamble to the newly-drafted Indian Constitution.

The Republic Day celebrations, marked by a grand military parade in New Delhi, embraced and reinvented the colonial tradition of military parades. The inaugural Republic Day parade in 1950, held at the Irwin Amphitheatre opposite the Purana Qila in the national capital, set the stage for a tradition that would evolve over the years.

The significance of January 26 lies not only in the adoption of the Constitution but also in India severing its last ties to the British Empire. The day, chosen as Republic Day, witnessed the culmination of years of struggle for independence and the realisation of a dream to be a self-governing nation.

Emmanuel Macron, the chief guest at this year’s Republic Day parade, today announced measures to ensure that more Indian students study in France. He said that France has an ambitious target of having over 30,000 students by 2030.

“30,000 Indian students in France in 2030. It’s a very ambitious target, but I am determined to make it happen,” Macron said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

30,000 Indian students in France in 2030.

It’s a very ambitious target, but I am determined to make it happen.

Here’s how: pic.twitter.com/QDpOl4ujWb

— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) January 26, 2024

Elaborating on how France will aid the students, Macron said that international classes would be set up to allow students who do not speak French to study in universities there.

“We are developing the network of Alliances francaises, with new centers to learn French. We are creating international classes which will allow students, who do not necessarily speak French, to join our universities,” Macron said.

“Last but not least, we will facilitate the visa process for any former Indian students who studied in France,” the French President added.

In what could very well pass off as the real-life manifestation of Ramesh Sippy’s 1972 Bollywood blockbuster ‘Seeta Aur Geeta‘, a remarkably similar story of separation and reunion has surfaced from the eastern European country of Georgia.

Amy Khvitia and Ano Sartania, identical twins separated at birth and unknowingly living just miles apart in Georgia, found each other through a viral TikTok video and a talent show.

Their story, reported by the BBC, sheds light on a much larger issue plaguing Georgia – the alarming number of babies stolen from hospitals and sold over the decades, a scandal that remains largely unresolved.

The journey to discovery for Amy and Ano began when they were just 12 years old. Amy, engrossed in her favorite TV show, ‘Georgia’s Got Talent’, stumbled upon a girl dancing who bore an uncanny resemblance to her. Little did she know that the woman dancing was her long-lost sister.

On the other hand, Ano received a TikTok video featuring a woman with blue hair who looked remarkably like her. The woman in the video turned out to be her twin Amy. 

Aza Shoni, the twins’ birth mother, had fallen into a coma due to undisclosed birth complications in 2002. Gocha Gakharia, her husband made a devastating decision – to sell Ano and Amy to separate families.

Ano was raised in Tbilisi, while Amy grew up in Zugdidi, both completely unaware of each other’s existence. Despite participating in the same dance contest at the age of 11, where onlookers noticed the striking resemblance, the truth remained elusive.

Their lives continued on parallel paths until the fateful TikTok video and subsequent reunion. However, as the twins sought answers to their own separation, they uncovered a shocking reality – they were just two among thousands of babies stolen from Georgian hospitals and sold, with cases reported as recently as 2005.

According to the BBC report, the incident took place two years ago on the Rustaveli Bridge in Tbilisi, Georgia’s capital, where Amy and Ano met for the first time since their separation 19 years earlier.