The first Republic Day parade of India was held at the:

The first Republic Day parade was held at the Irwin Amphitheatre in New Delhi, which is now known as the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium.

The first Republic Day:

• On the first Republic Day, the President took the oath of office at the Durbar Hall of Government House (now Rashtrapati Bhavan).
• He then drove to the Irwin Amphitheatre in a horse-drawn carriage.
• There, he unfurled the National Flag and took the salute at a parade of the armed forces.
• A 31-gun salute was fired on that occasion.
• The chief guest was President Sukarno of Indonesia.

Change of venue:

• From 1950 to 1954, the parade was held at different venues, such as the Irwin Amphitheatre, Kingsway Camp, the Red Fort and Ramlila Maidan.
• From 1955, the parade has been held on Rajpath, which was renamed Kartavya Path in 2022.

Features of the Republic Day parade today:

• The President unfurls the National Flag and takes the salute.
• Contingents of the Army, Navy, Air Force and paramilitary forces march past.
• Tableaux of states and ministries display India's cultural diversity and achievements.
• Children who have received National Bravery Awards take part.
• A flypast by the Indian Air Force is the final event.
• A foreign head of state or government is invited as the chief guest every year.

Beating Retreat:

The Beating Retreat ceremony is held at Vijay Chowk on 29 January, marking the end of the Republic Day celebrations.

Why Republic Day is celebrated:

It marks the day when the Constitution of India came into force and India became a republic.

About the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium:

• It was built in 1933 as the Irwin Amphitheatre, named after Lord Irwin.
• It was renamed the National Stadium in 1951, and later named after the hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand.

Why not the other options?

• ✗The Red Fort and Ramlila Maidan hosted later parades.
• ✗Rajpath became the permanent venue only from 1955.