NEW DELHI: Sixty-year-old Bhagmani Devi couldn’t catch 40 winks as she was thrilled about visiting the Red Fort on Independence Day and seeing Prime Minister Narendra Modi “up close” for the first time.
She arrived at Red Fort with her son, who is in the Indian Air Force, wearing her best saree for the occasion which matched the saffron colour of the national flag. “The whole night I kept thinking which saree I should wear. Should I slip on the new sandals or flats,” Devi said.
“I am very happy that I got the chance to visit Red Fort. This is the first time I am visiting the Red Fort on Independence Day and this is also the first time I am getting a chance to listen to Modi,” said Devi.
The August 15 ceremony this year was particularly significant as it marks the 75th anniversary of India’s Independence with the government launching a host of events to add to the verve around the celebration.
Srikala (73) from Karnataka listened diligently to PM Modi’s address though she understands “very little” Hindi. Accompanied by her husband and their grandson, she was attending the Independence Day celebration for the first time and wanted to “relish” every moment of it.
Paralympic athletes also present
Among the attendees was paralympic athlete Prashant Kumar Sinha, who was attending the Independence celebration for the third time. Suffering from cerebral palsy, who is working as a senior manager at Indian Oil, came alone to the Red Fort: “Every year, it feels special to be here.”