The Beating Retreat Ceremony, held at the Maulana Azad Stadium this evening, marked the finale of this year’s Republic Day celebrations. It was witnessed by Governor N. N. Vohra, Mrs. Usha Vohra, First Lady; Ms. Mehbooba Mufti, Chief Minister; Dr. Nirmal Kumar Singh, Deputy Chief Minister; Haji Inayat Ali, Chairman Legislative Council; Mr. Nazir Ahmad Khan Gurezi, Deputy Speaker, Legislative Assembly; Ministers; Legislators; Chief Secretary; many senior Civil, Police and Security Forces Officers and other dignitaries, and the citizenry of Jammu.Scintillating pipe and brass bands of the Army, BSF and J&K Police, on the Slow and Quick march, played enchanting tunes and received thumping applause from the audience.
The tunes presented by the Brass Bands included Mahroon Silver and Gold, SCIPIO, Vijay Bharat, Veer-Sepoyee, Kadam Kadam Badaye Jaa and Sare Jahan Se Achha; and in the Pipe Band show, the smartly turned out contingents presented India Gate, Deshon Ka Sartaj Bharat, Naurange, The Hundred Pipers, Loudon’s Bonnie Woods and Braes, The Piper’s of Drummond and Lahure Ko Alimai. The spectacular fireworks added colour to the closure of the Beating Retreat ceremony. The function concluded with Sare Jahan Se Achha Hindustan Hamara and National Anthem.