Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi invited to be the chief guest of the Republic day 2023

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The Indian government has invited Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi as the chief guest for the Republic day parade 2022. He will be the first Egyptian leader to be hosted by India for the Republic Day celebrations. Abdel Fattah Sisi is a former Army officer who was elected as the president of Egypt t in 2014 and was re-elected in 2018.The last foreign chief guest was the Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro in 2020.

About Republic Day Celebration 

Every year Republic day is observed on 26 January. It was on this day the constitution of India was promulgated in 1950 and India became a republic.

The President of India presides over the Republic day functions. It is customary to invite a foreign country leader as an honoured guest at the Republic day function.

Some important facts to remember:

Duration of the Republic day celebration 

Earlier, the Republic day celebration started on 24 January and ended on 29 January.  However from this year (2022) the government has decided to start the Republic day celebration from 23 January and end on 30 January. 

23 January is celebrated as Parakram Diwas to mark the birth anniversary of Subhash Chandra Bose and 30 January is the Martyr's day to mark the assassination of Gandhiji. 

Place of the Republic day celebration 

Between 1950 and 1954, Republic Day celebrations were organized at different venues like Irwin Stadium, Kingsway, Red Fort and Ramlila Grounds in Delhi. 

In 1955 Rajpath (Now Kartavya Path) became the permanent place for the Republic day parade. 

The chief Guest was the Governor-General of Pakistan Malik Ghulam Muhammad.

President of Indonesia, Sukarno was the first guest at 1950 Republic day parade.

Chief Guest of the Republic Day parade 

The first chief guest of the Republic day parade was the former President of Indonesia Sukarno in 1950.

Only once has an American President been the chief guest at the Republic day parade. The first black President of the United States Barack Obama was the chief guest at the 2015 Republic day parade.

The first women chief guest was Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom in 1961. 

Two Nobel Prize winners have been the chief guest of the Republic day parade. The first black President of South Africa, Nelson Mandel was the chief guest at the 1995 Republic day function. He won the Nobel peace prize in 1993.

The other Nobel Prize winner who was a chief guest at Republic day was Aung San Suu Kyi of Myanmar who won the Nobel peace prize in 1991.

There were no foreign chief guests in the years 1952, 1953, 1966, 2021, 2022 due to various reason.

Which ministry organises the Republic day functions?

The Republic day function is organized by the Union Ministry of Defence.