Every year, on the eve of Republic Day, the President of India delivers a speech that is beamed to screens all over the country. While in some countries the President is the head of the executive or the face of the nation, the President in India is a nominal head of state.
So it seems perhaps odd that the President addresses the nation as opposed to the Prime Minister, whose speeches are highly anticipated. In that case, what is the significance of the President's speech?
In short, the President's speech is as significant as the very celebration of Republic Day, even though it may seem like a fleeting moment in what is a grand spectacle.
The President's speech serves as a reminder of India's sovereignty, its democracy, and the progress that it has made. A look at speeches from across the past seven decades will possibly confirm this as a common theme of each of the previous 13 Presidents who have occupied the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
The speech is meant to keep the Indian republic anchored to the ideals and values that it was founded on and reflect on the progress the 1.3-billion strong nation has made over the years.
President Kovind's speech from 2020 touched upon the positive impact of the Narendra Modi-led government's policies, saluted the sacrifices made soldiers in India's frontiers, and the strides that it has taken forward across various fields - from science to sports.
This year, more than ever, will possibly be a unique speech, where one would expect the 14th President to talk about the lives lost due to the Covid-19 pandemic and endless sacrifices made by healthcare and frontline workers during this testing period.
India has changed a lot since being declared as a republic and will continue to change. One thing that might continue to resist the wind of change might be the significance of the president's speech.