Souvenir plates and sweets: How India celebrated its first Republic Day in 1950 for just Rs 11,093

India is set to mark its 77th Republic Day with a grand military parade showcasing the country’s military strength, cultural diversity and technological progress. The parade, a continuation of a British-era tradition, will begin at Raisina Hills, move along Kartavya Path, pass India Gate and conclude at the Red Fort. The event is intended to project military capability, foster patriotism, highlight diverse armed forces units and showcase gender diversity within the services.

Republic Day parades have been held every year since Independence and typically involve expenditure running into crores of rupees. While recent figures are not available, reports say the government spent Rs 320 crore in 2015. In the early years, however, costs were far lower. When India celebrated its first Republic Day in 1950, the total expenditure was assessed at around Rs 11,250 and later itemised at Rs 11,093.

Over the years, costs rose steadily. According to a report in The Hindu, Republic Day expenditure increased to Rs 5,75,000 in 1956, Rs 17,12,000 in 1971, Rs 23,38,000 in 1973 and Rs 69,69,159 in 1988.

The first Republic Day

Archival records accessed by PTI show that the Delhi administration observed the first Republic Day through modest celebrations in relief homes and rural schools. Children were given souvenir plates, while women inmates received sweets and toys.

The files indicate that celebrations were largely decentralised, with a focus on children, displaced families and women living in government-run institutions, reflecting a city still recovering from the upheaval of Partition.

In Delhi’s rural areas, Republic Day events were organised by the district board. “Schoolchildren were given souvenir plates, while flags, poles and candles were supplied to institutions to mark the occasion,” the records stated.

Women inmates living in relief homes were also included in the observances. Files from the office of the then Chief Commissioner of Delhi noted that the Provincial Women’s Section organised celebrations at Women’s Section Homes, where fruits, sweets and toys were distributed on January 26, 1950.

An amount of Rs 750 was sanctioned for this purpose, of which around Rs 525 was spent, leaving an unspent balance of Rs 225. Subsequent correspondence dated March 1950 shows permission was granted to use the remaining amount for Women’s Section Day celebrations later that year.

The balance was spent on transporting inmates from different homes, hiring furniture and arranging refreshments for children. The expenditure was charged to the ‘relief and rehabilitation miscellaneous’ head, reflecting a welfare-oriented approach.

The Women’s Section Homes mentioned in the files were part of a wider network of hostels and relief institutions set up in Delhi after Partition to rehabilitate displaced women and children. Archival material places the Provincial Women’s Section office at P Block, New Delhi.

At the time, several women’s hostels operated in central Delhi, including in and around Connaught Place, providing shelter, food and basic support to women affected by displacement.

Taken together, the documents suggest that Delhi’s first Republic Day was marked not by spectacle, but by carefully planned welfare activities supported by formal approvals and budgetary oversight.