Thiruvananthapuram | Kerala Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar unfurled the national flag to mark the 77th Republic Day celebrations at the Central Stadium here.
Later, inspecting the parade, the Governor received the salute from various police and armed forces contingents.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and other state ministers also attended the event.
Earlier in his Republic Day message, the Governor called upon citizens to commit themselves to the goal of Viksit Bharat and highlighted the enduring significance of Vande Mataram as a symbol of national integration and inspiration.
Arlekar said India’s performance as a nation was rooted in its ethos and traditions, adding that the country is the world’s oldest democracy and is regarded as the "mother of democracy".
"That is why the world is watching India’s performance," he said, adding that the nation has great expectations from the next generation and future leaders.
The Governor said India was moving ahead without obstacles and emerging as a global leader in several fields, while stressing that the past should not be forgotten.
"This democratic form of governance has been achieved by the people themselves. As stated in our Constitution — ‘We, the People’ — we dedicate the Constitution to ourselves," he said.
He said India had never envisioned itself as a theocratic nation and had declared that every religion, belief and path would be respected and allowed to flourish, calling it the beauty of India’s cultural democracy.
Referring to economic growth, Arlekar said it was often argued that democracies could not grow as fast as other systems, but India had disproved that notion.
"For many years now, we have shown that even as a democracy, we can grow economically at a high pace. We are the fastest-growing major economy in the world and will become a developed nation in the near future," he said.
He said this achievement was not an overnight miracle but the result of sustained contributions by the people towards economic and social progress, adding that the nation was grateful to all its people.
Speaking about Kerala, the Governor said the state was indebted to its earlier generations of leaders and reformers who laid a strong cultural foundation. He said Kerala had always been considered a leader in dharma, culture and modern fields such as education, healthcare and social reform.
He said Kerala had led the country in several areas, including digitalisation, and that the state government’s digitisation efforts had yielded positive results.
"Our tradition and modernisation have come together to strengthen our economy and society. Kerala has once again shown the way in agriculture, industry and educational reforms," he said.
Noting that Kerala is a 100 per cent literate state, Arlekar said the state should continue to lead in this field while striving for excellence in other sectors.
He also stressed the importance of national integration, saying it had always been part of India’s culture and that Kerala exemplified this spirit.
Recalling the national song Vande Mataram, the Governor said it had been deeply ingrained in the minds and hearts of the people and had inspired generations in the freedom struggle. He noted that the song is completing 150 years this year.
"Let us celebrate 150 years of Vande Mataram with great joy, as it has always guided and inspired us," he said.
Calling Vande Mataram a slogan that inspired service to the nation, Arlekar urged citizens to commit themselves to the goal of Viksit Bharat.
"Viksit Bharat is not just the dream of the Prime Minister, but the dream of every Indian. Let us pledge to contribute towards achieving a developed India by 2047," he said.
He also congratulated the recipients of the Padma awards and remembered former Kerala Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan, who was honoured with the Padma Vibhushan posthumously.
The Governor appealed to the people of Kerala to actively participate in the upcoming Assembly elections and exercise their franchise.
"Let us show that Kerala is moving towards 100 per cent voting this time," he said.
The Southern Naval Command, Kochi, celebrated Republic Day with a ceremonial parade reviewed by the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Vice Admiral Sameer Saxena.
Republic Day celebrations, including national flag hoisting and parades, were held at all 14 district headquarters in the state.
