Commonwealth mascot Shera, MBT Arjun dominate 61st Republic Day attractions

NEW DELHI - Among the major attractions that dominated the 61st Republic Day celebrations here today, were the Main Battle Tank Arjun, the Smerch Multiple Launch Rocket System, the Armoured Engineer Recce Vehicle, the Sarvatra Bridge, the Electronic Warfare System, Samyukta, ICV BMP-II Sarath, Ambulance Tracked and ALH Dhruv.

Also on view were the indigenous systems being developed by the DRDO, including the Light Combat Aircraft Tejas, Agni-III Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile, Shourya Surface-to-Surface Strategic Missile and the Rohini Radar.

Since New Delhi is hosting the Commonwealth Games in October this year, the Games mascot “Shera” was the cynosure of all eyes along the eight-kilometer-long parade route.

A bevy of sportspersons, including boxer Vijender Singh, wrestler Sushil Kumar, weightlifter K Malleshwari, athlete P T Usha, former hockey players Ajitpal Singh and Zafar Iqbal, shooter Samresh Jung, badminton player Gopichand Pullela, swimmer Khajan Singh and veteran Olympian Milkha Singh will be the star attractions of the parade. (ANI)