NEW DELHI, January 30, 2026 — Raksha Rajya Mantri Sanjay Seth presented the prestigious awards for the Best Marching Contingents and Best Tableaux of the Republic Day Parade 2026, celebrating the discipline and cultural diversity displayed during the national celebrations. During the ceremony, Sanjay Seth lauded the participants for their flawless execution and noted that Republic Day serves as a vital reminder of the national commitment to achieving the Viksit Bharat goal by 2047. Highlighting the importance of civic duty, he echoed a call to the youth to dedicate time to cleanliness initiatives, framing the Swacchta campaign as a shared national responsibility.
The official judicial panel declared the Indian Navy as the Best Marching Contingent among the three services, while the Delhi Police earned the top spot among the Central Armed Police Forces and auxiliary units. In the competitive state category, Maharashtra took first place with its theme focused on Ganeshotsav as a symbol of self-reliance, followed by Jammu and Kashmir’s showcase of local handicrafts and Kerala’s presentation of digital literacy and water metro projects. The Ministry of Culture received the award for the best ministry tableau for its “Vande Mataram” presentation, while special prizes were granted to the Central Public Works Department and the Vande Mataram dance group for their exceptional contributions.
Parallel to the official judging, the ‘Popular Choice’ awards—decided via public voting on the MyGov portal—revealed a different set of favorites among the Indian citizenry. The public voted the Assam Regiment as the best service contingent and selected the CRPF as the top marching unit among CAPFs. In the popular state rankings, Gujarat’s tribute to the “Mantra of Swadeshi” secured the lead, with Uttar Pradesh’s Bundelkhand culture and Rajasthan’s Bikaner Gold Art following closely. The Department of School Education and Literacy won the popular vote for the best ministry tableau, highlighting the National Education Policy 2020 as a cornerstone for India’s future development.
