Mangaluru: Spectacular parade by police personnel and NCC cadets and colourful dance presentation by students marked the Republic Day celebrations. District in-charge Minister B. Ramanath Rai unfurled the tri-colour and delivered the Republic Day message here on Monday.

Arriving at the venue — Nehru Maidan — Mr. Rai, accompanied by Deputy Commissioner A.B. Ibrahim and Superintendent of Police D.S. Sharanappa hoisted the National Flag. Delivering the Republic Day address, Mr. Rai underlined the importance of the Constitution and the secular fabric of India.

Later, he reviewed the parade in which various units of the district police and reserve police participated. Also, Army, Navy and Air Force wings of National Cadet Corps (NCC) and other student wings participated in the parade. Navy senior wing of NCC and Army junior wing of NCC were adjudged the first and second best participants in the parade later.

On the occasion, the district administration honoured six government servants with Sarvottama Awards at the district level for their exemplary performance. They were, Hukrapa Naik, Group D employee, Community Health Centre, Sullia; Krishna, cook, Circuit House, Kadri, Mangaluru; K. Mohammed, Revenue Inspector, Mangaluru City Corporation; Kanthappa Gowda, First Division Assistant, Block Education Officers’ office, Puttur; Jean Mary Tavro, Tahsildar, town survey office, Mangaluru and Dr. D.V. Rajesh, District Surveillance Officer, Health and Family Welfare Department, Mangaluru.

The parade and felicitation programmes were followed by colourful dance performance by students of schools from the City.