The Ministry of Panchayati Raj will organise a felicitation function on January 25, 2026, to honour elected Panchayat representatives invited as Special Guests to witness the 77th Republic Day Parade at Kartavya Path in New Delhi. The event will recognise grassroots leadership and exemplary contributions by Panchayats that have achieved saturation in flagship Central Government schemes.
The honourees will be felicitated by Union Minister of State for Panchayati Raj Prof S P Singh Baghel in the presence of Vivek Bharadwaj, Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj, along with senior officials of the Ministry. The programme underscores the Centre’s focus on strengthening local self-governance and advancing the vision of Viksit Bharat through empowered Panchayati Raj Institutions.
The event will also witness the release and launch of several key initiatives and publications of the Ministry. These include PANCHAM, the Panchayat Assistance and Messaging Chatbot developed in collaboration with UNICEF; the 17th issue of Gramoday Sankalp magazine; the Compendium of Basic Statistics on Panchayati Raj Institutions 2025; the Expert Committee Report on Service Delivery at the Panchayat Level; and the PESA Performance and Implementation Rank Indicators. Prizes and certificates will also be awarded to winners of the Know Your Constitution Quiz and Essay Competition organised as part of the Constitution Day 2025 commemorations.
The honourees include Sarpanches, Mukhiyas, Gram Pradhans, and Block and District Panchayat Presidents from across the country. Around 240 Panchayat heads nominated by States and Union Territories are being recognised for their leadership at the grassroots and their role in ensuring effective delivery of development schemes.
For the Republic Day Parade, the Ministry is hosting Heads of Panchayati Raj Institutions and Rural Local Bodies along with their spouses, amounting to nearly 450 Special Guests. As part of the programme, the invitees will visit the Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya on January 25, 2026, to experience India’s leadership and governance journey since Independence. They will also witness the Ministry of Panchayati Raj tableau during the Republic Day Parade, themed “SVAMITVA Scheme Aatmanirbhar Panchayat se Samriddh evam Aatmanirbhar Bharat.”
The initiative reflects the Government’s continued emphasis on recognising and empowering Panchayats as the foundation of participatory democracy and inclusive development.
