Republic Day 2021: A quick history lesson on the importance, celebrations and everything else 72 years is a long time and today Republic day could just seem like a national holiday, a day-off from a busy working week. So let's take a walk through memory lane and remember on the eve of 72nd Republic Day, the importance it holds to India and its freedom movement. January 26, 2021 / 07:25 AM IST This is the first time in 55 years that a foreign dignitary will not attend the parade as chief guest. United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson was invited to be the chief guest of the R-Day parade but the emergence of a new and a more infectious coronavirus strain and surging COVID-19 cases in UK forced Johnson to cancel his visit. The government has said that no other head of state has been invited as the chief guest. (Image: AP)