India, Aug. 16 -- Amid patriotic fervour, hundreds of school students, NCC cadets, volunteers, welfare scheme beneficiaries, and others gathered at the Red Fort to mark the 80th Independence Day and recite "Vande Mataram", officially played for the first time from the ramparts of the historic Mughal-era fort.

Attendees also included nearly 5,000 special guests from different walks of life - International Yoga Day volunteers, women entrepreneurs under PM Mudra Yojana, MY Bharat volunteers and beneficiaries of PMAY(U) and street vendors under PM SVANidhi.

An Army band played "Vande Mataram" while guests sang the national song, followed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi hoisting the National Flag and the recitation of the National Anthem.

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