The 65th National Democracy Day has been celebrated amidst a grand function at the Nepalese Army pavilion today commemorating the establishment of democracy on February 18, 1951.

On the occasion, President Dr Ram Braan Yadav was presented with a guard of honour by a contingent of the Nepalese Army.

Addressing the function, Chairman of the National Democracy Day Celebration Main Organizing Committee and Prime Minister Sushil Koirala paid tributes to the late Bisheshwar Prasad Koirala, the leader of the 1951 revolution. He also paid tributes to all the martyrs who laid down their life for ushering in democracy.

The 1951 revolution not only ended the Rana oligarchy, it also introduced democracy in the country and the Nepali society to a modern age. Therefore, this day has special significance," the PM said.

Congratulating all the Nepalis and wishing them a bright future on the historic occasion of the the 1951 people´s revolution bringing a golden daylight of democracy in the country, he said, "The country constantly moved ahead towards the light of democracy although obstructions cropped in the course of practicing the democratic governance system by institutionalizing it; it did not backtrack; therefore, I consider the revolution of 1951 as the mother of all the revolutions."

Vice President Paramananda Jha, Acting Chief Justice Kalyan Kumar Shrestha, Deputy Prime Minister duo Bamdev Gautam and Prakash Man Singh, the government ministers, Constituent Assembly members, high officials of the security bodies, office-bearers of the constitutional bodies, representatives of the diplomatic missions, high ranking government officials and distinguished persons attended the function.

Before the start of the function, the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Ministers, ministers, CA members, high government officials, academicians, intellectuals and members of the civil society assembled at the Sahid Gate and marched in a procession from there to Khicha Pokhari, Juddha Salik, Indrachowk, Bhotahity, Ratna Park and entered the army pavilion. The procession was accompanied by a musical band.

A Nepalese Army helicopter carried a banner displaying ´Democracy Day-2071´ written on it and showered flowers at the program venue amidst the releasing of colorful balloons. Squads of the Nepalese Army, the Nepal Police, the Armed Police Force, the National Cadets Corps, Nepal Scouts and students presented a march-past on the occasion reports RSS.