London: A 66-member Indian Navy band has joined the historic Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo in the UK for this year's musical event where they will mark the 70th year of India's Independence.
The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo is an annual series of military tattoos -- performance of music -- by British Armed Forces, Commonwealth and international military bands and artistic performance teams on the esplanade of Edinburgh Castle in Scotland.
It was first staged in 1950 and since then British and international musicians and acts from over 50 countries have entertained audiences.
The Indian Band, appearing with an array of colourful dancers, comprises one officer and 65 musician-sailors, performing under the baton of Commander Vijay Charles D'Cruz, Director of Music (Navy) and the principal conductor at the event.
More than 1,200 performers from around the world will take part in this year's military musical extravaganza, with the Indian band invited to mark the 70th year of Indian independence and the India-UK Year of Culture.
"Each year, we reach out across the world to find the very best acts and bring them to Edinburgh. We are always looking to bring people together to celebrate the rich differences of our global community.
"There is something for everyone in this show and an opportunity for all of us to be proud," said Brigadier David Allfrey, chief executive and producer of the tattoo.
The theme for this year's week-long event, which runs until August 26, is titled 'Splash of Tartan', celebrating Scotland's Year of History, Heritage and Archaeology. There will be a total of 25 shows on the Esplanade of the Edinburgh Castle, with each show attracting a cast of over 1,200 musicians and other players.
Each show will have an audience of around 8,800 delivering an approximate total audience of 220,000 through the month of August.
In addition, the global television audience is estimated to reach between 100 and 300 million people. Besides the Indian band, there are participants from Australia, France, Germany, Japan, Malta, Monaco and the US, and 20 bands from Britain.
"It is our aspiration that, besides showcasing the Indian Navy, the deployment of our band will personally for each individual member be memorable and collectively enrich their repertoire," the Indian High Commission in London said in a statement.
The tattoo has also launched its first app to provide an interactive guide to the 2017 show.
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