Team News Riveting
New Delhi, January 26
India celebrated the 75th Republic Day on Friday with a grand display of its women power and military might that included elite marching contingents, missiles, warplanes, surveillance gadgets and lethal weapon systems.
French President Emmanuel Macron graced the occasion as the chief guest. The band and contingent of French Armed Force also joined the colourful and attractive marchpast that rolled out in Rajpath.
For the first time, an all-women tri-services contingent participated in the parade, reflecting the country’s growing ‘Nari Shakti’ (women power). Besides, in another first, the parade was led by over 100 women artistes playing Indian musical instruments such as sankh, naadswaram and nagada instead of traditional military bands kickstarting the celebrations.
The parade started with President Droupadi Murmu taking the salute shortly reaching the dais with Macron. Escorted by the President’s Bodyguard, they reached in ‘traditional buggy’.
Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the nation to pay tributes to the brave soldiers at the Rashtriya Samar Smarak in the national capital.
The first Army contingent leading the mechanised column was the 61 Cavalry that was raised in 1953 followed by 11 mechanised columns, 12 marching contingents and a fly-past by advanced light helicopters of the Army Aviation Corps. Tank T-90 Bhishma, NAG missile systems, infantry combat vehicles, all-terrain vehicles, weapon locating radar system ‘Swathi’, drone jammer system, and medium-range surface-to-air missile were among the key displays.
The all-women tri-service contingent, led by Captain Sandhya of Army Military Police, with three supernumerary officers Captain Sharanya Rao, Sub Lieutenant Anshu Yadav and Flight Lieutenant Shrishti Rao was also the centre of attraction. Another all-women Armed Forces Medical Services contingent, headed by Major Srishti Khullar with Captain Amba Samant of the Army Dental Corps, Surgeon Lieutenant Kanchana of the Indian Navy and Flight Lieutenant Dhivya Priya of the Indian Air Force also drew the attention.
The Indian Air Force contingent, comprising 144 airmen and four officers, was led by Squadron Leader Rashmi Thakur. Squadron Leaders Sumita Yadav and Pratiti Ahluwalia and Flight Lieutenant Kirti Rohil were the supernumerary officers. The IAF tableau was themed ‘Bharatiya Vayu Sena: Saksham, Sashakt, Aatmanirbhar’.
The tableau depicted LCA Tejas and Su-30 flying over the Indian Ocean Region and a C-295 transport aircraft being flown by women aircrew in the cockpit. The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) displayed many home-grown critical systems and technologies developed by it. The tableau was based on the theme of women power in protecting the nation by providing the defence shield in all the five domains of land, air, sea, cyber and space.
