New Delhi : In this year’s Republic Day parade fly-past, up to 15 female Indian Air Force pilots will pilot fighters, transport planes, and helicopters. France will also be represented with two Rafale jets, a multirole tanker transport plane, a marching contingent of 95 people, and a 33-person band. For the first time, 100 female musicians playing Indian musical instruments will “herald” the 75th Republic Day parade along the magnificent Kartavya Path, replacing the customary military bands.
“The parade will commence with the music of sankh, naadswaram, nagada and other Indian musical instruments played by them,” defence secretary Giridhar Aramane said on Friday. The twin themes for the women-centric parade, “Viksit Bharat” and “Bharat – Loktantra ki Matruka”, have been selected in line with PM Narendra Modi’s views that “India is truly a mother of democracy”, he added. The 90-minute parade, with French President Emmanuel Macron as the chief guest, will also witness an all-women tri-Service matching contingent for the first time, while the CAPF contingents will also consist of women personnel. “Over 1,300 It’s the best representation of women ever,” Aramane said.
Apart from the French aircraft, the fly-past will have 51 aircraft (29 fighters, eight transport aircraft, 13 helicopters and a heritage plane) from the IAF, four Army helicopters and a P-8I long-range patrol aircraft from the Navy. The first C-295 tactical military aircraft inducted last year – IAF will progressively get 56 of them — will make its debut in the fly-past. In another first, four indigenous Tejas fighters will fly in the “diamond” formation in the parade. While six of their fellow women fighter pilots flying in the skies, the IAF tableau with the theme “Samridh Bharat Sashakt Bharat” will also have Flight Lieutenant Ananya Sharma and Flying Officer Asma Sheikh, who both fly the Sukhoi-30MKI jets. “I took inspiration from my grandfather, who was an Army Colonel. It’s thrilling to fly the Sukhoi-30MKI,” Sheikh said. Sharma’s father, in turn, was also a MiG-21 fighter pilot. “I grew up aspiring to become a fighter pilot. It was a dream come true,” she said. IAF now has 19 women fighter pilots, with one even flying the spanking new French-origin Rafale omni-role jets. Aramane said around 13,000 “special guests” have been invited to the parade this year to ensure “Jan Bhagidari”, which include “best performers” in various fields and those “who have made the best use” of various government schemes. Of the 77,000 seats for the parade, 42,000 have been made available to the public through tickets.
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