The Diamond Jubilee celebrations of the Indian Republic also saw moments celebrating the prowess of Indian women across various fields. ‘Viksit Bharat’ and ‘Bharat - Loktantra ki Matruka’ were the themes of the 75th Republic Day celebrations.
Indian President Droupadi Murmu unfurled the National Flag at Kartavya Path in the presence of French President Emmanuel Macron, chief guest of the event. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh were also present.
The parade which lasted for over 90 minutes was heralded by a band of 112 women artists playing Sankh, Naadswaram, Nagada, Chenda and other Indian musical instruments. In a first, an all-women Tri-Service contingent marched down Kartavya Path for the first time.
The all-women tri-service contingent was led by Captain Sandhya of the Army Military Police, with three supernumerary officers Captain Sharanya Rao, Sub Lieutenant Anshu Yadav and Flight Lieutenant Shrishti Rao.
The Delhi Police's all-women contingent marched down the Kartavya Path. It was led by Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Shweta K. Sugathan. The Delhi Police contingent comprised one female gazetted officer, three women sub-inspectors, 44 women head-constables, and 100 women constables, all draped in red 'safa'.
The Armed Forces Medical Services presented an all-women contingent for the first time in the parade, symbolising the strength, discipline and unwavering dedication of women officers extending beyond borders in patient care, logistics, casualty evacuation and public health initiatives.
On motorcycles, 265 women showcased bravery, valour and determination through various daredevil stunts. They also exhibited the strength of Indian values and culture, including yoga, and sent a message of unity and inclusiveness.
The Indian Navy's tableau also depicted "Nari Shakti" with the recent announcement of the force welcoming women in all roles and in all ranks. For the first time on the Kartavya Path, the "BSF Mahila Brass Band" under the command of Sub-Inspector Shweta Singh participated in the parade. The IAF flypast included fifteen women pilots, including six from the fighter streams.
The women contingent of the Border Security Force consisted of 144 "Mahila Praharis".
A total of 16 tableaux from states and Union territories and nine from central ministries and departments rolled down the Kartavya Path during the parade. The states and Union territories are Arunachal Pradesh, Haryana, Manipur, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Ladakh, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Meghalaya, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and Telangana.
The event also saw a unique display called ‘Anant Sutra’, a tribute to the saree and weavers. Nearly 1,900 sarees and drapes were displayed. Installation included a 150-year-old saree and there were QR codes that could be scanned to know the details.
-With PTI inputs.