Many firsts in this R-Day parade: Display of Army's new big guns, women power
Surendra Singh | TNN | Updated: Jan 23, 2019, 19:13 ISTHighlights
- The Army will showcase its new big guns — M777 and K9 Vajra — for the first time at the R-Day parade
- In another first, woman officer Captain Shikha Surabhi will be part of the Army’s daredevils motorcycle team
- Lieutenant Bhavana Kasturi will lead a contingent of Army Service Corps (ASC) comprising 144 men
Lieutenant Bhavana Kasturi will be the first-ever lady officer to lead an all-male contingent in the Republic ... Read MoreNEW DELHI: India’s 70th Republic Day parade on Rajpath this Saturday will have many firsts — display of the Army’s newly acquired artillery guns, march by an all-women paramilitary contingent and lady officers leading all-male teams.
Thirty years after the induction of Bofors guns, the Army for the first time will showcase its new big guns — M777 and K9 Vajra self-propelled guns.
Major General Rajpal Punia, second-in-command of the Republic Day parade, said, “For the first time, the Army will showcase its new artillery guns at the parade. M777 A2 ultra light howitzers, which were inducted into the Army last year from the US, will be seen at the parade. Another artillery K9 Vajra self-propelled guns, which are being manufactured by L&T under the Modi government’s ‘Make in India’ programme, will also be shown at the parade.”
M777 is a 155mm artillery gun with a maximum range of 30 km. The ultralight guns, which had proved its mettle in the Afghanistan war, will be deployed in hilly terrains along the China border as they can easily be airlifted. Under an inter-governmental deal with the US in 2017, India had signed a contract for 145 howitzers at a cost of nearly Rs 5,000 crore.
On the other hand, K9 Vajra is a South Korean artillery gun. L&T, which bought the gun technology from a Korean company, had won the Rs 4,500-crore contract from the government in 2017 to supply 100 units of K9 Vajra.
Army will showcase its latest K9 Vajra self propelled gun in the parade
Maj Gen Punia said, “Two defence projects of DRDO — Medium Range Surface to Air Missile and Arjun Armoured Recovery and Repair Vehicle — which are still under trial will also be showcased at the parade for the first time. Another army equipment ‘surface mine clearing system’ will also be shown for the first time.” He said, “During the flypast over Rajpath, An-32 transport aircraft will be flying on bio fuel for the first time. In fact, four veterans of INA (Netaji’s Army) will also participate in the parade for the first time.”
The Major General said, “‘Sankhnaad’— a martial tune created for the Indian armed forces — will be played by three contingents for the first time in the parade. And the theme of 22 tableaux this time will be 150 years of Mahatma Gandhi”.
Besides the new big guns, the star attraction of the parade will be the showcasing of the military's women power. For the first time, an all-women contingent of a paramilitary force will participate in the parade. The contingent belonging to Assam Rifles, the country’s oldest paramilitary force, will be led by Major Khushboo Kanwar.
Assam Rifles, the country’s oldest paramilitary force, will be led by Major Khushboo Kanwar
After the full dress rehearsal, Major Khushboo told TOI, “It’s a proud moment for me as I will be leading an all-women contingent of Assam Rifles for the first time on R-Day. The oldest paramilitary started inducting women riflemen in the force since 2015. The first batch of 124 women passed out in April 2016. Today, there are 220 mahila riflemen in the force. Around 33% of them are from the northeast and rest from other parts of the country. However, women officers are being deputed in Assam Rifles from the Army. The contingent is special as some of the women in the force are vir mahilas (widows of martyr soldiers) who are continuing the legacy of their husbands.”
Talking about her life, she told TOI, “I belong to a conservative family from Rajasthan and my father was a bus conductor. I had done most of my studies on scholarships. If I can be part of the majestic parade after coming from a small place in Rajasthan with sheer hard work and dedication, anyone can reach here. It is just about living your dreams.”
In another display of mahila shakti, Lieutenant Bhavana Kasturi will lead a contingent of Army Service Corps (ASC) comprising 144 men. The ASC, which handles the logistic support function of the Army, is participating in the parade after a gap of 23 years. Lt Bhavana Kasturi told TOI, “Nobody from my family has ever served in the Army officer. I am a first-generation officer inducted in the Army in 2016. But my family has always motivated me and empowered me. Clearing a tough selection procedure to get a chance to lead a contingent of 144 men shows there is no gender bias in the Army.” In a message to young girls, she said, “I want to tell young girls of the country that ‘chase your dreams and never give up and you’ll reach great heights’.”
Captain Shikha Surabhi during rehearsal
In another first, woman officer, Captain Shikha Surabhi, will be part of the Army’s daredevils motorcycle team. She will perform the stunt by standing on the moving motorcycle and will ride it in front of a team comprising 33 men riding on nine bikes in a pyramid formation. She will salute R-Day chief guest South African president Cyril Ramaphosa, who will be the second president of that country after Nelson Mandela to be the chief guest at R-Day.
(Photos by Anindya Chattopadhyay)
Thirty years after the induction of Bofors guns, the Army for the first time will showcase its new big guns — M777 and K9 Vajra self-propelled guns.
Major General Rajpal Punia, second-in-command of the Republic Day parade, said, “For the first time, the Army will showcase its new artillery guns at the parade. M777 A2 ultra light howitzers, which were inducted into the Army last year from the US, will be seen at the parade. Another artillery K9 Vajra self-propelled guns, which are being manufactured by L&T under the Modi government’s ‘Make in India’ programme, will also be shown at the parade.”
M777 is a 155mm artillery gun with a maximum range of 30 km. The ultralight guns, which had proved its mettle in the Afghanistan war, will be deployed in hilly terrains along the China border as they can easily be airlifted. Under an inter-governmental deal with the US in 2017, India had signed a contract for 145 howitzers at a cost of nearly Rs 5,000 crore.
On the other hand, K9 Vajra is a South Korean artillery gun. L&T, which bought the gun technology from a Korean company, had won the Rs 4,500-crore contract from the government in 2017 to supply 100 units of K9 Vajra.
Maj Gen Punia said, “Two defence projects of DRDO — Medium Range Surface to Air Missile and Arjun Armoured Recovery and Repair Vehicle — which are still under trial will also be showcased at the parade for the first time. Another army equipment ‘surface mine clearing system’ will also be shown for the first time.” He said, “During the flypast over Rajpath, An-32 transport aircraft will be flying on bio fuel for the first time. In fact, four veterans of INA (Netaji’s Army) will also participate in the parade for the first time.”
The Major General said, “‘Sankhnaad’— a martial tune created for the Indian armed forces — will be played by three contingents for the first time in the parade. And the theme of 22 tableaux this time will be 150 years of Mahatma Gandhi”.
Besides the new big guns, the star attraction of the parade will be the showcasing of the military's women power. For the first time, an all-women contingent of a paramilitary force will participate in the parade. The contingent belonging to Assam Rifles, the country’s oldest paramilitary force, will be led by Major Khushboo Kanwar.
After the full dress rehearsal, Major Khushboo told TOI, “It’s a proud moment for me as I will be leading an all-women contingent of Assam Rifles for the first time on R-Day. The oldest paramilitary started inducting women riflemen in the force since 2015. The first batch of 124 women passed out in April 2016. Today, there are 220 mahila riflemen in the force. Around 33% of them are from the northeast and rest from other parts of the country. However, women officers are being deputed in Assam Rifles from the Army. The contingent is special as some of the women in the force are vir mahilas (widows of martyr soldiers) who are continuing the legacy of their husbands.”
Talking about her life, she told TOI, “I belong to a conservative family from Rajasthan and my father was a bus conductor. I had done most of my studies on scholarships. If I can be part of the majestic parade after coming from a small place in Rajasthan with sheer hard work and dedication, anyone can reach here. It is just about living your dreams.”
In another display of mahila shakti, Lieutenant Bhavana Kasturi will lead a contingent of Army Service Corps (ASC) comprising 144 men. The ASC, which handles the logistic support function of the Army, is participating in the parade after a gap of 23 years. Lt Bhavana Kasturi told TOI, “Nobody from my family has ever served in the Army officer. I am a first-generation officer inducted in the Army in 2016. But my family has always motivated me and empowered me. Clearing a tough selection procedure to get a chance to lead a contingent of 144 men shows there is no gender bias in the Army.” In a message to young girls, she said, “I want to tell young girls of the country that ‘chase your dreams and never give up and you’ll reach great heights’.”
In another first, woman officer, Captain Shikha Surabhi, will be part of the Army’s daredevils motorcycle team. She will perform the stunt by standing on the moving motorcycle and will ride it in front of a team comprising 33 men riding on nine bikes in a pyramid formation. She will salute R-Day chief guest South African president Cyril Ramaphosa, who will be the second president of that country after Nelson Mandela to be the chief guest at R-Day.
(Photos by Anindya Chattopadhyay)
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