Lieutenant Bhavana Kasturi will become the first woman officer to lead a contingent on the Army Day parade, that takes place every year on 15 January. Army Day is celebrated to commemorate the day when (the then) Lieutenant General KM Cariappa took over General Sir Francis Butcher as Commander-in-Chief of India, back in January 1949.
Kasturi is expected to lead the Indian Army's Service Corps (ASC) contingent, that comprises 144 male personnel, on the 71st Army Day parade, India Today reported. Before her, Captain Divya Ajith led an all-women marching contingent in the Republic Day parade in 2015.
Speaking to the magazine, she said: “This is the first time ever a lady officer is leading a contingent. Earlier, never a lady officer led a jawan’s contingent.”
Lauding the changing nature of the Indian Army, she said,
“This shows the kind of acceptance, the change and the evolution which is happening in the entire organisation. This shows acceptance for woman officers also.”Lieutenant Bhavana Kasturi to India Today
In a separate interview with ANI, Kasturi said that ASC is participating in the marching contingent after 23 years. “It is a matter of pride and honour for me that I will be leading the ASC contingent at the Republic Day,” she told the news agency.
In another triumph for woman officers in the Indian Army, other than Kasturi, Captain Shikha Surabhi is scheduled to lead the Army's Daredevils Motorcycle Display team for the first time. The team will comprise 33 men, who will ride nine bikes in a pyramid form, the report added. It has also won 24 world records and will be participating in the Republic Day parade as well.
(With inputs from ANI and India Today)
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