NEW DELHI: For the first time, the Republic Day parade will be heralded by 100 women artistes playing Indian musical instruments instead of the traditional military bands, and the country’s biggest ceremonial event will this year have the best representation of women including in the Indian Air Force flypast, marching contingents and the cultural show, defence secretary Giridhar Aramane said on Friday.

He said two Rafale fighters and an Airbus A330 MRTT (multi-role tanker transport) of the French air force, a 95-member marching contingent of that country as well as a 33-member band contingent will also participate in the 75th Republic Day parade, which is being attended by French President Emmanuel Macron as the chief guest.

Around 77,000 spectators will witness the parade at Kartavya Path. They will include 13,000 special guests invited from across the country to witness the parade to ensure ‘jan bhagidari’ (public participation), the defence secretary said at a media briefing in South Block.

“The parade will commence with the music of shankh, naadswaram and nagada to be played by the women artistes. Earlier, the parade was heralded by military bands. Best representation of women will be seen in this year’s parade including in the flypast and the marching contingents,” Aramane said.

At a separate briefing on the air force’s participation in the parade, IAF officials said that the Republic Day flypast will involve 56 military aircraft including 29 fighter jets some of which will be flown by women pilots.

Fifteen women pilots, including six fighter pilots, will take part in the flypast, HT has learnt. They will be flying Rafales, Sukhoi-30s and MiG-29s.

The light combat aircraft Tejas will take part in the flypast in a formation for the first time, the officials said, adding that the C-295 transport aircraft will also make its debut.

The IAF’s 144-member marching contingent will be led by a woman officer, Squadron Leader Rashmi Thakur. Squadron Leader Sumita Yadav, Squadron Leader Pratiti Ahluwalia and Flight Lieutenant Kirti Rohil will be a part of the marching squad that will include 144 men. “Being a part of the marching contingent gives me more joy than leading it,” said Thakur, a fighter controller.

Sukhoi-30 pilots Flying Officer Asma Shaikh and Flight Lieutenant Ananya Sharma will be a part of the IAF tableau whose theme will be ‘IAF: Potent, Powerful and Self-Reliant.’

Agniveervayu (women) who passed out from the Airmen Training School Belagavi, Karnataka, barely two months ago will also take part in the parade. The tri-service marching contingent of Agniveers at the Republic Day parade will consist of 144 women, with an average age of barely 20. “I have been in service for not even two months and IAF has given me the opportunity of a lifetime. Words can describe how I feel,” said Agniveervayu Jaya Saini.

An all-women tri-service contingent and contingents of the Central Armed Police Forces featuring only women will also be a highlight of the parade, Aramane said. Viksit Bharat (developed India) and Bharat- Loktantra ki Matruka (mother of democracy) will be the main themes of the parade, he said.

The special guests attending the parade include patent holders, those representing successful start-ups, best performers in various fields and those who made best use of around 30 government schemes including Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, PM Ujjwala Yojana, PM Street Vendor’s Aatmanirbhar Nidhi, Krishi Sinchayee Yojana, PM Fasal Bima Yojana, PM Vishwakarma Yojana, PM Anusuchit Jaati Abhyuday Yojna and PM Matsya Sampada Yojana, the defence secretary said.

“The special guests will be prominently seated at Kartavya Path, right across the PM’s enclosure,” he said. Representatives of ‘vibrant villages’ will be among the special guests. The government’s vibrant village programme is aimed at the comprehensive development of select villages along the country’s northern border with China, and covers border areas of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim and Ladakh.

The parade will feature 25 tableaux including 15 from different states/UTs and nine from central ministries and departments, he said. To address the concerns of some states/UTs over the non-inclusion of their tableaux in the parade, the government has devised a three-year roll-over plan, which will ensure equitable participation on a rotational basis over three years, Aramane said.

The culture ministry will showcase ‘Anant Sutra – The Endless Thread’ at the parade. “It will be installed behind the spectators seated in the enclosures. Anant Sutra is a visually-stunning tribute to the saree. This installation will showcase nearly 1,900 sarees and drapes from every corner of the country, mounted at a height with wooden frames along the Kartavya Path.”

Free park and ride, and Metro Facility will be provided to the public for witnessing the parade, he said.