In a first, the Delhi Police is participating with its all women contingent and women band in the Republic Day Parade to be held at the Kartavya Path, the police said on Wednesday.
This year, the Delhi Police contingent will be led by Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police, North District, Shweta K Sugathan, IPS.
Sugathan also led the Delhi Police contingent in the Republic Day Parade-2023 and is the second women IPS officer after Kiran Bedi to lead the contingent.
The selection of women staff for the R- Day parade began in April 2023. After selecting 350 women personnel, they continued with their practice every Friday till the month of October last year.
Beginning in November last year, the practice for the parade was done on a regular basis under the guidance of the Chief Drill Instructor Inspector Bishan Das Thakur, who has been training the parade contingents for the last 36 years.
The Delhi Police contingent has been participating in the Republic Day parade since 1950.
Earlier, the Delhi Police used to have only one women pipe band besides a male brass band.
To complement the all women parade contingent, a new women brass band was also raised .
Raising a brass band was a difficult task but the same was made easier and possible to achieve by the willingness and enthusiasm shown by young women personnel besides support provided by senior officials.
Notably, 57-year-old Sub-Inspector Kiran Sethi volunteered to participate in the band contingent as a guide and to carry the heaviest band instrument.