New Delhi: The 75th Republic Day parade commenced on the Kartavya Path Friday with President Droupadi Murmu taking the salute.
Parade Commander and General Officer Commanding, Delhi Area, Lieutenant General Bhavnish Kumar led the parade, followed by Parade Second-in-Command and Chief of Staff HQ, Delhi Area, Major General Sumit Mehta.
Winners of the highest gallantry awards, including the Param Vir Chakra and the Ashok Chakra, followed the parade commander.
They include Param Vir Chakra winners Subedar Major (Honorary Captain) Yogendra Singh Yadav (retired) and Subedar Major Sanjay Kumar (retired), and Ashok Chakra winners Major General CA Pithawalla (retired), Colonel D Sreeram Kumar and Lieutenant Colonel Jas Ram Singh (retired).
The Param Vir Chakra is awarded for the most conspicuous act of bravery and self-sacrifice in the face of the enemy, while the Ashok Chakra is awarded for similar acts of valour and self-sacrifice, other than in the face of the enemy.
The armed forces will display an array of home-grown weaponry and military equipment such as missiles, drone jammers, surveillance systems, vehicle-mounted mortars and BMP-II infantry combat vehicles at the parade.
For the first time, an all-women tri-services contingent will be part of the event.
The parade will be heralded by over 100 women artistes playing Indian musical instruments such as Sankh, Naadswaram and Nagada for the first time instead of the traditional military bands.
A total of 16 tableaux from states and Union territories and nine from central ministries and departments will roll down the Kartavya Path during the parade.
The Republic Day parade is slated to be of around 90 minutes.