Woman Fighter Pilot Does A First At Republic Day Parade

New Delhi: Flight Lieutenant Bhawana Kanth became the first woman fighter pilot to be part of the Indian Air Force (IAF) contingent at the Republic Day parade here on Tuesday.

Kanth, who is among the first three women fighter pilots in the country, joined the fighter squadron in 2017. She flew her first solo on a MiG-21 Bison in March 2018. She is currently posted at a fighter base in the western sector, news agency ANI reported.

At the parade, Flight Lieutenant Tanik Sharma led the IAF contingent comprising 96 Airmen and four officers.Air warriors were seen in 12 by 8 formation.

Warrant Officer Ashok Kumar led the Air Force Band which played the tune ‘Sound Barrier Quick March’. The band comprised three drum majors and 72 musicians.

The IAF tableau with the theme ‘Indian Air Force: Touch the Sky with Glory’ showcased scaled-down models of Light Combat Aircraft, Light Combat Helicopter, Su-30 MK-1 aircraft and Rohini radar against a sky-blue background.