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For the first time, Group Captain Shaliza Dhami will lead the Indian Air Force Day parade in Prayagraj to commemorate the 91st birthday of the military.
Prayagraj to mark the service’s 91st anniversary
Group Captain Shaliza Dhami, a female officer, will lead the Indian Air Force Day parade at air force station Bamrauli in Prayagraj on Sunday for the first time, according to authorities with knowledge of the situation.
Dhami, an IAF pilot and helicopter pilot, became the first female commander of a front-line combat unit in March. In the western sector, she is in charge of a missile squadron. Dhami, who was commissioned into the IAF in 2003, has flown more than 2,800 hours and is a certified flight instructor.
The change occurs at a time when the military is expanding its prospects for women and offering them options on par with those available to males.
First time, the parade will have an all-women contingent
"Again, for the first time, there will be an all-female contingent in the parade, made up of the recently admitted Agniveer Vayu, who will march side by side with the males. For the first time, a flight of Garud commandos would also participate in the parade, according to IAF spokesperson Wing Commander Ashish Moghe on Sunday.
Women in uniform are no longer on the periphery of the military; instead, they are being given central roles, just like their male counterparts. They are training at the National Defence Academy, flying fighter planes, serving on warships, and being incorporated into the personnel below officer rank (PBOR) cadre.
IAF and navy have allowed women officers to join
In order to encourage gender equality within their ranks, the IAF and navy have both permitted women officers to join their special forces units, the Garud Commando Force and Marine Commandos, respectively, as long as they match the eligibility requirements.
IAF chief Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari
The new IAF ensign will be unveiled in Prayagraj by Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari. The IAF tri-color roundel will now be shown in the top right corner of the ensign, which now has the national flag in the upper left canton and the IAF crest in the top right corner. The Royal Indian Air Force ensign, which included the Union Jack and the RIAF roundel (red, white, and blue), was replaced by the present flag more than seven decades ago.
In keeping with the three services currently holding their showpiece ceremonial events outside the national capital, the IAF hosted its annual festivities in Chandigarh last year. On the outskirts of the national capital, near the Hindan air base, the parade was customarily held.