In a first, a lady officer will lead a contingent on the Army Day parade which takes place every year on January 15. Lieutenant Bhavana Kasturi will take charge to lead the Indian Army’s Service Corps (ASC) contingent, including 144 male personnel, on the 71st Army Day parade. This parade is significant because the ASC is taking part after a gap of two decades.
Lt Kasturi said, “This is the first time ever a lady officer is leading a contingent. Earlier, never a lady officer led a jawans contingent.” She also showered praise on the Army for this opportunity and said, “This shows the kind of acceptance, the change and the evolutions which is happening in the entire organization. This shows acceptance for woman officers also.”
With countless efforts and tonnes of practice being put into this, she said: “Our center is in Bangalore and I’m coming from our regimental center and it’s been six months we are practicing. Along with me, there are two male officers from the center are practicing as contingent commanders,” Kasturi said while speaking to the Daily Pioneer.
Talking to the publication she said that the higher authority in the army was striving hard for the permanent commission of the lady officers and they are also lauding the efforts being put in by them.
It should be noted that Army Day is celebrated every year on January 15 to honour the day when the then Lieutenant General KM Cariappa took over General Sir Francis Butcher as Commander-in-Chief of India in January 1949.