Kolkata: When it comes to the Republic Day celebration, Kolkata is perhaps the only metro after New Delhi where the country’s military prowess is displayed with fanfare over the years before the common people in a ceremonial parade which starts with a fly-past traditionally. If it is Rajpath in the capital, the centre of attraction in Kolkata is then historic Red Road in front of Fort William, the Eastern Command headquarters.
On January 26 morning an Mi-17 V5 helicopter of the Indian Air Force (IAF) will shower petals during its fly-past the moment the national flag is unfurled by West Bengal Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi. At the same time Major General Shachin Suri, the officiating General Officer Commanding of HQ Bengal Area, who will lead the march-past as the parade commander, will move past the dais saluting the Governor, said Eastern Command CPRO Wing Commander SS Birdi.
The first to move in after the parade commander will be the Army tableau to be followed by Mortar-1861 on tow. The Indian Field Gun and the Bofors 155 mm artillery guns would follow soon. In sequence behind the Bofors gun will be the Pinaka Multi Barrel Rocket Launcher, a radar of the SATA Battery, two tableaus of the Corps of Signals and three tableaus of the Corps of Engineers.
The Naval tableau would display a model of INS Kolkata, a frontline destroyer of the Navy presently deployed off the Western Coast of India. A model of the Sindhughosh class submarine which is a variant of the Russian Kilo-class, is also on display on the second tableau. The first tableau of Indian Air Force features a replica of advanced multirole Rafale fighter aircraft along with a low level quick reaction surface to air Spyder missile.
The tableau also features a lady officer Flight Lieutenant Jyotsna, attired in the G-suit, which is worn by pilots of the fighter aircraft. The second tableau would feature a model of Chinook heavy lift helicopter, replicas of advanced Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) mounted atop the IL-76 and the medium lift C-130J Hercules transport aircraft along with the multi role air superiority fighter, the Mirage 2000.
There would be three marching contingents of the Army. The first of them will be the Parachute Regiment Special Forces commandoes who always ‘march on the double’, to be followed by marching contingents of the Rajputana Rifles and Regiment of the Artillery. Incidentally, present Eastern Army Commander, Lt Gen Abhay Krishna, belongs to the Rajputana Rifles.
The marching contingent of the Navy is led by Lieutenant Commander Digvijay Singh while that of the Air Force is led by a lady officer, Flight Lieutenant SS Maithry. Besides military bands from various army bases have been provisioned for the parade.
