When young Lt Ahaan Kumar will lead the contingent of the iconic 61 Cavalry at the 76th Republic Day celebrations here on Kartavya Path on Sunday, the grandson of a war veteran will literally be following in the footsteps of his father who will be the Parade Commander.
Mounted on his charger ‘Ranveer’, a Hanoverian breed, the 25-year-old officer will lead the contingent of the horse cavalry that has been a prominent feature at the Republic Day parade since its inception.
This contingent is the leading contingent of the armed forces in the ceremonial parade.
Ahead of the big day, Lt Kumar spoke to PTI about his debut at the parade and carrying forward the legacy of his family.
“I am third generation officer, and my father, he is the GOC, Delhi Area, he is leading the parade. My paternal grandfather (served in 1965 war) and maternal grandfather (served in 1965, 1971 wars), both were in the Army, and I always seen them as role models. And, I have continued the legacy of the family by joining the army,” he told PTI.
Lt Gen Bhavnish Kumar, General Officer Commanding, Delhi Area will be the Parade Commander.
Lt Kumar said it is thus a “double honour” leading the 61 Cavalry contingent in the Republic Day parade that will be led by his father.
Raised in 1953, the 61 Cavalry, based in Jaipur, was set up after amalgamation of units of six erstwhile royal state forces, including Mysore Lancers, Jodhpur Lancers and Gwalior Lancers.
“I am taking part in this parade for the first time. Of course, people wait for this contingent and accordingly we make preparations as well,” he said.
Lt Cdr Saahil Ahluwalia, a second-generation naval officer, who currently serves at INS Mysore at Visakhapatnam, will also be taking part in the Republic Day parade for the first time, but this parade will be special for him.
“It is a singular honour for me to be following in my father’s footsteps, as in 1991, he was also part of the naval contingent in the parade that year as a platoon commander,” he told PTI.
In the 2025 parade, Lt Cdr Ahluwalia will have three platoon commanders behind him — Lt Cdr Indresh Choudhary, Lt Cdr Kajal A Bharani and Lt Devinder Kumar, who in turn will be fronting a naval contingent of 144 young members marching shoulder to shoulder.
Asked if the biting cold of Delhi and other factors were challenges during the rehearsals, the naval contingent commander said the occasion makes you forget all constraints.
“When you march on the Kartavya Path and see the Indian Gate, no matter how tired you might be, or how out of breath you might be, just looking up at India Gate, makes all of that go away and pushes you a step further to give your everything,” the proud officer said.
The cold, he says, is only till the time we reach Vijay Chowk and Kartavya Path. Once you are there, the ambience, the enthusiasm, the contingents, “seeing our own men, the cold is something that doesn’t even come in the picture”, said Lt Cdr Ahluwalia, commissioned in the Navy about nine years ago.
The naval contingent commander’s message to the youth was that life, in whichever sphere one chooses a profession, it is going to “give you a mixed bag of challenges, opportunities and good things”.
“But, one thing about joining the Navy and the force is that you are doing something much bigger than your own satisfaction, and your goals. You are serving a bigger cause, and your nation. So, that I think overpowers everything. And, of someone can drive motivation from that then nothing can stop them,” he asserted.
Capt Ritika Khareta, 25, who will lead a contingent of the Corps of Signals, is also making her debut at the parade.
“I feel honoured and privileged to have been given this opportunity. I feel blessed. The moment I step on the Kartavya Path with the men behind me, shouting slogans of our regiment, with full ‘josh’ and enthusiasm, we feel very excited to march down on the Kartavya Path to give salute to our Supreme Commander,” she told PTI on January 23, soon after the full dress rehearsal of the parade.
The woman officer, who will lead an all-male contingent, said it felt as if she was following in the footsteps of then Capt Tania Shergill of the Corps of Signals, the fourth generation to serve the Army, who had led an all-male contingent in the 2020 Republic Day parade.
Asked if she was the first in her family to serve in the armed forces forces, the officer said, a native of Delhi, said, her father is in Delhi Police, and her mother a government school teacher.
“I am the first officer from the family. My great-grandfather was an honourary captain.. also a Shaurya Chakra awardee from 3 Grenadiers,” the woman officer said.
Finishing the ceremonial line-up will be Capt Ashish Rana, who will lead a dadevelis contingent of the Corps of Signals with Capt Dimple Singh Bhati, the second-in-line.
Capt Rana, who also was in lead position in the contingent in 2023, said “fearlessness is inculcated in all of us” and this year “a Bullet wheelie stunt” will be performed “for the first-time ever on Kartavya Path as part of the Republic Day parade”.
Also, Capt Bhati will give a salute to the President riding a 12-ft ladder mounted on a moving motorcycle, which will be a a record, as she will become the first woman officer of the Army to do so.
