This Father-Daughter Duo Will March Together In The R-Day Parade

Ashish Maggo
Ashish Maggo
Updated on Jan 22, 2015, 12:31 IST-69 Shares
subedar neelam

Retired subedar Meharban Singh Bhandari will experience something surreal when his daughter, Captain Neelam Bhandari of 54 Engineering Regiment, walks ahead of him as they march down Rajpath on January 26 in the veterans' contingent of the Republic Day parade.

Neelam will be part of the first-ever women contingent of the Indian Army in the parade.

neelam subedar

India Today

The father-daughter duo have been practicing hard for the big day, fighting the winter chill along with many others who want to put up a good show.

Meherban retired from the army in 2009 after 30 years of combat service as a soldier from 5 Garhwal Rifle. A year later, his daughter Neelam joined the army in the Engineering division.

It is the first time in the parade that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has ensured women officers of the Indian Air Force, Army and Navy, participate in different contingents. He wants to send strong signals about the significance of women in the armed forces despite being less in number.

While till date, the armed forces don't allow women in combat roles, their responsibilities are expanding. In fact, the Air Force also has helicopter pilots and transport for women.

Obama has something to look forward to in India!