R-Day: In a first, all-women contingent of Delhi Police to march down Kartavya Path

For the first time in its history, the Delhi Police will have an all-women contingent marching down the Kartavya Path during the Republic Day parade on January 26, officials have said.

To provide a fillip to gender equality and women empowerment, the marching contingent of the Delhi Police will comprise only women personnel, they said, adding that 80 per cent of the participants from the force in the 75th Republic Day parade this year are from the northeastern states.

According to the city police, it follows a policy of recruiting people from the eight states in the northeast to ”bridge the gap” between the force and the people from that region.

Shweta K Sugathan, an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, will lead the marching contingent of 194 female head constables and constables of the force, an officer said.

The participants practise daily at the Kartyava Path, he added.

According to Special Commissioner of Police (Armed Police) Robin Hibu, all the members of the contingent will take part in the parade for the first time this year and are ”very excited”.

”The marching contingent has been selected from the armed unit of our force and a majority of them are from the northeastern states,” Hibu said, adding that they will represent the people from the northeast in the Delhi Police.

Hibu said the Delhi Police has added another feather in its cap this year as the women’s pipe band will be led by a female officer — constable Ruyangunuo Kense.

The band comprising 135 head constables and constables will play the ”Delhi Police Song”, he added.

Last year, a female-dedicated pipe band was inducted in the parade, but it was led by a male inspector, Rajender Singh.

Another officer said the all-women marching contingent will ”definitely be the centre of attraction” during the parade.

The defence ministry had last year asked all the forces, state governments and departments participating in the Republic Day parade to have women participants in their contingents, bands and tableaux.

The Delhi Police’s marching contingent has a unique distinction of participating in every Republic Day parade since the country became a republic on January 26, 1950, officials said.

It has been adjudged the best marching contingent 15 times — the last being in 2021. Its motto is ”Shanti, Seva aur Nyaya” — ”Peace, Service and Justice”.