Who is Sindhu Reddy, the woman to lead the IAF contingent at Bastille Day parade in Paris?

After landmark trips to the United States and Egypt, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be attending this year’s Bastille Day Parade in France on 14 July. He will be the second Indian prime minister to attend the ceremony, after Manmohan Singh in 2009. According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the marching contingents of the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force would take part in the parade alongside their French counterparts. At the Champs-Elysées in Paris, a 269-member Indian military contingent representing all three services will march alongside the French military. In keeping up with the IAF’s commitment to promoting “Nari Shakti,” the force’s 68-member marching contingent for the prestigious parade in Paris will be led by Squadron Leader Sindhu Reddy. Also read: Au Revoir: How violent protests in France are driving away tourists Meet Squadron leader Sindhu Reddy Sqn Ldr Sindhu Reddy is a helicopter pilot in the Indian Air Force. She flies the Mi-17, the IAF’s workhorse. During her nine years of service in the Air Force, the officer was assigned to air force bases in northern, northern, and southern India. At Delhi’s Republic Day parade this year, Sqn Ldr Reddy oversaw the 144-member IAF contingent. In the contingent, she was the only female officer.

“Since I joined the IAF, I have always wanted to lead the Republic Day parade. I am lucky and proud to have finally got the opportunity," Squadron Leader Sindhu Reddy over the telephone after the day’s parade practice in New Delhi had said, according to Rediff.com. While speaking to Republic TV, Sqn Ldr Reddy, who was also the only lady in the contingent, opened up about the tough training, by saying, “I consider myself fit but the training that we underwent for the last two months had been really gruelling.” The officer also participated in the IAF’s 2018 marching contingent. Sqn Ldr Reddy has always enjoyed participating in parades, ever since she was an NCC cadet in Bengaluru. She was chosen for the Republic Day parade by the adjutant because of her outstanding performance in the parade, which is also a regular part of the daily schedule in her unit. “I always wanted to fly. My dad always encouraged me and made sure I joined the NCC in college which was a motivating factor,” the officer who is the first person in her family to join the armed forces, told Rediff. Also read: Ahead of PM Modi’s France visit, Macron’s diplomatic advisor meets NSA Ajit Doval in New Delhi Indian troops in Paris According to a statement by the Ministry of Defence, the Indian Army contingent comprising 77 marching personnel and 38 members of the band is led by Captain Aman Jagtap. Commander Vrat Baghel and Sqn Ldr Sindhu Reddy are heading the Navy and Air Force contingents. The Army contingent is represented by the Punjab Regiment, which is one of the oldest regiments of the Indian Army. The troops participated in both the World Wars as well as the post-Independence operations. In World War I, they were awarded 18 Battle and Theatre Honours. In France, they took part in an offensive near Neuve Chapelle in September 1915 earning the Battle Honours ‘Loos’ and ‘France and Flanders’. In World War II, they earned 16 Battle Honours and 14 Theatre Honours.

The Rajputana Rifles Regiment Band has accompanied the contingent. The regiment, the senior most rifle regiment of the Indian Army, has taken part in some of the bloodiest battles — including those in the two World Wars — ever fought. During World War II, the battalions of the regiment fought in every theatre where the Indian Army was involved. They are the recipients of six Victoria Cross prior to Independence. The band of the Regiment was raised in 1920 at Nasirabad (Rajasthan). Solid military ties The association between the Indian and French armies dates back to World War I. Over 1.3 million Indian soldiers participated in the war and almost 74,000 of them fought in the muddy trenches to never return again, while another 67,000 were wounded. The MoD said, “Indian troops valiantly fought on French soil. Their courage, valour and supreme sacrifice not only thwarted the enemy but also significantly contributed towards winning the war." In World War II, 2.5 million Indian soldiers made significant contributions in various theatres from Asia to Africa and Europe. This also included the battlefields of France. The Indian troops established their valour in these wars which was “well recognised in the form of several gallantry awards being bestowed on the Indian soldiers”, the MoD added. 25 years of diplomatic relationship India and France are celebrating a strategic relationship of 25 years in 2023. The two nations have established a solid defence alliance throughout time. The nations signed a government-to-government agreement in 2016 to purchase 36 Rafale combat planes in fly-away condition, according to ANI. In addition, India and France support the goals and tenets of the United Nations Charter, which serve as the cornerstone of bilateral cooperation, and have a similar vision for peace and security, particularly in Europe and the Indo-Pacific. Significance of Bastille Day parade Bastille Day is observed as France’s National Day on 14 July every year. In 1789, the citizens of Paris took weapons from the arsenal, marched to the Bastille, the Royal Fort of Louis XVI, and after a brutal battle, liberated captives. The storming of the Bastille was a crucial turning point in the French Revolution and is regarded as the first popular victory. The customary military parade on the Champs-Elysees, cultural events, and fireworks are all part of France’s National Day celebrations. With inputs from agencies