IAF's Sumita Yadav who marched in France's Bastille Day parade part of R-Day march-past. Know more about her

Indian Air Force squadron leader Sumita Yadav who marched in the Bastille Day parade in Paris in July last year will be participating in this year's Republic Day parade. Yadav, an air traffic controller in the Air Force, participated in the Bastille Day Parade, to which Prime Minister Narendra Modi was invited as a chief guest.

Who is Sumita Yadav?

• Sumita Yadav is an alumnus of the Indian Institute of Mass Communication and worked as a journalist before joining the Indian Air Force.
• Yadav has extensive flight experience and expertise in handling advanced aircraft.
• Yadav, a squadron leader of the IAF, ranks above flight lieutenant and below wing commander.
• Speaking about her participation in this year's Republic Day parade, Sumita Yadav said, “It was a proud moment saluting our Prime Minister on foreign soil as part of the contingent during Bastille Day. And it is a matter of greater pride that I will be saluting our Supreme Commander with the French President in attendance on Republic Day. Not many people get this opportunity and I consider myself lucky...”
• Sumita Yadav would join others including Squadron Leader Pratiti Ahluwalia and Flight Lieutenant Kirti Rohil of the IAF’s 144-member marching contingent led by the woman officer Rashmi Thakur.

It is for the first time that an all-women tri-service contingent will take part in the Republic Day celebrations which will include women troops of the Army's military police along with women from the other two services.

The Republic Day parade will start at 10:30 am on January 26 from Vijay Chowk. The commander of the parade would be Delhi Area Commander Lt Gen Bhavnish Kumar.