Lt Gen Asit Mistry leads R-Day celebration at Rajpath as Parade Commander

New Delhi [India], Jan 26 (ANI): Lieutenant General Asit Mistry on Sunday led the parade on the occasion of 71st Republic Day as Parade Commander.
Major General Alok Kacker, Chief of Staff Delhi Area, is the second-in-command for the parade.
General Officer Commanding Delhi area, Lt Gen Asit Mistry, had also led the Republic day parade last year.
Earlier, a 21-cannon salute -- a customary gun salute performed by the firing of cannons or artillery as a military honour -- were fired at an interval of 2.25 seconds to cover entire National Anthem of 52 seconds in 3 successive rounds of 7 cannons each.
The parade, which started at 10:00 am with the national salute, will last for around 90 minutes and will include a flypast by MI-17 and Rudra armed helicopters, display of latest weapons and equipments and sixteen marching contingents from the Armed Forces, Para-Military Forces, Delhi Police, National Cadet Corps (NCC), National Service Scheme (NSS) and thirteen Military bands.
Indian Army Captain Tanya Shergill, who became the first woman officer as Parade Adjutant on Army Day Parade earlier this year, will lead an Army Signal Corps contingent.
As many as 22 tableaus of various states, union territories and government departments will also move past India Gate, which will be followed by cultural items by school children and motorcycle display by an all-women team of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).
Earlier today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid homage to the fallen soldiers at the newly built National War Memorial here. (ANI)