Swati Rathore: First Woman To Lead Republic Day Parade Flypast

On January 26 this year, Flight Lieutenant Swati Rathore will become the first woman pilot to lead the flypast on Republic Day.  The 28-year-old officer was a part of rescue operations conducted by the IAF during the 2018 Kerala floods. 

#IndianAirForce (@IAF_MCC) Flight Lieutenant Swati Rathore, who hails from #Rajasthan, will script a new chapter in the history of woman empowerment by becoming the first woman to lead the flypast on the main #RepublicDay parade at Delhi's Rajpath. pic.twitter.com/GuQdjfsF9Z

— IANS Tweets (@ians_india) January 22, 2021

Her father Bhawani Singh Rathore told TOI, "Swati had always wanted to join IAF. When she was a child, whenever she would make drawings, it would be that of an aircraft. This was the reason why she also signed up for the National Cadet Corps (NCC).”

Congratulating Rathore on her feat, former Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, tweeted, "It is a matter of pride for all of us that the daughter of Veerbhoomi Rajasthan and Flight Lieutenant of Air Force #SwatiRathore will lead the ‘Fly Past’ in the parade on Rajpath on the occasion of Republic Day. I wish her a bright future!"

हम सभी के लिए गर्व का विषय है कि गणतंत्र दिवस के अवसर पर राजपथ पर होने वाली परेड में वीरभूमि #Rajasthan की बेटी और वायुसेना की फ्लाइट लेफ्टिनेंट #SwatiRathore 'फ्लाई पास्ट' का नेतृत्व करेंगी। मैं उनके उज्जवल भविष्य की कामना करती हूँ! pic.twitter.com/SMrFhouiwr

— Vasundhara Raje (@VasundharaBJP) January 22, 2021

Here are five things to know about the Indian Air Force (IAF) officer:

1. Lieutenant Rathore hails from Prempura in Nagaur, Rajasthan. Her Father Bhawani Singh is currently serving as a Deputy Director in the state’s Agriculture Department, posted in Ajmer.

2. To fulfil her dream of becoming an IAF pilot, after schooling, Rathore joined the NCC Air Wing. She was selected in the IAF in her first attempt in 2014. Her brother is posted in the Merchant Navy.

3. At the NCC, she won a gold medal in shooting and appeared for the Airforce Common Admission Test in 2013.

4. The 28-year-old IAF officer will be flying the Mi-17 V5 with Indian Air Force flag in a formation of four choppers. Rathore will be the only woman pilot in this formation of the flypast.

Bhavani Singh told IANS that he is "overwhelmed" to see his daughter achieve the height. He further noted that the dream which she saw has "turned into reality.”

5. Rathore had also participated in a flypast on Air Force Day on October 8 last year. She was part of the rescue operation conducted by IAF during the 2018 Kerala floods. 

Feature Image Credit: The Statesman