A 33-member Nepal Army band is all set to take part in the upcoming Army Day Parade in Pune, marking a significant gesture of friendship and cultural exchange between the two armies, sources in the defence establishment said on Friday.
The contingent, which includes three woman musicians, has reached Pune, another source said.
The Army Day Parade on January 15 will take place at Bombay Engineering Group (BEG) and Centre in Pune which comes under the Army’s Southern Command.
The participation of the band in the prestigious parade comes nearly a month after Nepal Army Chief General Ashok Raj Sigdel visited India.
During the visit, President Droupadi Murmu conferred the honorary rank of ‘General of Indian Army’ on Sigdel at a ceremony in New Delhi.
“In a significant gesture of friendship and cultural exchange, a Nepali Army band contingent, comprising 33 members, including three woman musicians, will participate in the Army Day Parade in Pune,” the source said.
The contingent had commenced its journey from “ICP Sonauli to Gorakhpur early morning and was expected to arrive in Gorakhpur by noon. The band thereafter, was scheduled to move to Pune in a C-295 aircraft, and expected to reach Pune by evening, a source said earlier in the day.” Their presence adds a “vibrant touch” to the upcoming celebrations and strengthening of the bond between the two nations, the source said.
Army Chief Gen Upendra Dwivedi visited Nepal in November during which he was conferred the honorary rank of ‘General of the Nepal Army’ in continuation of an age-old tradition that first started in 1950, reflecting the strong ties between the two militaries.
Traditionally, the annual Army Day Parade had been held in Delhi. This long-standing practice saw a shift in January 2023 when the parade was conducted in Bengaluru which comes in the Southern Command area.
The Army hosted the Army Day Parade 2024 in Lucknow which falls in the Central Command area.
“The rotation is not just about changing cities but about shifting the spotlight to various commands”, each of which plays a unique and critical role in the nation’s defence, sources in the defence establishment had earlier said.
It also offered a chance to highlight the distinct cultural and regional backdrops against which the Army operates, they added.
