Women officers to help PM unfurl flag on I-Day

Two women army officers, Majors Nikita Nair and Jasmine Kaur, will assist Prime Minister Narendra Modi unfurl the national flag at the 77th Independence Day celebrations to be held at Red Fort on August 15, with the ceremonial event expected to be attended by 25,000 people, the defence ministry said on Sunday

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The unfurling of the tricolour will be synchronised with a 21-gun salute by the gunners of the elite 8711 Field Battery (Ceremonial) commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Vikas Kumar.

After the PM unfurls the national flag, petals will be showered on the venue by two indigenously built Dhruv advanced light helicopters Mark-III of the Indian Air Force and captained by Wing Commander Amber Agarwal and Squadron Leader Himanshu Sharma, the ministry said in a statement.

The PM will address the nation immediately after the petals are showered.

This year's Independence Day will culminate the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations, launched by the PM from Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad, Gujarat on March 12, 2021, and will, once again, usher the country into Amrit Kaal (the run-up to India's independence centenary) with renewed vigour to realise the dream of making India a developed country by 2047, the statement said.