Republic Day 2021 | IAF Flight Lieutenant Swati Rathore to become first woman to lead FlyPast

IAF Flight Lieutenant Swati Rathore (Image Source: Twitter/Vasundhara Raje)

Indian Air Force (IAF) Flight Lieutenant Swati Rathore will be the first woman to lead the Republic Day flypast at Delhi’s Rajpath today.

From Nagaur district in Rajasthan, Rathore schooled in Ajmer. She dreamt of being a pilot at a young age and appeared for the Air Force Common Admission Test in 2013.

She was selected into the IAF after an interview by the Air Force Selection Board in Dehradun in March 2014 after clearing the test on her first attempt, News18 reported. Her brother is part of the Merchant Navy.

To make her feat more admirable, Rathore was among 200 female students who cleared the test, and among the 98 who were selected for screening, from which she was among the 5 who were selected for the flying branch, as per the report.

News of Rathore’s participation and milestone in this year’s Republic Day celebration has been met with much fanfare back home in Rajasthan – by family and state leaders as well, where well-wishers include former state Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje and former Deputy CM Sachin Pilot.

Raje took to twitter to praise Rathore saying: “It is a matter of pride for all of us that the daughter of Veerbhoomi Rajasthan and Flight Lieutenant of Air Force Swati Rathore will lead the 'FlyPast' in the parade on Rajpath on the occasion of Republic Day. I wish her a bright future!" (translated)

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

Sachin Pilot meanwhile commended Rathore’s milestone as a “step towards female empowerment.”

“My daughter has let me hold my head high. I am overwhelmed as the dream which she saw has turned into reality,” her father, Dr Bhavani Singh said. He also encouraged parents to help fulfil their daughter’s dreams. Dr Singh is a deputy director in the state Agriculture Department.