Captain Preeti Choudhary on Tuesday spearheaded the upgraded Schilika weapon system as it rolled down the Rajpath on the 72nd Republic Day parade, for the first time this year. Speaking about her role as the only woman contingent commandant, prior to the parade, Captain Preeti asserted that she received the opportunity because the upgraded weapon system belonged to her regiment, and not because of her gender.
The upgraded Schilka Weapon system is equipped with modern radar and digital fire control computers and has the ability to destroy wartime targets for low-level air defence in all-weather, keeping an accurate eye on targets. It can track and shoot enemy targets up to 2 kilometres on the ground and about 2.5 kilometres in the air, Captain Preeti Choudhary had said.
“I received this opportunity because it’s my regiment’s equipment, not due to my gender,” she said, adding that she last marched along Rajpath in the 2016 Republic Day celebration as a cadet with the National Cadet Corps (NCC).
She had last marched in the Republic Day parade along the Rajpath in 2016 as a cadet with the National Cadet Corps. She is also the recipient of the Sword of Honour for being an all-round cadet at the Officers Training Academy (OTA) in Chennai.
Her father honorary Captain Inder Singh had served in Army Medical Corps. Captain Preetu is a graduate of the Government College for Girls, Chandigarh.
