The world’s first all-women paramilitary pipe band on April 9 marched to its maiden tune after it got its ceremonial colours under the CRPF at an event here.
Minister of State for Home Jitendra Singh presented the ceremonial ‘pipe mace’ to the band commander, called ‘Major of Pipes’, sub-inspector Darshana Kumari during the ‘Valour Day’ celebrations of the CRPF.
The 23-member band, after being commissioned into the force, presented a fine display of their music and accorded a traditional salute to the Minister before getting a word of praise from CRPF chief Vijay Kumar.
Dressed in Scottish-style tunics, the women have been picked up from various battalions of the CRPF and will now undergo rigorous training for few months by band experts before starting regular performances.
Out of the 23 band players, twelve play the pipes while five are on the drums while the rest play other musical instruments.
The women band will not only play martial and ceremonial tunes at traditional events, it would also be sent at foreign duty locations in future. CRPF Deputy Inspector-General Neetu Bhattacharya, who was instrumental in putting together the new band squad, said the band will add few more members in the coming days.
