Six things that happened for the first time as Obama visited India

Military precision blended seamlessly with cultural diversity at India’s 66th Republic Day parade last Monday where US president Barack Obama was the chief guest.
This Republic Day parade was quite special as many things happened for the first time...
1. Barack Obama became the first American president to grace the Republic Day celebrations. Obama is also the first American President to visit India twice.
Barack and Michelle Obama were received at the VVIP dais of the ceremonial boulevard Rajpath by Vice President Hamid Ansari and his wife Salma, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar.
Dressed in a dark suit, Obama was seated next to Modi and the two leaders were seen having a conversation with each other during the course of the nearly two hour-long parade. The American First lady was seated alongside Ansari’s wife Salma.

Indian prime minister Narendra Modi (R) and US president Barack Obama wave prior to a meeting in New Delhi.

2. For the first time, an all-women’s contingent drawn from the three services featured at the event, while the Indian Army, the Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force also fielded all-women contingents.
And, with ‘women’s empowerment’ being the theme of this year’s Republic Day parade, another attraction at the annual extravaganza was the contingents of all-women officers of the three Services marching for the first time on the Rajpath.
3. Obama’s attendance at the Republic Day celebrations was unlike any other event he has participated in during his overseas travel as president.
He spent more than two hours on an outdoor viewing platform, an unusual amount of time given Secret Service security concerns.
Obama nodded in approval as tanks and rocket launchers, some of them Russian-made, rolled down the parade route and helicopters ferrying Indian flags flew overhead.

Indian National Security Guard commandos arrive to provide security ahead of US president Barack Obama’s arrival last week. AFP PHOTO

4. A highlight of this year’s parade was the display for the first time of the recently acquired long-range maritime surveillance and anti-submarine P-8I aircraft and the long-range advanced MiG-29K fighter plane.
5. In a departure from tradition, Obama and Michelle arrived in the presidential armoured limousine, the ‘Beast’.The chief guest of the Republic Day usually comes to the venue with the President, the head of the state.
6. Telangana made its debut at the Republic Day Parade this year, displaying the state’s illustrious festival ‘Bonalu’ in the tableau. Telangana, which came into existence in June 2014 as the 29th state of India, showcased Golkonda Fort in its tableau from where the festival starts. Goddess Mahankali is celebrated during the Bonalu festival.

As musicians played traditional tunes, women, who wereattired in traditional dress showcased the culture of the newly carved-out state.

Participants played musical instruments like Dappu, Kommu, Tasha and Pagadam.