Captain Ritika Khareta Assists PM Modi in Red Fort Tricolour Hoisting on Independence Day

Indian Army officer Captain Ritika Khareta of the Corps of Signals drew national attention on 15 August 2026 after assisting Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the ceremonial hoisting of the National Flag at the Red Fort on India’s 80th Independence Day.

Captain Khareta stood beside the Prime Minister on the historic ramparts as the Tricolour was unfurled before a large gathering at the Red Fort and millions of viewers across the country. The flag-hoisting was timed with the traditional 21-gun salute, which was carried out using indigenous 105 mm Light Field Guns.

The ceremony initially led to confusion over which officer had been assigned the duty. The Ministry of Defence’s pre-event briefing had identified Captain Sonia Singh Chauhan as the officer who would assist the Prime Minister, and several early reports repeated that name.

Later reporting clarified that the officer who actually performed the ceremonial role was Captain Ritika Khareta. Aaj Tak, which had first referred to Captain Sonia Singh Chauhan, subsequently corrected its report and said fresh information confirmed Captain Khareta’s presence in the flag-hoisting ceremony.

For Captain Khareta, the Red Fort appearance came after an earlier moment of national visibility. She first came into the spotlight during the 76th Republic Day Parade in January 2025, when she commanded the Corps of Signals marching contingent on Kartavya Path.

Born and raised in Delhi, Captain Khareta is the daughter of a Delhi Police Sub-Inspector and a school teacher. She studied at Amity International School, Pushp Vihar, and is part of the school’s 2016 batch. Her family background, rooted in public service, helped shape her interest in uniformed service, according to the source report.

Her selection for the 2025 Republic Day Parade was itself notable. Standing about 180 cm tall, she was chosen from among 12 shortlisted officers at the Signal Training Centre in Jabalpur to command the Corps of Signals contingent. The formation comprised 146 personnel, including two Junior Commissioned Officers, and Captain Khareta became the only woman officer commanding an Indian Army marching contingent that year.

That appointment carried added significance because she was leading an all-male contingent from one of the Army’s most technically important arms. The Corps of Signals handles military communications, information systems and the networked systems that connect commanders and formations during operations.

Speaking before the 2025 Republic Day Parade, Captain Khareta said the opportunity was something she had never imagined earlier in her career. She also said that the Indian Army welcomes women and empowers them, provided they perform to the best of their abilities.

For the Delhi-born officer, marching on Kartavya Path also had a personal resonance. She had grown up watching police and armed forces personnel carry out ceremonial and operational duties across the same city, making the Republic Day experience especially meaningful.

About 18 months later, she returned to another of Delhi’s most prominent national landmarks, this time in a different but equally visible role beside the Prime Minister at the Red Fort.

The 2026 Independence Day celebrations were historic in their own right. They marked 150 years of Vande Mataram, and for the first time the national song was formally rendered as part of the Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort. The Ministry of Defence had announced the special addition ahead of the event.

After the National Flag was hoisted, the National Flag Guard presented the Rashtriya Salute. The ceremony also featured the 21-gun salute by the 1721 Field Battery (Ceremonial). The wider celebrations carried the themes of “150 Years of Vande Mataram” and “Yuva Shakti for Viksit Bharat@2047”.

Captain Khareta’s role once again placed a young woman officer of the Indian Army at the centre of one of the country’s most closely watched national ceremonies.

Her career has also become a point of inspiration for defence aspirants because she does not come from a conventional multi-generation military family. As the daughter of a Delhi Police officer and a teacher, her rise demonstrates how candidates from ordinary backgrounds can reach highly visible positions of responsibility through merit, training and professional performance.

The two public appearances also reflect the expanding responsibilities being entrusted to women officers in the Indian Army. From commanding troops on Kartavya Path to performing ceremonial duties at the Red Fort, women officers are increasingly being seen in leadership and representative roles across the service.

For candidates preparing for examinations such as NDA, CDS and other Armed Forces entries, Captain Khareta’s career offers a clear example of the standards military service demands. Assignments of this kind require careful preparation, composure and the ability to perform under intense public scrutiny.

The 2026 assignment was also notable because of the change from the original programme. While Captain Sonia Singh Chauhan had been named in the official pre-event briefing, Captain Ritika Khareta ultimately carried out the duty, reflecting the adaptability expected of military officers when responsibilities shift.

From commanding 146 soldiers of the Corps of Signals on Kartavya Path in 2025 to standing beside the Prime Minister during the National Flag ceremony at the Red Fort in 2026, Captain Ritika Khareta has already featured in two of the Army’s most visible ceremonial moments in a still-early career.

For many young Indians watching the Independence Day ceremony, the image of Captain Khareta beneath the rising Tricolour was more than a formal protocol moment. It was also a reminder of a new generation of Indian Army officers being entrusted with responsibility, leadership and the honour of representing the Armed Forces on the nation’s biggest stage.