Captain Samira Buttar: A Legacy of Service and Dedication at the Republic Day Parade

As the 77th Republic Day Parade approaches its final preparations on Kartavya Path, Captain Samira Buttar of the Indian Army is poised to lead the Integrated Operations Centre tableau. She undertakes this significant role with quiet resilience, even as she navigates personal grief.

Captain Buttar, a fourth-generation Army officer, has embraced this moment of national pride soon after the death of her father, Colonel Sarabjeet Singh Buttar (retd). Her decision to press on with her duties amid this profound personal loss exemplifies the Army’s fundamental value of Service Before Self.

Captain Buttar regards her participation in the Republic Day Parade as a tribute to her father, with the event holding deep personal significance. The intense schedule of rehearsals and early-morning drills has allowed her to channel her grief into determination, as she takes her place at the helm of her contingent.

Originating from Chandigarh, Captain Buttar is part of a distinguished military family. Her grandfather, Brigadier Sampuran Singh Buttar (retd), was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra for his service with the 19 Punjab Regiment, and her great-grandfather, Risaldar Major Rattan Singh, served in the cavalry. "Wearing the uniform was my dream since childhood," she stated, noting that leading a tableau celebrating the success of Operation Sindoor is an unparalleled honor for any officer.

Due to her recent bereavement, her family will not be attending the parade. She expressed with quiet certainty that her father would have wished for her to lead from the front, as he had consistently supported her commitment to the Army.

Captain Buttar described the tableau as a representation of the successful coordination during Operation Sindoor, symbolizing a unified national effort. "It represents synergy between political leadership, the armed forces, and the people of India," she remarked, highlighting India’s advancing indigenous military capability and operational readiness.

Through her discipline, calm, and dignity, Captain Samira Buttar’s participation in the parade on Kartavya Path conveys a compelling narrative—one where personal grief is transformed into a dedication to national duty and a continuation of a proud legacy of service.