R-Day parade: Major Divya Tyagi leads all-men Bombay Sappers contingent

New Delhi: Major Divya Tyagi made history on Friday by becoming the first woman officer of the Indian Army to lead an all-men contingent of the Bombay Sappers, Bombay Engineer Group and Centre, at the Republic Day parade here.

Tyagi is an officer of the 115th Engineer Regiment.

"The Bombay Sappers traces its ancestry back to 1777 when the Pioneer Lascars were raised under the Bombay Presidency. However, the date of raising of the group is taken as 1820, when the Engineer Lascars were raised and formed into a company designated as 'Sappers and Miners' under the Bombay Army," an information brochure released by the government on the eve of Republic Day said.

It added that "the gallant Bombay Sappers have been honoured with 34 Battle Honours and 25 Theatre Honours prior to independence, and three Battle Honours and six Theatre Honours post-independence, apart from 10 COAS Unit Citations, two COAS Certificate of Appreciation, and one GOC-in-C Certificate of Appreciation in these 204 years".

According to the government, the Bombay Sappers have the privilege of being the proud recipients of the highest gallantry awards, both pre and post-independence, vis-a-vis the Victoria Cross, the Medaille Militaire, the Param Vir Chakra and the Ashok Chakra.

"The Bombay Sappers joined the club of a select few when they received Colours from R Venkataraman, the then president of India, on February 21, 1990," it said.

The brochure stated that the Bombay Sappers has built canals, roads and railways, operated mints and lighthouses and even constructed prestigious buildings.