As leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) witness India’s military might and cultural diversity during the Republic Day parade on Rajpath here, Honorary Sub-Lieutenant Ramesh Chand Katoch, 55, will be in the forefront, leading the Navy band for the 20th time in a row.
“It is very important to maintain physical fitness all round the year. I wake up at 4 a.m. and start practice. It is important to maintain the routine and train as a team. I feel proud marching on Rajpath,” he told The Hindu . This is his 30th time on Rajpath and also the last as he will retire in April as he completes 37 years of service. Practice for the parade starts a month and a half in advance.
He used to play the clarinet before he became the Band Major. On how the parade has changed, he says, “The parade as such has not changed much. I can only talk of the Navy. The performance of the Navy contingent has improved over the years.”
He has already trained two master chiefs from the Navy to replace him. “I try to motivate the personnel,” Mr. Katoch, who is a music instructor, said.
He has an advice to improve the overall effect of the bands. “There should not be more than two base drums per band. Otherwise, the music would not be heard. The drums would dominate,” he said.
The Navy band consists of a Band Major and 80 personnel. The same band participates in Beating Retreat.
In his fond recollections spanning three decades, he recalled that when A.P.J. Abdul Kalam was President, they were called to the Rashtrapati Bhavan for tea. “He [Kalam] said that in Beating Retreat, musicians marched and played music; it required a lot of intellect,” Mr. Katoch recalled.
The parade marches 11 km. Earlier, it was 18 km.
Among his various recollections is one of India’s worst earthquakes which stuck Bhuj on the morning of 2001.
“Just before the parade started, there was a tremor [on Rajpath]. Later we got to know of the earthquake in Gujarat,” Mr. Katoch recalled.
