From Prahar Defence Academy to Republic Day 2026: Captain Harshita Raghav Commands the First-Ever Animal Contingent
Hundreds of students from Prahar Defence Academy have achieved success on different levels in their military careers after cracking the NDA or CDS exams. One of the names that stands out among them is Captain Harshita Raghav, who has made history by commanding the first-ever animal contingent at the Republic Day parade of 2026. A dedicated animal contingent marks an institutional acknowledgement of the constant operational relevance of trained military animals in the Indian armed forces.
Captain Harshita Raghav Commands the First-Ever Animal Contingent of Republic Day 2026
For the first time in India’s history, an animal contingent marched during the Republic Day parade which highlighted the Indian Army’s Animal Remount and Veterinary Corps (RVC) and allied units. Captain Harshita Raghav became the woman to command it due to her expertise, experience of operations, and the ability to coordinate multi-unit formations.
Talking about the presence of animal contingents in the parade of Republic Day 2026, Captain Harshita Raghav stated, “These animals are soldiers of the Indian Army only. In fact, they are the silent warriors, making them operationally ready, and understanding the requirements of operations from these animals are two very important aspects. They are true force multipliers of the Indian Army.”
Who is Captain Harshita Raghav?
Captain Harshita Raghav hails from Bhopal and is a second-generation commissioned officer of the Indian Army and the daughter of Pradeep Raghav, a retired Group Captain from the Indian Air Force, who served in the forces for three decades. At a young age, she saw the life of military professionals closely while doing her schooling in different parts of India. At the same time, she found a passion for animals and dreamt of becoming a veterinarian.
In her professional career, Harshita also served at the Wildlife Research and Training Centre at Nagpur and as an Assistant Veterinary Officer at the National Zoological Park, New Delhi. Harshita became one women army officer out of the first four that were recruited in her batch for the Indian Army's Remount Veterinary Corps.
During her training at the Officers Training Academy and the RVC Centre and College in Meerut, she earned the Best Officer award in her batch of 20 officers due to her impressive skills in drills, fitness, weapon handling, and animal care.
Education Background of Captain Harshita Raghav
Harshita stepped forward into her career by studying her domain of interest by completing a Bachelor’s in Veterinary Science from Mumbai Veterinary College, with a first division with distinction. She joined Prahar Defence Academy for NDA coaching in Nagpur in February 2023, where she was mentored by Flt Lt Shiwalee Deshpande, the director of the academy. In October 2023, she was recommended by 20 SSB Bhopal.
About her experience of training at Prahar Defence Academy, Captain Harshita Raghav said, “Their consistency and motivation, values, compassion and leadership in Shiwalee Deshpande attracted me and inspired me in more ways than one. She was the first lady officer to lead the passing out parade in the Indian Air Force. Now, I have become the first lady veterinarian in India to join the entire credit of me joining the Armed Forces goes to Shiwalee madam.”
The Components of the Animal Contingent at Republic Day Parade
The Indian Army’s Animal Contingent at the Republic Day Parade 2026 featured a selected group of trained animals, all of them important in some or the other way in the daily operations of the Remount Veterinary Corps. Captain Harshita Raghav says, “These animals are silent warriors. Their work is recognised, but this parade highlights their roles, saying it's the perfect way to serve both country and creatures. The Animal Contingent consists of:
Bactrian camels
Zanskar ponies
Raptors
Army dogs
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About Prahar Defence Academy
Prahar Defence Academy is the best defence coaching institute Nagpur, carrying an experience of training thousands of aspirants for their successful career in the Indian military through courses like NDA crash course as well as those preparing you for SSB interview and CDS exam. We at Prahar Defence Academy provide the future officers with:
Syllabus-aligned academic coaching
Disciplined physical training mapped to defence fitness norms
Mentorship by retired or experienced defence personnel
Simulated interview and group testing exposure
Enroll at Prahar Defence Academy, the best defence academy that you can find in Nagpur, and make your first step towards carving your own success story like Captain Harshita Raghav.
FAQs
Q. Which army animal contingent to debut at Republic Day parade?
The army animal contingent that made its debut at the Republic Day parade of 2026 comes from the Indian Army’s Remount and Veterinary Corps.
Q. What animals are in the Republic Day parade?
The animals that are a part of the Republic Day parade in the contingent of the Indian Army’s Remount and Veterinary Corps feature Bactrian camels, Zanskar ponies, raptors, and Army dogs.
Q. What is the Remount Veterinary Corps?
The Remount Veterinary Corps (RVC) is a branch of the Indian Army that is responsible for breeding, rearing, training, and providing medical care for army animals, including horses, mules, and dogs. The headquarters of this branch is in Meerut.
