Indian Army Chief's Band
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| Indian Army Chief's Band | |
|---|---|
 The band during the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. | |
| Active | 1990 |
| Country |  India |
| Branch |  Indian Army |
| Size | 44 members |
| Part of | Headquarters, Indian Army |
| Garrison/HQ | New Delhi |
| March | Quick: Qadam Qadam Badhaye Ja Slow: Samman Guard |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander | Subedar Major Suresh Kumar Sharma |
The Indian Army Chief's Band is the Indian Army's full-time music band. It was founded in 1990 as the official band of the Indian Army and the foremost in the armed forces. It also, as its name implies, represents the Chief of the Army Staff at events involving the COAS's presence. The band represents India in most important state events held in the Indian capital. It was raised in 1990 with bandsmen being drawn multiple Indian military bands in order to "retain the true representation of the entire nation in one band". In April 2011, a string section was added, consisting of cellos, violas and violins, elevating it to a symphony orchestra comprising 72 musicians.[1] Outside of the Indian Army, it has also represented the Indian nation at various military music festivals in France, Italy, Sweden, Germany, Great Britain, Russia and Bangladesh.[2]
The band consists of the following ensembles:
- Parade Band
- Symphony Orchestra
- Brass ensemble
- Percussion ensemble
- Woodwind ensemble
- Jazz ensemble
- Vocalist group
Initially, the band played with percussion, brass and woodwind sections.[1] Today, the band uses traditional Indian instruments such as the Mridangam, the Tabla, and the Carnatic[further explanation needed].[citation needed] In addition other traditional instruments such as the Santoor, Sitar and Jaltarang have been incorporated in the band.[3]