Excelsior Correspondent
UDHAMPUR, Oct 27: The Indian Army celebrated 68th Infantry Day with traditional solemnity and gaiety all across the Northern Command today.
On this occasion, Lt Gen DS Hooda, the General Officer Commanding- in- Chief (Army Commander) and senior most Infantry officer in the region laid wreath on the “Dhruva Shahid Smarak” in Udhampur, in remembrance and honour of all those members of the Infantry fraternity, who made the supreme sacrifice for the honour and safety of the country in Jammu and Kashmir. Similar memorial service were held all over J&K.
In his message to the Infantry, Lt Gen DS Hooda, complimented all Infantrymen for their devotion to duty and indomitable spirit while working under trying and difficult conditions. He acknowledged their tremendous contribution in maintaining the sanctity of the nation’s borders and fighting terrorism in J&K.
Oct 27, is celebrated as Infantry Day by the Indian Army as it was on this day on in 1947 that a Company of Infantry of the Ist Battalion of the SIKH Regiment was airlifted from Delhi to Srinagar, to liberate Kashmir from the invading tribals supported by the Pakistan Army. This action was ordered by the Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru after Maharaja Hari Singh of Jammu and Kashmir signed the Instrument of Accession, acceding his kingdom, “Jammu and Kashmir” to independent India. Another significance of this day is that it was on this day in 1947 that India as an independent nation was first time engaged in operations against an aggressor.
It would be pertinent to recollect that Pakistan Army had launched ‘Operation Gulmarg’ in early October 1947 using tribals to annex J&K. Hostilities began in early October 1947, when a tribal rebellion was instigated in Poonch in Southwest Kashmir. By October 20 the Pakistani Army entered the conflict in support of the tribal forces. On October 22, a Lashkar of five thousand tribals invaded the Kashmir Valley from Abbottabad. On October 26 Maharaja Hari Singh signed the Instrument of Accession thus making Jammu and Kashmir an integral part of India and the Indian Army was thereafter ordered to evict the invaders. Entire campaign was predominantly Infantry centric and its commencement on October 27, 1947 is commemorated as ‘Infantry Day’.
Infantry Day was also celebrated in a most traditional and solemn manner at Nagrota garrison and Tiger Division at Satwari in Jammu today. The day was marked by laying of wreath by Lt Gen RR Nimbhorkar, General Officer Commanding, White Knight Corps at the ‘Ashwamedh Shaurya Sthal’ and Brig Randhir Singh at Tiger Memorial by remembering the martyrs. Veterans, serving Officers and men alike paid homage to the brave soldiers who have made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty.
Meanwhile, to honour all those members of the Infantry who made the supreme sacrifice fighting Pakistani raiders in J&K in 1947, a solemn wreath laying ceremony was held at the Warriors’ Grove of the Crossed Swords Division where Maj Gen Kulpreet Singh, General Officer Commanding of the Division along with officers and men of the Crossed Swords Division at Akhnoor paid homage to all the brave soldiers of the country who made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty.
On the occasion, the GOC extended his greetings to all ranks of the division and said that the day was celebrated as Infantry Day by the Indian Army as it was on this day in 1947 that India as an independent nation, for the first time engaged in operations against an aggressor.
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