Indian Army celebrates Infantry Day on October 27.
New Delhi: In order to commemorate the landing of first Indian infantry soldiers in Jammu & Kashmir who took part in an action for defending Indian territory from Pakistani invaders, Indian Army celebrates Infantry Day on October 27 every year.
Aiming to observe the 76th anniversary of Infantry Day, a team from the Madras Regimental Center (MRC) among four will participate in a bike rally to New Delhi.
The team is being led Major James Joseph with 9 other ranks, will cover nearly 3,100 kms in nine days.
Read also: ‘Open Sangsar’: The radio message that sealed the fate of East Pakistan
The MRC team will be cross through Shivamogga, Belgaum, Pune, Nashik, Mhow, Chittorgarh and Jaipur to final destination in New Delhi.
The members will interact with veterans, NCC cadets, Veer Naris, students and local populace enroute to New Delhi.
How the Infantry soldiers defended Jammu & Kashmir from Pakistani invaders?
On October 27, 1947, the Sikh Regiment’s 1st Battalion landed at Srinagar airbase and displayed extraordinary courage, determination and grit for a fight. The memories still reverberate among patriotic Indians.
Then, the Sikh Regiment had become ‘The Great Wall’ against the Pakistani Army, who had sneaked into Kashmir valley with the support from tribal raiders in 1947.
History and Significance
After India and Pakistan got separated in 1947, the Jammu & Kashmir under Maharaja Hari Singh preferred to stay independent. Months after division, the Pakistani Army with ill intention thought to capture Srinagar. With this motive, the invaders were advancing towards Srinagar in Jammu & Kashmir.
Indian Army troops deployed to defend Srinagar in 1947.
A high-level meeting was held under the then prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru on October 26 night to deploy forces in Kashmir to defend the territory. It was in this meeting decided to airdrop the troops in Kashmir.
If the troops would have had been deployed through link roads, the valley would have gotten into the hands of Pakistani invaders.
In the wee hours of October 27, soldiers were airlifted with the help of two Indian Air Force aircraft and the remaining ones got lifted by private airline flights.
Indian Army troops airlifted to Srinagar in IAF's planes The battalion commanded by Lt Col Dewan Ranjit Rai landed in Srinagar on the same day and secured the Srinagar airfield.
He along with his team rushed to Baramulla to restrict the Pakistani invaders from advancing further inside Srinagar.
He was successful in holding them back in Baramulla.
So since then, the country celebrates Infantry Day on October 27every year to pay tribute to the thousands of infantry soldiers who made supreme sacrifice for the country.
