Srinagar/New Delhi: The Indian Army today commemorated the 75th Infantry Day, marking the landing of the first unit of the force here in 1947 to save Jammu and Kashmir from a “ruthless and treacherous” Pakistani invasion.
The Indian Army Infantrymen, led by 1 SIKH, had landed at Srinagar Airfield in the wake of military aggression by Pakistan which wanted to annex the then Princely state of Jammu and Kashmir by force.
Pakistan launched the military aggression on October 22, 1947, after the then ruler of J&K Maharaja Hari Singh refused Islamabad’s overtures and threats for merger with the Islamic nation. He had shown inclination to join the democratic and secular nation India.
The Pakistani military and irregulars had almost reached Srinagar, the capital of Jammu and Kashmir, when the Indian Army began the campaign to push them back.
The occasion was commemorated in Srinagar and Udhampur, the base of Northern Command, with wreaths being placed at memorials and tributes paid to the martyrs.
As part of the Infantry Day celebrations, a ‘Wreath Laying’ ceremony was also held at National War Memorial in Delhi to honour the fallen heros of the Infantry, who made the supreme sacrifice on various battlefields in service of the Nation.
Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, Army Chief General MM Naravane, Colonels of the Infantry Regiments and other senior officers laid wreaths on this solemn occasion.
Three decorated veterans of Indo Pak War 1971, namely Major RK Arora, Subedar Nand Ram and Grenadier Amrit also laid wreaths on behalf of veterans of the Infantry.
In his message to all Infantrymen on this day, Director General of Infantry exhorted them to rededicate themselves to the core values of bravery, sacrifice, selfless devotion to duty and professionalism, and to remain steadfast in their resolve to defend the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Country.
The Infantry, since time immemorial, has displayed fortitude, indomitable resoluteness and dogged determination all through its chequered history. The fighting spirit of Indian Army’s versatile ‘Infantry’ has always been appreciated by all over the world.
