Hyderabad: Every year the Infantry Day is celebrated on October 27 to pay tribute and recognise the contributions of the largest fighting arm of the Indian Army who laid down their lives in the line of duty.
Indian Army is celebrating it as the 78th Infantry Day this year. On this day, the country pays tribute to the brave hearts who sacrificed their lives while protecting the country.
Significance: Infantry Day is celebrated as a remembrance of the first military event of independent India, when the First Battalion of the Sikh Regiment of the Indian Army fought a battle to accomplish victory over the first attack on Indian soil by the Pakistan Army and Lashkar invader on October 27, 1947, in the Kashmir valley. The day is significant because the first troops of the Indian Army landed at Srinagar airport, forcing the invaders, backed by Pakistan, to retreat.
Detailed History: In 22 October 1947, Pakistan’s regular soldiers entered Jammu and Kashmir. Their main motive behind this was to forcibly occupy the state and integrate it into Pakistan. This big concern made Maharaja Hari Singh of Srinagar sign the accession instrument on 26 October 1947, after which Jammu and Kashmir became a part of India. With this agreement, he paved the way for the Indian Army and its troops to be positioned and deployed in the state to fight against Pakistani invaders, who entered the country.
A Battalion of the Sikh Regiment reached the Srinagar air base to fight against the tribal invaders, who were backed by Pakistan. However, before the first Battalion reached the battleground, Pakistan’s regular soldiers, reportedly disguised as volunteers from the tribal areas of North West Frontier Province (NWFP), had already entered Jammu and Kashmir. The Pakistani invaders were advancing towards Srinagar. Hence, an emergency meeting was held on the night of 26 October and after a go-ahead from the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, troops were sent to Srinagar.
In the early hours of 27 October, a part of the troops were airlifted with the help of two Indian Air Force aircraft and the remaining ones were lifted by private airline flights. The first Indian battalion commanded by Lt Col Dewan Ranjit Rai was intimated on October 26 night. They moved from Gurgaon (now Gurugram) where they were stationed to Palam airport in New Delhi and were airlifted to Srinagar the next morning where they saved the airfield from the Pakistani invaders.
After securing the Srinagar airfield, the Indian soldiers rushed towards Baramulla to stop the invaders in their tracks. Lt Col Rai was able to delay the advance of the invaders towards Srinagar but laid down his life near Baramulla. More reinforcements were rushed to Srinagar through the air route to push back the Pakistani forces.
On October 27, 1947, he was the first Indian Army officer to engage in combat after independence. He was posthumously awarded the second-highest gallantry award of the country, the Maha Vir Chakra, for his bravery
What is Infantry?: The infantry is the largest fighting arm of the Indian Army. It is the backbone of the Indian Army and its soldiers bear the main brunt in any battle. Physical fitness, aggression and discipline are the basic qualities required in these men. The Infantry units of the Indian Army have been modernised, equipped and trained to make the Indian Army among the best in the world.
Infantry is divided into two main categories: light infantry and heavy infantry. Light infantry is designed to be mobile and agile, while heavy infantry is designed to be heavily armed and armoured. Both types of infantry are essential to the success of modern military operations
It is one of the four major combat arms of the Indian Army. The other three are: Armoured Corps, Mechanised Infantry, Artillery
