Infantry Day: When Indian Army chased Pak out and saved Jammu & Kashmir

New Delhi, Oct 27: Infantry Day is celebrated every year on October 27 to commemorate the India's first Infantry action post independence.

This day has a significance for infantry, as it was on this day in 1947 that infantrymen from Indian Army became the first troops to land at Srinagar airport, an act which turned back the invaders from the outskirts of Srinagar and saved the state of Jammu and Kashmir from a Pakistan backed tribal invasion.

Responding to a threat posed to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country, the Indian Army from 1st Battalion of the Sikh Regiment, air landed at Srinagar. This bold action and resolve displayed by the infantrymen reversed the tide of events and thwarted the nefarious designs of Pakistani Raiders aided by the Pakistan Army.

The government ordered the action after the ruler of Jammu and Kashmir, Maharaja Hari Singh, signed the Instrument of Accession, acceding the state to India.

Under command of Lieutenant Colonel Dewan Ranjit Rai, who later laid down his life at Baramulla, changed the course of the war, wherein people and soldiers of State Forces of Jammu and Kashmir and the Indian Army fought alongside valiantly, to evict Pakistani forces, driving them out of most of Jammu and Kashmir till ceasefire on January 5, 1949, the Army had earlier said.

How it is celebrated this year?
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Army Chief Gen Manoj Pande will attend an event in Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday to mark the 75th anniversary of Infantry Day

At the event, some of the key scenes of the historic Budgam landings are scheduled to be reenacted, among other events planned to be held on Thursday to mark the landmark occasion, according to a report in PTI.

"The defence minister and the Army chief will take part in the Infantry Day anniversary event in Jammu and Kashmir tomorrow. And, a number of other top officers of the armed forces will also be present," a senior official told the news agency.

A team from the Madras Regimental Center (MRC) is taking part in a bike rally to New Delhi. They will cover nearly 3,100 kms in nine days as they will pass through the places like Shivamogga, Belgaum, Pune, Nashik, Mhow, Chittorgarh and Jaipur, The Hindu reports.