Celebrating 77 Years of Valor: Infantry Day Remembrance in Pune
Camp, 27th October 2023: On the momentous occasion of the 77th Infantry Day, Lt Gen AK Singh, GOC-in-C Southern Command, who is also the senior-most serving infantry officer in Southern Command, paid homage to all infantrymen who made the supreme sacrifice in the service of the Nation.
He laid a wreath at the Southern Command War Memorial in Pune. The event was attended by a large number of serving and veteran Infantrymen. The senior-most veteran, Lieutenant General R V Kulkarni, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM (Retired), also laid a wreath on behalf of the veteran community.
Infantry Day is celebrated annually to commemorate the landing of the 1st Battalion of the SIKH Regiment at Srinagar airfield on 27 Oct 1947. This action protected the people of Jammu & Kashmir from the nefarious designs of Pakistani Kabaili Raiders aided by the Pakistan Army. The gallant action foiled Pakistan’s plans to occupy Jammu & Kashmir.
Infantry, known as the “Queen of the Battle,” has a history as old as the first human war. The infantry has played a crucial role in the army in protecting the sovereignty of the nation since independence. Whether it be the war of 1962 with China or the wars of 1947-48 with Pakistan, 1965, 71, or the 1999 Kargil conflict, the contribution of infantry in triumphing in these historical wars is unparalleled. Apart from these wars, Counter Insurgency/Counter Terrorist Operations in North and North East, Op BLUE STAR and Op RAKSHAK in Punjab, Op PAWAN in Sri Lanka, and recently Op SNOW LEOPARD in Eastern Ladakh have been continuous witnesses to the sheer professionalism and commitment of infantry, eventually leading to the success of these operations.
In his message, Lt Gen AK Singh, GOC-in-C Southern Command, complimented the Infantrymen for their devotion to duty and indomitable spirit in serving under difficult conditions. He exhorted all ranks of the Infantry to continue drawing inspiration from the heroic deeds of the bravehearts and remain steadfast in their resolve to defend the territorial integrity and sovereignty of our Country.
