Indian Army and Indian Air Force Thursday celebrated Shaurya Diwas and 75 years of induction of the Indian Army to save Jammu and Kashmir from the Pakistani invasion in 1947 in Budgam.
The replication of the historic event was organised at Old Air Field on 27 October 2022 to pay obeisance to the brave soldiers and people of Jammu & Kashmir, who laid down their lives and also to honour the Next of Kin of war heroes who participated in the 1947-48 Indo-Pak War.
Rajnath Singh, Defense Minister of India celebrated Shaurya Diwas at Old Air Field, Srinagar along with Manoj Sinha, Lieutenant Governor of J&K. General Manoj Pande, COAS, Lieutenant General Upendra Dwivedi, GOC-in-C, Northern Command, Air Marshal S Prabhakaran, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Air Command, Lieutenant General ADS Aujla, General Officer Commanding, 15 Corps along with several other civil and military dignitaries and citizens in Kashmir
“Defense Minister Rajnath Singh along with citizens of Kashmir witnessed a re-enactment of history, covering the violation of the ‘Standstill Agreement’ by Pakistan, wherein Pakistan Army infiltrated Jammu & Kashmir, brutalizing citizens by unleashing rape, murder, looting and arson,” officials said.
“The event also covered the depiction of the arrival of the Indian Army on 27 October 1947 to evict Pakistani Forces. A stunning air show by the Indian Air Force was also on display, mesmerising the attendees. In addition, the Next of Kin of war veterans who travelled from across the country to be part of this mega event was also felicitated,” they said.
“The Budgam landings are the first military operations of independent India, when the Indian Army was inducted by the Indian Air Force at Budgam Airport on 27 October 1947,” officials said.
“1st SIKH Regiment, under command of Lieutenant Colonel DewanRanjitRai, who later laid down his life at Baramulla, changed the course of the war, wherein people and soldiers of State Forces of Jammu & Kashmir and the Indian Army fought valiantly alongside to evict Pakistani Forces, driving them out of most of Jammu & Kashmir till ceasefire on 05 January 1949,” they said
It is pertinent to mention here that 27 October is celebrated as ‘Infantry Day’ by the Indian Army to commemorate the arrival of the Indian Army at Badgam Airfield to protect Jammu & Kashmir after the ‘Instrument of Accession was signed on 26 October 1947 between Maharaja Hari Singh and the Republic of India.