27th October- Infantry Day 2021

Infantry Day is observed every year as a remembrance of the first military event of independent India, when the Indian Army repelled the first attack on Indian soil on October 27, 1947, in the Kashmir valley. The day is marked to pay homage to the thousands of infantry soldiers who have laid down their lives in the line of duty. This year we will be observing the 75th Infantry Day on 27th October 2021.

Why is 27th October celebrated as Infantry Day?

On this day, the first Indian Infantry soldiers took part in an action to defend Indian territory from external aggression. On October 22, Pakistan had deluged in thousands of soldiers in the grab of tribals and volunteers from the tribal areas of North West Frontier Province (NWFP) into J&K with the aim of forcibly occupying the state and integrating it into Pakistan. Then on October 26, 1947  Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir, Hari Singh, signed the instrument of accession, making his state a part of Indian dominion, and thus paving the day for Indian troops to be deployed in the state to fight against Pakistani invaders.

After which in the early hours on October 27, the troops were airlifted from two Indian Air Force flights and the remaining five were from the private airlines. On October 27, the Battalion commanded by Lt. Col. Dewan Ranjit Rai landed in Srinagar. Lt. Col. Dewan Ranjit Rai first secured the Srinagar airfield and then rushed to Baramulla to stop the invaders in their tracks. He was successful in holding them and during this time, more reinforcements were sent to Srinagar via air route to push back the Pakistani invaders.  Lt. Col. Rai laid down his life in this action and was posthumously awarded the second-highest gallantry award of the country, i.e., Maha Vir Chakra. 

Since then, every year, Infantry Day is celebrated to pay homage to the thousands of infantry soldiers who lost their lives in the line of duty.