October 27 holds immense significance in the history of India's armed forces given that it was their first military operation post-independence.
What is the History of Infantry Day in India?
On October 27, 1947, a day after Kashmir's ruler Maharaja Hari Singh signed the instrument of accession with India, the first batch of Indian soldiers arrived in Srinagar as part of their first combat mission for the newly formed democratic nation.
The development came following an armed attack, wherein Pakistani tribals allegedly supported by the neighboring country's army invaded Kashmir to take control over the region and merge it with the Islamic sovereign state.
As Hari Singh's forces could not push back the Pakistani onslaught on Kashmir despite putting up a dogged fight, he sought help from the Indian government, which obliged after he decided to merge Kashmir with India on October 26, 1947.
Led by Lt Col Dewan Ranjit Rai, the maiden battalion of Indian soldiers first took control of the Srinagar airfield before heading to Baramulla to prevent the infiltrators from securing that part of Kashmir.
Though Lt Col Rai and his men managed to stop the invaders from advancing to Srinagar, he achieved martyrdom while fighting the battle near Baramulla.
Eventually, the Indian Army rushed reinforcements, forcing the invaders to retreat to the Uri town in Baramulla, which acts as a makeshift border between India and Pakistan at present following a ceasefire.
An Indian Army HAL Cheetah helicopter flies past as soldiers perform drills during an Army weaponry exhibition in Kolkata on February 2, 2013.
© AFP 2023 DIBYANGSHU SARKAR
Why do Indians Celebrate Infantry Day?
Since then, India has been celebrating October 27 as Infantry Day in light of the success of its ground forces against Pakistani invaders in Kashmir.
In the ensuing years, the Infantry of the Indian Army has enlarged its scope and has three different divisions that are:
Regular infantry
Airborne infantry
Mechanized Infantry