New Delhi: Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat and Indian Army chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane paid tribute at the National War Memorial on the occasion of Infantry Day.
Infantry Day is observed 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 victory was accomplished by the personnel of the First Battalion of the Sikh Regiment.
This year on Infantry Day, the troops present for ceremonial duties at the National War Memorial when CDS and the Chief of Army Staff laid the wreath, are from the same unit which fought the last man, last round at the Battle of Rezangla in the winter of 1962.
Major Shaitan Singh, PVC (P) of 13 KUMAON (REZANGLA) made history here. Rezangla is the feature that Indian troops recently occupied in South Pangong Tso, last month.
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The coincidence is that these troops will be commemorating Infantry day at the National War Memorial. This is the day that Infantry (KUMAON and SIKH troops) landed in Srinagar, beat the Kabailis and saved the Airport.
Those troops were of the same regiment (4th Battalion, The KUMAON Regiment).
Pertinently, the first Param Vir Chakra in Independent India was awarded in this operation to Major Somnath Sharma (Posthumous, 4 KUMAON Regiment). This day is therefore also remembered as KUMAON Regiment and Sikh Regiment day.
