Shah Zain
The glorious action of the Indian Army in October 1947 to save Jammu and Kashmir from Pakistan is part of our proud history. The people of J&K and country are deeply indebted to our army for the historical action exhibited on October 27, 1947 and thereafter, because of which J&K is what it is today.
On this day 75 years ago, the Indian Army landed for the first time in Srinagar to save Jammu and Kashmir from Pakistan invasion. This happened a day after Maharaja Hari Singh signed the Instrument of Accession with India following the Pakistani tribal raids. The Instrument of Accession sealed the fate of J&K for times to come, and J&K became an integral part of India.
Grand Event By Army To Replay The Glory
To commemorate the historical actions of 1947, the Indian Army is holding a re-enactment ceremony of its historic landing at Srinagar’s Old Airfield today. The re-enactment of the landing of 1947 and associated events at Air Force Station, Srinagar will be part of the ongoing celebrations of the country commemorating ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’. It will be a mega event.
Besides the re-enactment of Budgam landing, the event will likely include skydiving, special heli-borne operations, flypast by Mig-21 and helicopters. Also the re-enactment of history covering the violation of ‘Standstill Agreement’ by Pakistan, brutalization by Pakistani forces of people of Jammu & Kashmir by unleashing rape, murder, looting and arson, followed by arrival of Indian Army to evict Pakistani Forces will be part of the event. The Union Defence Minister will be the chief guest on the occasion, besides all senior functionaries of the Indian army and the Union Territory administration will be in attendance.
Infantry Day
October 27 is also celebrated as Infantry day by the Indian Army to mark the occasion when the infantry of the Indian army led by 1st battalion of the Sikh Regiment made its way into the Srinagar airfield in Jammu and Kashmir in 1947. The Budgam landings were actually the first military operations of Independent India, when the Indian Army was inducted by the Indian Air Force at Budgam Airport.
First Sikh regiment, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Dewan Ranjit Rai, who later laid down his life at Baramulla, changed the course of the war. People and soldiers of State Forces of Jammu & Kashmir and the Indian Army fought alongside valiantly to evict Pakistani forces, driving them out of most of Jammu & Kashmir till ceasefire on 5 January 1949.
The event of October 27 this year has also been organised 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 War.
IAF Jubilee Celebrations
The IAF jubilee celebrations on establishment of headquarters in J&K too will be celebrated on Thursday. The function will be a follow up celebration of ‘Accession Day’, on Wednesday. The J&K administration has announced a public holiday in remembrance of the accession of J&K to India in 1947 by the Maharaja Hari Singh, with the support of National Conference founder Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah.
‘Saviours of Kashmir’ war memorial at ‘Ground Zero’ of 27 October 1947 was dedicated by the Lt. Governor at Srinagar International Airport last year. The memorial commemorates the arrival of Indian Army in Indian Air Force aircrafts at Srinagar Airport in 1947 and the stellar role played by Major Somnath Sharma, Param Vir Chakra, Brigadier Rajinder Singh, Maha Vir Chakra and Maqbool Sherwani, the gallant son of Kashmir, in India’s historic victory in its 1st war after independence.
The memorial has been renovated to include the busts of Brigadier Rajinder Singh, Mahavir Chakra and Maqbool Sherwani, alongside the existing bust of Major Somnath Sharma, Param Vir Chakra, as a tribute to the invaluable contribution of the people of Jammu & Kashmir and erstwhile State Forces of Jammu & Kashmir in evicting Pakistani Army and tribal invaders.
A Proud Landmark
October 27 is now a proud landmark in the history of India in general and in the history of J&K in particular. The re-enactment of the happenings of the day at the Old Airport by the Indian Army will popularize the day and make it part of the popular discourse for our children to learn the correct version of history. Need of the hour is to make such historical events part of the school curriculum so that our younger generation learn the real lessons of history at the right time.
