India will be celebrating the 73rd Army Day on January 15.
On this day in 1949, Lieutenant General KM Cariappa became the first Indian to take over the post of commander-in-chief of the Indian Army from the last British Commander, General Francis Butcher.
As we celebrate the 73rd Army Day today — here's a quick look at some amazing facts about the Indian Army that will make you proud of our brave forces.
On January 15, 2021, India will celebrate the 73rd Army Day. This year, however, the celebrations will be different from the norm amid the pandemic. Traditionally, the celebrations of Army Day consist of parades and military-themed shows across various parts of the country. Last year, a fourth generation woman army officer, Captain Tania Shergill, broke the glass ceiling by becoming the first female to lead an all-men contingent at the Army Parade
This year, while the celebrations will be mild, preparations are already underway with a full dress rehearsal of Army Day Parade at Cariappa Parade Ground in Delhi Cantonment. The wives of three jawans who were martyred in the Galwan Valley clash also received the awards during the full dress rehearsal on Wednesday.
Why do we celebrate Army Day?
Every year, Army Day is celebrated on January 15. On this day in 1949, Lieutenant General KM Cariappa became the first Indian to take over the post of commander-in-chief of the Indian Army from the last British Commander of India, General Francis Butcher.
General KM Cariappa was one of the two officers to hold a five star rank in the Indian Army. He has led the troops in World War II as well as the first India-Pakistan war in 1947.
As we celebrate the 73rd Army Day tomorrow — here's a quick look at some amazing facts about Indian Army that will make you beam with pride:
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The Indian Army is the 4th largest standing Army in the world after the US, Russia and China — with 3 million military personnel.
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The Army holds the record of handling the highest battlefield, Siachen Glacier, above 5000 meters from the mean sea level.
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The Indian Army also holds the record of accepting the world's largest military surrender. In the 1971 Indo-Pak war, India won the battle against Pakistan. The latter had to publicly surrender to India, and it is also known as the largest military surrender after World War II.
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The Indian Army's High Altitude Warfare School (HAWS) is one of the world's most elite military training centres.
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The Gorkha regiment is one of the oldest regiments of the Indian Army and has impressed leaders worldwide with their combat ability. Adolf Hitler once reportedly said, "If I had Gurkhas, no armies in the world would defeat me."
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The Assam Regiment is the oldest Paramilitary Force of the Indian Armed Forces, formed in 1835.
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