Hyderabad: The Indian Army will celebrate its 75th Army Day in Bengaluru on January 15, marking the first time the event will be held outside Delhi, as part of the Centre’s initiative to spread out events to different parts of the country.
The Army Day parade this year will witness eight marching contingents, including a horse-mounted cavalry one from the Army Service Corps and a military band composed of regimental brass bands. The parade will witness a fly-past of Dhruv and Rudra helicopters, according to Brigadier K. Somashankar, Officiating General Officer Commanding, Telangana and Andhra sub area.
In addition, various weapon systems from the Army inventory, including KS Vajra-propelled guns, Pinaka rockets, T-90 tanks, BMP-2 infantry fighting vehicle, Tunguska air defence system, 155mm Bofors weapons system and light strike vehicle Swathi radar, Brig. Somashankar said.
“Towards fulfilling the aim of the event being conducted at Bengaluru, we have reached out to the general public to increase awareness about the Army and the significance of the Army Day,” an official said.
A run, themed ‘Run for Soldiers - Run With Soldiers’, was organised at 18 different stations in the Southern Command.
In Hyderabad, it was conducted at the NTR Marg, where 1,000 people participated. A blood donation camp was also organised, in which 7,500 units of blood were collected in Secunderabad.
At Hyderabad military hospitals, under the Vidyanjali scheme, 75 government-aided schools were identified and mutually beneficial development programmes were shared.
The Army Day parade will commence with a wreath-laying ceremony at Madras Engineer Centre war memorial by the Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Manoj Pande who will pay homage to personnel who died in the line of duty.
Gen. Pande will review the parade at the MEG and Centre Bengaluru Parade Ground and give away gallantry awards for individual acts of bravery and sacrifice.
In addition, the COAS unit citations will also be awarded to units for their performance under active operational circumstances.
