Indian Army Day 2022

 Indian Army Day is observed on January 15 every year to recognize the day the British commander-in-chief handed over the reins of the Indian army to Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa. While India got its independence in 1947, this handover only took place in 1949.

HISTORY OF INDIAN ARMY DAY

India has had military capabilities from the time of the Indus Valley Civilization that flourished between 3300 B.C. to 1300 B.C. Many succeeding dynasties during the time of Alexander and beyond used their military strengths to fight wars and expand their territory across the sub-continent. Some of the most famous of these dynasties were Maurya, Satavahana, Gupta, Vijayanagara, Chalukya, and Chola.

These dynasties were followed by a series of wars waged between central Asian armies, which the Mughals, considered to originate from present-day Uzbekistan, eventually won. They went on to establish their empire on the sub-continent. When the East India Company was set up, the territory was divided into presidencies, and each had its own army unit. These were Madras, Calcutta, and Bombay. Independent, regional kingdoms, like Mysore, were able to defeat the British Army at war and hold on to their territory until the ruler of Mysore, Tipu Sultan, was finally defeated in 1799.

During the First World War, one million Indians volunteered to fight in the British Army and around 90,000 lost their lives. Similarly, almost half of the officers in the battles fought during World War II were Indian. As the Indian Independence movement gained traction in 1946, the loyalties of Indian soldiers became conflicted. Many mutinied against or resigned from the British-led army and navy units. While the ‘Indianization’ of the armed forces under the British continued well into the country’s independence, the final handover took place on January 15, 1949, and this is the day we celebrate.

HOW TO OBSERVE INDIAN ARMY DAY

1. Watch the parade

   The Indian Army puts on a military parade and gives out gallantry awards at Cariappa Parade Ground in Delhi Cantonment. The ceremony is streamed live on the public broadcasting service, Doordarshan. It is also streamed on YouTube and Twitter.

2. Read about India’s contribution to the World Wars

   There have been a few acclaimed books published recently that delve into the more neglected, detailed aspects of Indian troops’ engagement in the World Wars. One such book is “India’s War: World War II and the Making of Modern South Asia” written by Srinath Raghavan. Another is “Farthest Field: An Indian Story of the Second World War” written by Raghu Karnad.

3. Read about India’s military history

   While we have provided a glimpse here, there is so much to uncover about India’s long military history and its evolution across civilizations, dynasties and conquests. Choose your favorite period in Indian history, or the one you know the least about and look up the political and military history of that time.