Army Day observed in J&K

Senior Army officers in Jammu and Kashmir joined other ranks to pay tributes to slain soldiers on the occasion of the 71st Army Day on Tuesday, a defence spokesperson said.

Lieutenant General J S Nain, general officer commanding (GOC) of Rising Star Corps; and Tiger Division GOC Major Gen. Sharad Kapur paid tributes at the Tiger War Memorial in Jammu, the spokesperson said. The event was attended by several serving and retired officers, junior commissioned officers and jawans.

Fire and Fury Corps GOC Lt Gen. Y K Joshi laid a wreath at the Leh War Memorial. All ranks of the Fire and Fury Corps and Leh Garrison were present at the ceremony, the spokesperson said. A short film. 'Indian Army - Pride of the Nation', was screened on the occasion.

Army Day is celebrated on January 15 every year to mark the taking over as the commander-in-chief of the Indian Army by then Lt Gen. K M Cariappa in 1949 from General Francis Butcher, the last British commander-in-chief of India. Cariappa later became a Field Marshal.

A series of events such as distribution of solar lamps, lecture on importance of water conservation were organised in Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban districts.

A wreath-laying ceremony was also conducted at the statue of Naib Subedar Chuni Lal at Bhaderwah, the spokesperson added.