Kharga Corps celebrates Army Day

Tribune News Service

Ambala, January 15

The Kharga Corps celebrated the 72nd Army Day here on Wednesday. Keeping with the ethos, the General Officer Commanding the Corps, Lieutenant General MJS Kahlon, in a ceremony laid a wreath at the Vijay Smarak in remembrance of the martyrs who sacrificed their lives in service of the nation.

On this day in 1948, the first Indian General, KM Cariappa (later Field Marshal), took over as the first Commander in Chief of the Army from Sir Francis Butcher, the last British Commander. The nation at this time was involved in a war with Pakistan over Kashmir, wherein thousands of Pashtun tribesmen aided by the Pakistan Army were invading Kashmir. Under the stellar leadership of General KM Cariappa, the Indian Army snatched victory from a militarily hopeless situation.