Army Day 2024: How is the Day Celebrated and Why It is Special This Year | Explained

Every year India celebrates Army Day on January 15 to honor and salute the brave and brave soldiers of the Indian Army who sacrifced their lives for the sake of the country. The day is dedicated to honouring soldiers and their sacrifice for the nation as on this day in 1949 Field Marshal Kodandera M Cariappa took over the command of the Indian Army from General FRR Bucher, the last British Commander-in-Chief and became the first Indian Commander-in-Chief of Independent India.

Lucknow, the capital city of Uttar Pradesh, will host a spectacular parade today to commemorate the 76th Army Day of the Indian Army.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday lauded the unwavering commitment and sacrifices of Army personnel on the Army Day on Monday, and said they are pillars of strength and resilience.

“On Army Day, we honour the extraordinary courage, unwavering commitment and sacrifices of our Army personnel. Their relentless dedication in protecting our nation and upholding our sovereignty is a testament to their bravery,” he said on X.

Why is Army Day Celebrated?

The Army Day commemorates the day Field Marshal Kodandera M Cariappa took over as the first Indian Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army from the last British Commander-in-Chief General Francis Butcher in 1949.

Therefore, on January 15, 1949, India got its first Army Chief General KM Cariappa. He was one of only two Indian Army officers to hold the five-star rank of Field Marshal. The other being Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw.

On January 15 every year, the nation pays homage to its brave soldiers and reminisces about the historic moment that marked the beginning of a new era in Indian military history. The day is also a reminder of the Army’s pivotal role in safeguarding the nation’s security and the sacrifices made by its brave soldiers.

Army Day Shifted Out of Delhi

From 1949 till 2022, the Army Day parade was organised at the Cariappa Parade Ground in the Delhi Cantonment area of New Delhi.

The event is being conducted out of the national capital for the second time as part of the government’s initiative to take major events away from the national capital region to different parts of the country.

“This will lead to greater visibility for these events and larger involvement of the local citizens,” Major Seth, who is the General Officer Commanding of Madhya UP Sub Area, Lucknow, said.

The last Army Day Parade was held in Bengaluru on January 15.

What Happens During Army Day Celebrations?

The Army Day Parade commences with a wreath-laying ceremony at the Smritika War Memorial, which is done by Army Chief General Manoj Pande to pay homage to all the personnel, who sacrificed their lives in the line of duty.

The Chief of Army Staff will then review the Army Day Parade at the parade ground of 11 Gorkha Rifles Regimental Centre at Lucknow and will present gallantry awards for individual acts of bravery and sacrifice.

In addition, Unit Citations will also be awarded to units for their exceptional performance under active operational circumstances.

This year the parade will witness six marching contingents, a military band comprising five regimental brass bands and three pipe bands.

Why is it Special This Year?

This year, the Army Day parade will be special because Artificial Intelligence will be used to select the ‘Best Marching Contingent’ in this year’s Parade.

Army Day Parade Commander Major General Salil Seth said, “Artificial Intelligence is being used for the first time to identify the best marching contingent. As you know all the marching contingents do drills and do drills correctly.”

“There is a correct pattern of doing the drills — raising your hands to a certain level, raising your legs to a certain level, doing your movement with the weapon within a certain timeframe. We are capturing the individual movement with a camera and then the computer software using the AI will give marks for each and every movement. This will also be supervised by humans. We have done two to three practices,” he added.

Major Seth, who is the General Officer Commanding of Madhya UP Sub Area, Lucknow, said the Indian Army is celebrating its 76th Army Day at Lucknow on January 15.