As India celebrates the nations 75th Army Day on Sunday, the parade will be held for the first time out of the national capital, in Bengaluru.
The venue of the Army Day parade this year will be MEG & Centre in Bengaluru and Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will be the chief guest, Major General Ravi Murugan, General Officer Commanding (GOC), Karnataka and Kerala sub-area, told reporters.
The Army Day parade will be held under the aegis of the Southern Army Command. Besides, celebrations will be held at various field commands in the country, to facilitate a deeper connection with civil society.
Army Day is celebrated on January 15 every year. It was on this day in 1949 that General K M Cariappa took over as the First Indian Commander in Chief of the Army.
Chief of the Army Staff Major General Manoj Pande will attend the event, which will start with laying a wreath at the Madras Engineering War Memorial as a tribute to those who made sacrifices for the nation.
Besides, the parade will witness eight contingents, including a mounted contingent from the Army Service Corps and a military band comprising 5 regimental bands, Major General Ravi Murugan added.
NCC cadets during a dress rehearsal ahead of Army Day at MEG & Centre in Bengaluru | PTI
The parade will be supported by a fly-past of Army aviation Dhruv and Rudra helicopters. The event will also provide a rare opportunity to witness the various weapon systems held in the Army's inventory, including K9 Vajra self-propelled guns, Pinaka rockets, T-90 tanks, BMP-2 Infantry Fighting Vehicle, Tunguska Air Defence System, 155mm Bofors guns, light strike vehicles, Swathi Radar and different assault bridges.
People from all walks of life, including students from schools, colleges, NCC cadets, and children from orphanages have been invited for the parade. "Over 8,000 civilians have witnessed the parade during the pre-event displays thus far," Major General Murugan said.
A high tea was held on Saturday in which Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot was the chief guest and a military tattoo programme will also be held on Sunday which Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will attend.
