Indian Army Day 2025: The celebrations of the 77th Indian Army Day, commemorated each year on January 15, will include a grand light and sound show in Pune depicting the evolution of Indian warfare from ancient to modern times. The event will be attended by defence minister Rajnath Singh.
Named ‘Gaurav Gatha’, the event will also draw inspiration from the Indian epics as well as modern wars, according to a report by news agency PTI. Along with light and sound, laser and multi-media technology will be used in the show, which will be held at the Bhagat Pavillion of the Bombay Engineers Group (BEG) and Centre in Pune, which comes under Army’s Southern Command.
The grand ‘Gaurav Gatha’ event will be preceded by a parade, which is being held in Pune for the first time, with the theme- 'Samarth Bharat, Saksham Sena'. Among the many attractions of the parade are a Nepal Army band and an all-girl marching contingent from the National Cadet Corps (NCC), and a set of ‘robotic mules’, said the PTI report.
"If the parade will display the platforms and see the participation of marching contingents, the 'Gaurav Gatha' will showcase the evolution of warfare from the ancient period to the contemporary era. Themes have been drawn from our epics and the modern era wars," said an official, according to the report.
{{/usCountry}}"If the parade will display the platforms and see the participation of marching contingents, the 'Gaurav Gatha' will showcase the evolution of warfare from the ancient period to the contemporary era. Themes have been drawn from our epics and the modern era wars," said an official, according to the report.
{{/usCountry}}The themes in focus for the ‘Gaurav Gatha’ event draw inspiration from Hindu scriptures Ramayana and Mahabharata as well as the modern Indian warfare. The themes are - ‘Prachin Ranniti’, 'Yudh Kala', 'Yudh Parivartan', 'Yudh Pradarshan', 'Shaurya Gatha', 'Vijayotsav' among others.
Among the warriors to be celebrated through the event, which will be around 35 minutes long, are Lord Ram - who fought with a ‘Vanar Sena’ (army of monkeys), Maratha warrior Chhatrapati Shivaji, and freedom fighters such as Mangal Pandey and Bhagat Singh.
Before the ‘Gaurav Gatha’ event, defence minister Rajnath Singh has a few other engagements as well. He will meet some ‘veer nari’ (brave women) and veterans over tea ahead of the ‘Gaurav Gatha’ event on Wednesday, an official told PTI. He will also unveil an app and will lay the foundation stone of an Army Paralympic Node virtually before the event, he added.
Indian Army Day history
The Indian Army Day is celebrated on January 15 each year. The celebration started in 1949 as that is when the Indian Army’s command was handed over from a British Army officer, General Sir Francis Butcher, to an Indian Army officer, Lieutenant General KM Cariappa, on January 15.
The day not only celebrates the valour and sacrifices of the Indian soldiers, but also marks the transfer of power from the colonial rulers to Indians.
Lieutenant General KM Cariappa, the first Indian Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army, was from Karnataka. He was also one of the only two recipients of the title of Field Marshal of India, after Sam Manekshaw.
With inputs from PTI.