Marching in Bengaluru: Army Day Parade comes to Karnataka
The Army Day celebration, which takes place on January 15 each year, will be hosted in Bengaluru for the first time this calendar year. Additionally, this year marks the first time that Army Day, which is currently in its 75th year, will be celebrated in a location other than the nation's capital.
Major General Ravi Murugan, who serves as the General Officer Commanding (GOC) for the Karnataka and Kerala sub region, revealed to the media at the Madras Engineering Group (MEG) & Centre in Bengaluru that the Union Defense Minister Rajnath Singh will be the primary guest at the event. He mentioned that the MEG & Centre will be the location of the Army Day parade and will function in that capacity.
There will be eight marching contingents, one of which will be an Army Service Corps horse-mounted contingent. Additionally, there will be a military band that will be comprised of five regimental brass bands. Each of these contingents symbolises a different regiment, each of which has an illustrious history and unique traditions. As part of its support for the Army Day Parade, Army Aviation's Dhruv and Rudra helicopters will execute a fly-by.
Army Day celebrations
On January 15, 1949, Field Marshal Kodandera M. Cariappa succeeded General Francis Butcher as the final Commander-in-Chief of the British Army. As a result of this promotion, Field Marshal Cariappa became the first Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army. In his honour, the celebration of Indian Army Day takes place every year on this day.
Parades, the awarding of medals, and military and cultural performances are all part of the celebrations in New Delhi and at other Army Command headquarters on this day.
In 1945, India attained its status as a sovereign nation, more than two centuries after achieving independence from British dominance. Because of the large number of Pakistani refugees and migrants entering the country at the time, there was tremendous instability and unrest across the nation.
An intervention by the military was required due to the administrative instability to handle the situation and establish peace during the country's partition. At this juncture, Field Marshal Kodandera M. Cariappa was made in charge of the country's military.
In 1899, Field Marshall Cariappa was born in the Indian state of Karnataka. His father, Madappa, worked in the revenue department at one point in time. Along with Sam Manekshaw, Cariappa was one of the army officers who was promoted to the rank of Five-Star Field Marshal after achieving that rank. In addition to being the first Indian commander-in-chief and one of the army's five-star generals, Cariappa's history also includes the fact that he was one of the first members to join the Indian Air Force when it was originally established.
Army Career
Field Marshal Cariappa graduated on December 1, 1919, and was granted a temporary commission. A permanent commission was issued on September 9, 1922, with an effective date of July 17, 1920. This was done to lower the status of Field Marshal Cariappa relative to British officers who graduated from Sandhurst on July 16 1920. In May of 1920, he was transferred to the 2/125 Napier Rifles, which relocated to Mesopotamia (present-day Iraq). In June 1922, Field Marshal Cariappa was assigned to the 7th Prince of Wales Own Dogra Regiment upon his return to India. Field Marshal Cariappa was assigned to the 1/7 Rajputs regiment in June 1923, which became his permanent home regiment.
In 1925, Field Marshal Cariappa toured Europe, the United States, Japan, and China, among other places. The visit proved instructive for him as he encountered a large number of military and civilians from many countries. While stationed in Fatehgarh, a British officer's wife gave him the moniker " *Kipper* ," which Field Marshal Cariappa found difficult to pronounce. Field Marshal Cariappa was promoted to captain in 1927, but the promotion was not publicly announced until 1931.
In 1947, Field Marshal Cariappa was the first Indian to enrol in a training programme at the Imperial Defence College in Camberly, United Kingdom. Field Marshal Cariappa was appointed as the Deputy Chief of General Staff with the rank of Major General upon India's independence. Upon the commencement of the war in Pakistan, he was promoted to Eastern Army Commander and General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Command.
During the 1947 Indo-Pakistan War, he commanded the country's western forces before being promoted to Army Chief. He played a vital part in retaking numerous Kargil territories, which was a great accomplishment.
Field Marshal Cariappa stepped down from his position as commander-in-chief on January 14, 1953, having served in that capacity for four years. Before his retirement, he paid a farewell visit to the Rajput Regimental Centre, the home of his parent regiment, the Rajput Regiment. After he retired, he took up the role of Indian high commissioner to Australia and New Zealand and remained in that position until 1956.
Personal life
In March of 1937, he wed Muthu Machia, whose father was a forest official in Secunderabad. Muthu Machia's father was a forest officer. Together, they have a son and a daughter. His son, Air Marshal K. C. 'Nanda' Cariappa , is a former officer in the Indian Air Force.
The " Order of the Commander-in-Chief of the Legion of Merit " was bestowed on him as a symbol of recognition. In 1993, he reached 94 when he passed away in Bangalore. The efforts of this Man of Principals are being recognised via the celebration of Indian Army Day. He was revered for the compassion and self-control for which he was known. Through his selfless acts of patriotism, he served as a model for many generations.
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FIR against national shooting coach for sexual assault of minor; NRAI suspends him
New Delhi (PTI): A prominent member of India's shooting coaching staff, Ankush Bhardwaj, has been suspended by the national federation after a minor shooter accused him of sexually assaulting her during the National Championships last month.
NRAI (National Rifles Association of India) confirmed that an FIR has been filed against Bhardwaj in Faridabad. Bhardwaj, a resident of Mohali, has been booked under Section 6 of POCSO Act (aggravated sexual assault), and Section 351(2) of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita (criminal intimidation).
"NRAI has suspended him and we will issue a show-cause notice," NRAI secretary Rajiv Bhatia told PTI.
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"He has been suspended on moral grounds. Now, he has to prove himself innocent. Till the inquiry is not completed, he will not be associated with any coaching activity," he added.
Bhatia said NRAI had recommended Bhardwaj for a place in the 37-strong coaching team after the Paris Olympics in 2024.
"It was on the recommendation of the NRAI that he was appointed by SAI as one of the coaches. It is a case of sexual harassment which happened in Surajkund," said Bhatia.
According to the FIR filed by the victim, she was targetted last month during the National Championships at the Karni Singh Range.
The girl, who has been training with Bhardwaj since August last year, stated that she was left traumatised by the incident and spoke up in front of her mother on January 1 after being persistently probed.
In her FIR, the 17-year-old has alleged that Bhardwaj used to call her for training at venues such as Mohali, Patiala, Dehradun and Delhi but she would always return home the same day.
However, on the day of the incident, the victim said she went to the Karni Singh Range unaccompanied in a taxi to compete in the Nationals.
The girl said that when she was about to leave for home after finishing her competition, the coach asked her to stay back to analyse her performance.
She stated in her complaint that the coach first requested her to meet him at the lobby of a hotel in Surajkund area of Faridabad. However, upon her arrival, he allegedly coerced her into coming up to his room, claiming a more focused discussion was required.
"The coach asked me to come to the elevator area. After that, when I went to the elevator area, coach sir told me that he had booked a room here, so come to my room. I will discuss the match with you there.
"He took me to a room on the third floor, and discussed the match. After sometime, I said to sir that I wanted to go home, but he told me that he would crack my back," she said, referring to a physiotherapy technique of post-competition recovery.
"I immediately refused. Then sir forcibly made me lie face down and sexually assaulted me and when I opposed, he threatened me," the victim stated in the FIR.
"He threatened me not to disclose the incident or else he would sabotage my professional career. I got really scared after the incident and did not tell anyone," she stated, adding that she eventually told her mother after she repeatedly asked her on noticing change in her demeanour following the incident.
A senior police officer said that a probe is underway.
Bhardwaj, a former pistol shooter, had served a doping ban in 2010 for the use of a beta-blocker during his competitive days. Beta-blockers are banned for athletes engaged in disciplines like shooting, archery and billiards as they help reduce heart rate, muscle tremors, and anxiety.
