The year was 1949. The day was January 15. It was indeed a day worth many rifle salutes, and all such state honours, because on that day, General Cariappa took over the reins of the Indian Army from the British General, Francis Bucher. In a way, on this day was born the "Indian" military. Even after seventy-six years, this unique event, a major stage in sculpting India's identity as a sovereign republic state, deserves a marked mention.
True, any war is bad. Wars should sure be avoided. Yet in real time geo-political wrangles, wars can be heaped on us whether we like/want them, or not. In such a scenario, military readiness is inevitable even when peace is our middle name.
Neighbours, for example, can be rouges as states, as in our case. At times, we can be a pawn in others' machinations, as in the U.S-China power struggle. Sure, S. Jayashankar, as our Foreign Minister, does show their deserved place to even the mighty Western countries. Yet modern warfare, even when we do not desire it, is a reality to be catered to, given the proliferation of militancies and insurgencies of all sorts of ideological hues, and armed, moreover, with the latest war machines.
Undoubtedly, our Prime Minister, too, has attained huge success in developing bilateral ties with many countries, while developing personal equations with many international leaders. The world today is, moreover, not bipolar as in the Cold War era. Yet army as a major wing of our national identity cannot be ignored.
Any army is good as its soldiers. Any general is as brave as his soldiers. Unbelievable is the spirit of our soldiers in all the three wings whom neither the bitter winters in the Himalayas nor the deepest waters nor the typhoons of the Indian Ocean nor the hounded aerospace, given the very many unholy alliances around, can terrorise, defeat or vanquish.
Why, our platoons not only guard our frontiers, but they also are a major civic force in the peace period. In case any natural calamity takes place, it is the army bravehearts who are rushed in as the safest and most reliable source of protection and getting things under control.
No wonder, the P.M., like some of his predecessors, gives the army its due respect. Why, he spends each of his Diwali's, not to forget other major occasions, with the army jawans, despite the bitterest cold or the mighty waves. Soldiers sure do deserve this sensitivity as well as the very many monetary benefits! Long live soldiers so that long lives, and happily, our country, our nation.
Pratima @ Well, I am dead against any war! 'Peace, prevail' is my mantra. Yet I do not require "eh, mere watan ke logon'' for tears to well up in my eyes.
Once, for a seminar, I travelled literally with a bogey full of rookey army recruiters who were very young boys from poor families. These foot soldiers, unlike the NDA trainee-officers, have it truly tough. As I got off at my station, I saluted them before the train moved on because they were literally going to soldier on!
'One rank, one pension', the 'Agnipath scheme' are big debates which we shall take up some other time, may be. For the time being, "Happy Soldiers' Day" to one and all!
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