A wreath-laying ceremony was held at the War Martyr’s Memorial in Secunderabad on the occasion of Army Day on Sunday. The Officiating General Office Commanding Telangana and Andhra Sub-Area, Brigadier K. Somashankar led the function.
On January 15, 1949, General KM Cariappa (then Lieutenant General) took over the reins of the Indian Army as Commander-in-Chief from Sir Francis Butcher, becoming the first Indian to hold the title. Parades and military shows were organized across the country to mark the historic event as well as to pay homage to the martyrs who laid down their lives to protect the sovereignty and peace of the country.
The officers and soldiers, dressed in full formal dress, admired medals depicting their various achievements in the service of the nation and paid homage to the martyrs with the playing of military bands. The sequence of events began with the laying of a wreath by the junior most soldier followed by various other senior officers of the station. NCC cadets, ex-servicemen and war widows from APS Bolarum participated in the event at the Army Parade Ground in Secunderabad, said a press release.