Grand Army Day to be celebrated in Pune; Program from 3rd to 15th January

Pune: The 77th Anniversary of the Indian Army is being celebrated in Pune this year. A grand event will take place at the Bombay Sappers military ground on Alandi Road. Various programs are scheduled from January 3 to 15. On Monday, a colorful rehearsal of the event was held, leaving the local residents excited.

On January 15, 1949, shortly after India gained independence, Lieutenant General K. M. Cariappa was appointed as the first Chief of the Army Staff of the Indian Army. Since then, January 15 has been celebrated as Army Day. The event on January 15 will be attended by Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Chief of Defense Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan, and Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi.

Program Details:

• First Program (Jan 3 to 5):
  The Southern Command will host an Army Mela from January 3 to 5. The event will be open from 9 AM to 5 PM daily.
• Second Program (Jan 7 to 15):
  At the Bombay Sappers military ground on Alandi Road, a display of modern weaponry and a grand parade will take place. Additionally, military floats depicting events like Mission Olympics will also be showcased.

Registration for General Public:
The Army is offering an opportunity for the general public to attend the celebration. However, the venue has a capacity of only 1,200 people. To manage the crowd, an app will be launched on January 1 for registration. Citizens can apply through the app, and only after registration will they receive entry passes.

Colorful Rehearsal Held on Monday:
On Monday, a colorful rehearsal of the entire program was conducted at the Bombay Sappers ground. The rehearsal included a grand parade, displays of advanced military vehicles, helicopters, and robotic dogs. Local residents of all ages were allowed to attend, and they were overwhelmed by the military strength on display.