CM Majhi pays Infantry Day tribute to India's soldiers
Synopsis
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi honoured Indian infantry soldiers on Infantry Day, 27 October 2026, saluting their courage and sacrifices. The day marks the historic 1947 airlift of Indian troops to Srinagar, observed annually since 1949.
Key Takeaways
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi posted a tribute on Infantry Day, 27 October 2026 .
Infantry Day commemorates the airlift of Indian troops to Srinagar on 27 October 1947 , one of independent India's first major military deployments.
The observance has been held every year since 1949 , making it one of India's oldest standing military commemorations.
Majhi praised infantry personnel for safeguarding India's 'sovereignty and territorial integrity' through 'courage, valour and supreme sacrifices.' Annual tributes by state and central leaders on Infantry Day reflect a consistent national practice of publicly honouring the armed forces.
Every year on 27 October, India pauses to remember the moment its infantry first drew a line in the snow — and Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi marked Infantry Day 2026 with a tribute to the soldiers who have kept that line intact ever since.
Majhi's post offered 'heartfelt tributes to the brave infantry personnel whose courage, valour and supreme sacrifices safeguard India's sovereignty and territorial integrity,' closing with a firm Jai Hind. The message was direct, the sentiment shared by political leaders across the country.
Why 27 October carries the weight it does
The date is not ceremonial by accident. On 27 October 1947, Indian troops were airlifted into Srinagar in one of the most consequential rapid deployments in post-independence history — a move that shaped the modern map of the subcontinent. Infantry Day has been observed every year since 1949 in direct commemoration of that operation, making it one of the oldest standing military observances in the Indian calendar.
The infantry remains the backbone of the Indian Army's land forces, bearing the heaviest burden in high-altitude border assignments and counter-insurgency operations alike. Tributes from state chief ministers on this day are part of a consistent national practice — a public acknowledgment that civilian governance rests, ultimately, on the soldier's willingness to stand in the way.
Majhi's voice in a national chorus
Mohan Charan Majhi, who assumed office as Odisha's Chief Minister in 2024, joins a broad cross-section of leaders who use Infantry Day as an occasion to publicly reaffirm the state's solidarity with the armed forces. Odisha has historically contributed significantly to the Indian Army's infantry regiments, giving the tribute a resonance that extends beyond protocol.
The broader policy backdrop — ongoing military modernisation, veterans' welfare debates, and persistent attention to border infrastructure — lends these annual observances a context that goes beyond ritual. Each tribute is also a quiet signal of political consensus on national security, one of the few domains where the partisan noise tends to fall silent.
The infantry stood its ground in 1947. India has been saying thank you ever since.
Point of View
Who leads a state with deep infantry recruitment traditions, the gesture carries institutional weight beyond symbolism. The 1947 Srinagar airlift remains one of independent India's most emotionally charged founding moments, and annual invocations of it reinforce a defence-first narrative that successive governments, regardless of party, have found politically and morally useful. As debates on military modernisation and veterans' welfare continue in Parliament, these public affirmations also serve as soft pressure on the policy pipeline.
NationPress
27 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Infantry Day celebrated on 27 October?
Infantry Day is observed on 27 October each year to commemorate the airlift of Indian Army troops to Srinagar on 27 October 1947 — the first combat deployment of Indian infantry in the Kashmir operations following Partition. The observance began in 1949 .
What did Odisha CM Mohan Charan Majhi say on Infantry Day 2026?
Mohan Charan Majhi offered 'heartfelt tributes' to infantry personnel for their 'courage, valour and supreme sacrifices' in safeguarding India's sovereignty and territorial integrity, calling their service a source of 'immense pride and inspiration for every Indian.'
When did Mohan Charan Majhi become Chief Minister of Odisha?
Mohan Charan Majhi assumed office as Chief Minister of Odisha in 2024 , representing the BJP .
What is the significance of the 1947 Srinagar airlift?
The 1947 Srinagar airlift was a rapid deployment of Indian Army troops to Srinagar on 27 October 1947 , a decisive move that helped check the tribal militia advance into Kashmir and shaped the subcontinent's modern boundaries.
How do Indian leaders observe Infantry Day?
State and central leaders across party lines traditionally post tributes and attend commemorative events on Infantry Day , publicly honouring the Indian Army's infantry for their role in border defence and national security — a practice that has been consistent since the observance began.
