Oct 27 is celebrated as Infantry Day to mark the accomplishment of the Indian Army in its first ever engagement just two months after independence. On Oct 21/22, Pakistanis invaded the independent state of Jammu and Kashmir with the aim of annexing it, even though the Maharajah had signed a standstill agreement with them.
From New Delhi the Dakotas flew 30 more sorties carrying further reinforcements of 1 SIKH. The 161 brigade was constituted at the Srinagar airfield on October 29, 1947. The brigade fought in the most adverse of conditions against the raiders pushing them back inch-by-inch without any outside help since the only land route_ the Banihal pass_ was closed with heavy snow. During the campaign, the army lost 76 officers, 31 JCOs and 996 other ranks. The wounded totaled 3152 ranks including 81 officers and 107 JCOs. The J&K states
