PUNE: The elite Armoured Corps of the Indian Army celebrated its 80th Raising Day on Tuesday. All armoured formations and units in the Command celebrated the occasion with Officers, Junior Commissioned Officers (JCOs), other ranks and their families. 

The veterans were also invited to attend the celebrations. Lieutenant General DR Soni, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Command who is also the seniormost serving Armoured Corps officer conveyed his best wishes to all the serving and retired personnel of the Corps and lauded them for their selfless devotion and dedication to duty.

It was on April 14, 1938 at Rawalpindi (now in Pakistan) when the first regiment to be mechanised, The Scinde Horse paraded its horses for the last time. They collected their mounts ‘The Chevrolet Armoured Cars’ in the coming weeks and began their conversion training on May 1, 1938. Thus began a new era of armoured vehicles and the occasion is till date celebrated as the Armoured Corps Day. 

The first equipment to be inducted were the Chevrolet Armoured Cars and Vickers Light Tanks. Over the last 80 years or so, the Indian Armoured Corps has come a long way and presently equipped with a fleet of T-72 AJEYA, T-90 BHISHMA & MBT Arjun Tanks. 

The Armoured Corps has time and again shown their professionalism and valour on the battlefield. Testimony to this is Theatre & Battle Honours along with two Victoria Crosses, two Param Vir Chakras, two Ashok Chakras, 16 Maha Vir Chakras, two Kirti Chakras, 52 Vir Chakras, 26 Shaurya Chakras & 195 Sena Medals.