Army flags off Pune-Delhi bike expedition to observe 196th Gunners' Day

PUNE: Pune-based 'Agnibaaz division' of the Indian Army flagged off a 12-day-long motorcycle-cum-trekking expedition on Saturday in the run up to 196th Gunners' Day that will be observed on September 28.
A total of 10 riders from Pune are participating in the expedition, flagged off by Major General Anoop Jakhar, General Officer Commanding, Agnibaaz Division. The tour has been organised under the aegis of the Artillery Directorate of the Army.
They riders also interact with students en route to New Delhi.
"The objective of this team will be to inculcate a sense of pride and achievement amongst all ranks of Indian artillery, promote camaraderie and leadership, and strengthen the spirit of adventure amongst soldiers and students," said the Southern Command authorities.
The expedition will further seek to project the image of the Indian Army and the contribution of the Regiment of Artillery in various wars and campaigns, the officers added.
September 28 is celebrated as ‘Gunners Day’ because on this day in 1827, the 5 (Bombay) Mountain Battery was raised as the 8th Company of the Golandaz Battalion, Bombay Foot Artillery. At present, it is part of the 57 Field Regiment.
According to the Army records, in the aftermath of 1857, a majority of the Artillery units were disbanded with only the mountain batteries being retained for development in the rugged North West Frontier during Afghan Wars.
"It was the first battle of Panipat in 1526, that the Mughal Emperor Babur first used artillery in north India to decisively defeat Ibrahim Lodhi, the Afghan king of Delhi. Artillery flourished extensively under the Mughal kings at Delhi, Tipu Sultan in Mysore and the Nizam in Hyderabad," the record stated.
It was the Sikhs, however, who made the most effective use of artillery in Indian history under Maharaja Ranjit Singh, who raised it to a high standard of battle efficiency, said the officers.