Kolkata, Nov 1 (IANS) The Army’s Eastern Command celebrated its 104th Raising Day at Fort William here on Friday with its chief, Lt Gen Ram Chander Tiwari asserting that it is operationally ready at all times and continues to develop its capabilities to face present and future challenges.

Chief of Staff Lt Gen R.C. Srikanth laid a wreath at Vijay Smarak in Fort William to pay tribute to bravehearts, who made the supreme sacrifice in the service to the nation, in the morning. Several events were organised during the day, including interactions between officers and troops.

According to an official, the Eastern Command was raised in Lucknow on November 1, 1920. It then had territorial jurisdiction over Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Odisha, and Assam. Thereafter, the Command headquarters moved to Barrackpore, Ranchi and back to Lucknow. After the India-China War of 1962, the Command settled down permanently at Fort William in Kolkata.

“Eastern Command continues to remain the Army’s largest operational command with its jurisdiction covering eight states. It monitors 8,350 km of land borders with five neighbouring countries. The Eastern Command has actively participated in all wars fought by India but the crowning glory was the 1971 Indo-Pakistan War that led to the Liberation of Bangladesh. The ‘Warriors of the East’ have also conducted successful counter-insurgency operations in the northeastern states whenever required,” the official said.

The command is also entrusted with managing the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the states of Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh. The official said that personnel from the command cover terrain ranging from high-altitude peaks in the Himalayas with sub-zero temperatures to steaming rain forests with fast-flowing rivers.

“The Command has also brought significant changes in the lives of citizens, particularly in the northeastern states, through initiatives like Operation Sadbhavana and Operation Samaritan. Officers and troops not only provide relief during disasters and help to restore law and order, they also interact with the local population on a regular basis through medical camps. Training is also provided to local youth to join the armed forces or take up professional courses like engineering and medicine," the official added.