India, Nov. 28 -- As part of the silver jubilee celebrations of India's victory over Pakistan in the 1971 war, all command headquarters of the army were told to conduct the Army Day parade on January 15, 1996, at key locations for public viewing and to motivate citizens, particularly the youth.

I was commanding the Southern Command headquartered in Pune and we decided to hold the event in Mumbai. Instead of holding it in the cantonment part of Colaba, which was logistically easier, it was decided to do so at Shivaji Park in Dadar. The parade was to be preceded with a display of weapons and equipment and it was to conclude with a sky-diving display by the Parachute Regiment. My navy and air force counterparts, the flag officer commanding-...