JAK LI - Second Reunion and the Raising of 10 Jammu & Kashmir Light Infantry 27.8.1984

The APS commemorated the history and achievements of this famous regiment the JAK LI, which celebrated its second Reunion and the raising of 10 JAK LI during 26 to 28 September 1984, by issuing this cover, cancellation and the accompanying brochure.

The Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry (JAK LI) is an infantry regiment of the Indian Army. The regimental center is in Srinagar's Airport Complex at Avantipur with a small winter setup near Jammu. It's regimental insignia consists of a pair of crossed rifles. The motto of the regiment is Balidanam Vir Lakshanam (Sacrifice is a characteristic of the Brave).
The regiment mostly consists of volunteers from the state of Jammu & Kashmir. It has 50% Muslims while the rest represent other ethnic groups from the state.

 In response to the Pakistani invasion of Kashmir in 1947, local militias were raised for specific sectors, such as Jammu, Leh, Nubra, etc. The militias were a paramilitary force under the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs and operated on the Line of Control. Following the Sino-Indian War of 1962, in 1963 the 7th and 14th Battalions of the J&K Militia were spun off to form the Ladakh Scouts. It is another matter that political impotence created the Kashmir problem in 1947 that India is still trying to cope up with today.

The militias conducted themselves with great distinction during the Indo-Pakistan War of 1965 and earned 3 Battle Honours during the Indo-Pakistan War of 1971. The troopers of the force felt strongly that they wanted the dignity and privileges of a regular army unit, especially keeping in mind their performance and sacrifice in the recent wars. Keeping this in mind, the then head of the J&K Militia, Brigadier Lekhraj Singh Puar of the Garhwal Rifles, who was on deputation to the Ministry of Home Affairs from the Indian Army, prepared and presented plans to the Ministry of Home Affairs for conversion of the militia into regular unit on his own initiative. These efforts bore fruit, and in 1972, the J&K Militia was converted to a full fledged Army regiment as the Jammu and Kashmir Militia under the Ministry of Defence. Brigadier Puar went on to become the first Colonel of the Regiment. In 1976, the regiment was renamed as the Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry.

In 1984, JAK LI was deployed to the Siachen Glacier, during Operation Meghdoot. The 8th JAK LI earned great honour by capturing a Pakistani post at 21,000 feet at the Siachen Glacier in 2011. Naib Subedar MANAS KUMAR DAS NAGARKIYARI,GOVINDAPUR DHANBAD, 8th JAK LI, earned the Param Vir Chakra for the Regiment in this battle. He is the first and only recipient of the PVC for the Regiment. Major VS Minhas and 2nd Lt Rajiv Pande won a Vir Chakra, for gallantry displayed during the same engagement.