The narration, backed with life-like images generated through artificial intelligence-based software, also told the evolution of the โIndian Yodhaโ from ancient battlefields to modern war zones that now extend to the realm of cyberspace.
The show began at dusk with a burst of firecrackers sending plumes of multi-colour smoke in the air, setting the stage for dramatic retelling of stories of battles fought in epics, the mutinies and resistances during the colonial rule and some of the major wars fought since Indiaโs independence in 1947.
After combat demonstration that involved rolling tanks, military personnel and even the โrobotic muleโ โ inducted last year and showcased for the first time in the Army Day Parade here in the morning โ some of the ancient fighting techniques such as โGatkaโ used by Sikh warriors, and Kalaripayattu of south India were displayed.
The charged-up atmosphere then gave way to echoing of stories of ancient India and its military wisdom, the powerful life-like images adding to the layer of โshaurya gathaโ. In the first segment, โPrachin Rannitiโ, Lord Ram and his โvanar senaโ fighting a battle in the mythical Lanka of demon King Ravana in the epic โRamayanaโ was shown on the screen, followed by a new-age retelling of the battle of Kurukshetra as portrayed in the โMahabharataโ. The images of Lord Krishna offering war lessons and teaching โdharmaโ to warrior Arjun, on the land of Kurukshetra, were vividly depicted through digital images generated using Artificial Intelligence (AI) software.
The narration during the show mentioned โProject Udbhavโ which aims to promote indigenous discourse in the Army by integrating Indiaโs ancient strategic acumen into the contemporary military domain with a focus on making the force โfuture-readyโ.
The Army has explored the epic battles of the Mahabharata, heroic exploits of eminent military figures and Indiaโs rich heritage in statecraft under this project that aims to enrich the nationโs outlook in the defence domain, the then Army Chief Gen Manoj Pande had said in May last year.
While the stories of the โRamayanaโ and the โMahabharataโ have been told and retold through various media through the ages, it was the AI factor that made the epics alive.
Raj Vardhan Patil, 21, a college student and an NCC cadet who lives at Dighi on the outskirts of Pune city, said the โimages generated through AI (software) made the whole experience rather surrealโ.
โAnd, these were moving images, so one could see Hanuman ji in action, and freedom fighters and war heroes were brought alive, people whom we read about in history books,โ he told PTI.
A senior Army official said these creations using AI-based software were a result of the hard work of โboth in-house talent of the Army and collaboration with civilian partners working in this domainโ.
The broad themes of the show were โ โPrachin Rannitiโ drawing from epics of Ramayana and Mahabharata, โYudh Kalaโ, โYudh Parivartanโ, โYudh Pradarshanโ, โShaurya Gathaโ, โVijayotsavโ, and โSamarth Bharat, Saksham Senaโ โ the theme of the 77th Army Day Parade.
Women warriors such as Rani Laxmibai, Rani Abbakka and others were extolled for their valour and leadership during the show.
In the โShaurya Gathaโ segment, stories of four post-Independence wars โ 1947 Indo-Pak war, 1965 Indo-Pak war, 1971 Indo-Pak war, and 1999 Kargil war โ were depicted using digital images, drone show in the night sky and combat demonstrations on the ground.
The show generated both a sense of pride and immense patriotism among the viewers, marking a befitting finale for the Army Day celebrations at Pune โ home of the Southern Command โ that hosted the annual parade for the first time in its history.