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RAJPUTANA RIFLES The Rajputana Rifles is the senior most rifle regiment of the Indian Army. It was originally raised in 1921 as part of the British Indian Army, when six previously existing regiments were amalgamated together to form six battalions of the 6th Rajputana Rifles. In 1945 the numeral designation was dropped from the title and in 1947 the regiment was transferred to the newly independent Indian Army. Since independence, the regiment has been involved in a number of conflicts against Pakistan, as well as contributing to the Custodian Force (India) in Korea under the aegis of the United Nations in 1953-54 and to the UN Mission to the Congo in 1962. Its Regimental Centre is Delhi Cantonment and its regimental insignia is bugle and cords, all below a pair of crossed katars (Rajput daggers). Its Regimental motto is ‘Veer Bhogya Vasundhara’ (The Brave shall Inherit the Earth) and its war cry is ‘Raja Ram Chandra Ki Jai’ (Victory to Raja Ram Chandra) and Bol

1 GORKHA RILES Gorkhas from Nepal had extended their empire into the Kumaon, Garhwal and Kangra hills by the mid-18th century. The Gorkha War of 1815 was the result of the interface between the Gorkhas and the British at the time. Always on the lookout for reliable soldiers, the British started a Gorkha (Nusseree) battalion in the Simla hills. Before long, this battalion had made its mark in the battle for Bharatpur in 1826. In 1850, the battalion was termed 66th Gorkha Light Infantry and later the First Gorkha Light Infantry. It became the First King George's Own Gorkha Rifles in 1910 (Malaun Regiment). After Indian independence, the designation changed to the present one. The Regiment's other battalions were raised after 1959. The Regiment has a proud combat record and has always lived up to its reputation. Its Regimental Centre is Subathu, Himachal Pradesh and its Regimental insignia is a pair of crossed Khukris (a Gorkha dagger) supported by a bugle, w

THE NAGA REGIMENT The Naga Regiment is the youngest Regiment of the Indian Army. The Nagas were quite well represented in the Assam Regiment and they also had access to other arms and services. During 1960, the delegation of the Naga Peoples Convention put forward a proposal for a separate regiment to fulfil their desire of playing a greater role in the Defence Forces of India. First Battalion (1 Naga) of the Regiment was raised at the Kumaon Regimental Centre, Ranikhet on November 1, 1970 under the command of Lt. Col. R.N. Mahajan, VSM. Being the only battalion, it was then designated as the Naga Regiment. The manpower to raise this battalion was provided by battalions of Kumaon, Garhwal and Gorkha (3 GR) regiments. 69 Nagas were enrolled directly from rehabilitation camps of underground Nagas. However, the Regiment was to comprise 50% Nagas and 50% of an equal number of Kumaoni, Garhwali and Gorkhas. Since many Kumaon battalions had been associated with Nagaland,

THE MAHAR REGIMENT Mahars have a long and proud tradition of bearing arms. They were the respected members of Shivaji's and later of the Maratha armies. Mahars formed part of the Bombay Presidency Army. They had particularly distinguished themselves in the battle for the defence of Koregaon in 1818. A Mahar battalion was raised in 1917 and took part in the Great War, but was later merged with another regiment. Between the two wars, the Mahars had persistently sought a regiment for themselves for service in the Army. These efforts, marked by the quality and level of arguments advanced by the Mahar leader, Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar, resulted in the Mahar Regiment being raised in 1941. The Regiment fought in Burma, Persia and Iraq in World War II. In 1946, the Regiment converted to the specialist role of fielding medium machine guns, and for a decade and a half rendered most effective support in combat. The medium machine gun detachments were most warmly welcomed in

THE BIHAR REGIMEN Bihar is the cradle of ancient Indian civilisations and empires. Hindu, Buddhist and Muslim influences intermingled to produce a soldiery which was traditionally arms bearing, disciplined and deeply religious. The Bihar Regiment claims its origins from the sepoy battalions raised in 1758 by Clive at Patna. These were formed by the men from the Bhojpur region of Bihar. Their success in combat had impressed the local ruler Mir Kasim, to begin raising units trained in western combat techniques. The Bihari battalions raised by Mir Kasim had not only done well, but beaten the British in some engagements. The Bihari, or poorbia/purviah soldier thereafter continued to provide the backbone of The Bengal Infantry of the British. The Bihari was not only an excellent soldier, he was also quick to learn and apply the tactical drills with initiative. He was disciplined when led by good officers, but capable of hostility when his beliefs and customs were disreg

THE ASSAM REGIMENT The Assam Regiment was raised on June 15, 1941 to meet the claim of the then undivided State of Assam for its own fighting unit and to counter the threat of the Japanese invasion of India. The young regiment soon proved its capabilities within three years of its raising, at the consecutive battles of Jessami, the epic defence of Kohima and the capture of Aradura, all of which were awarded as Battle Honours (now as Pre-Independence Battle Honours) to the Regiment. The Regiment earned high praise for its combat skills in World War II. After independence, the Regiment gained in strength and its battalions have taken part in all wars and counter-insurgency operations with distinction. It was awarded a Battle Honour for its tenacious defence at Chamb in the 1971 Indo-Pak War. Its Regimental Centre is Shillong, Meghalaya and its Regimental insignia is Uni-horned Rhinoceros of Assam. Its Regimental motto is ‘Assam Vikram’ (Unique Valour) and its war cry is ‘Rhino Cha

THE KUMAON REGIMENT The Kumaonis had been in British military service since the early 19th Century. As part of the North Indian class, who had joined the military of the East India Company's forces, the Kumaonis had moved to other states in search of military service. Thus they formed part of the Hyderabad Contingent, which was raised, trained and led by British officers under Henry Russel, but paid by the Nizam of Hyderabad. In 1857, in keeping with the class based composition of the infantry, the Regiment comprised Rajputs, Jats and Muslims. After the Great War, some Kumaoni battalions were raised separately, but the Hyderabadis continued and fought with distinction in the World War. In 1945, the Hyderabadis became the Kumaon Regiment. When the Naga Regiment and the Kumaon Scouts were raised, they came under the aegis of the Kumaon Regiment. Its Regimental Centre is Ranikhet, Uttaranchal and its Regimental insignia is a demi-rampant lion holding a cross. The d

THE DOGRA REGIMENT The Dogras who form the hardy and loyal population of the hill regions of Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and Jammu & Kashmir have a long tradition of soldiering. They had been in the service of the British some years as part of the Frontier Force. The Dogras formed into a regiment in 1887 and three Dogra Regiments were raised as part of the Bengal Infantry. During the World Wars, more Dogra battalions were added and after 1947 the Dogra Regiment gained further in the additional battalions as part of the Army's post-1962 expansion. The Dogra Scouts come under the aegis of the Dogra Regiment. Its Regimental Centre is Fazizbad, Uttar Pradesh and its Regimental insignia is a tiger, revered as the mount of Goddess Durga, who is a widely worshipped deity in the Dogra Hills. Its Regimental motto is ‘Kartavyam Anvatma’ (Duty Before Death) and its war cry is ‘Jawala Mata Ki Jai’ (Victory to Goddess Jawala). Its insignia is A Tiger, revered as the moun

THE SIKH REGIMENT A major portion of the substance of the Regiment traces its origins to Maharaja Ranjit Singh's Army. With a humble beginning of two battalions in 1846, today the Sikh fraternity has grown 20 battalions strong. The Battle of Saragarhi fought by 36th Sikh (now 4 Sikh) in 1897, is an epitome of Valour, Courage, Bravery and Sacrifice. Havildar Issar Singh with 21 other Ranks made the supreme sacrifice repulsing 10,000 of the enemy. This sacrifice was recognised by the British Parliament, when it rose to pay its respects to these brave young soldiers. All 22 were awarded the Indian Order of Merit (IOM), the then highest decoration for an Indian soldier. This 'Kohinoor' of the Sikh Regiment is one of the ten most famous battles of the world. Even to this date, this battle forms part of the school curriculum in France. September 12, 1897 - the day of the Battle of Saragarhi - is celebrated as the Regimental Battle Honours Day. Its Regimental

THE JAT REGIMENT The Jat  Regiment claims its origins from the Calcutta Native Militia raised in 1795, which later became an infantry battalion of the Bengal Army. After 1860, there was a substantial increase in the recruitment of Jats in the Indian Army, however the Class Regiment, The Jats, was initially created as infantry units in 1897 from old battalions of the Bengal Army. In January 1922, at the time of the grouping of the Class Regiments of the Indian Army, the IX Jat Regiment was formed by bringing under a single regiment, four active and one training battalion. The Jats are known in Indian history for their skill with weapons and in combat. They had formed part of almost all successful armies of Indian feudal states. Its Regimental Centre is Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh and its Regimental insignia is the Roman numeral nine representing its ninth position in the regimental hierarchy of the Indian Army of the 1920s. The insignia also has a bugle  indicating th

THE RAJPUT REGIMENT The Rajput Regiment is from the Bengal Native Infantry (BNI) lineage. 31st Bengal Native Infantry, raised in 1778, later became 3 Rajput. The Rajput Regiment has long been praised for its fidelity and courage. 1 Rajput and 2 Rajput (then 2/15th BNI and 1/16th BNI), fought with great courage in the capture of the fort at Bharatpur. The men had loyally retained the colours which had been shot to pieces in the earlier battles for the fort, and stitched it up again to raise it at the fort after it was taken. Naik Jadunath Singh is the first and only recipient of the Param Vir Chakra (Posthumous) for the Regiment in the Jammu & Kashmir Operations in 1947-48. Its Regimental Centre is Fategarh, Uttar Pradesh and its Regimental insignia is a pair of crossed Katar s (Rajput dagger s) flanked by 3 Ashoka leaves on either side. Its motto is ‘Sarvatra Vijay’ (Victory Everywhere) and its war cry is ‘Bol Bajrang Bali Ki Jai (Say Victory to Lord Hanuman)

THE MADRAS REGIMENT ‘In the path of duty and self-sacrifice, giving their lives that we might live in freedom’. The Madras Regiment was initially formed as the Madras European Regiment in the 1660s by the East India Company as the second company established in India. However, it was formed as a battalion in 1748 under the command of Major Stringer Lawrence. Many well-known British officers have commanded this regiment; Robert Clive is one among them. This regiment has fought the Carnatic wars, which were fought in South India. The elephant crest symbolizes its gallantry in the Battle of Assaye under Arthur Wellesley, later Duke of Wellington. After independence, the infantry battalions of the Travancore ‘Nair Pattalam’, Cochin and Mysore State forces were amalgamated into the Madras Regiment. Currently the regiment has a strength of 20 battalions. The Regimental Centre is at Wellington, Tamilnadu. Its Regimental insignia is an Assaye Elephant  posed upon a shield

THE PUNJAB REGIMENT The Punjab Regiment is one of the oldest in the Indian Army. It traces its origins to 1761 when the first battalion was raised at Trichinopoly. The first four battalions of what later became the 2nd Punjab Regiment and finally the Punjab Regiment, were raised during the hostilities in the Carnatic in south India between 1761 and 1776. The numbers and titles of the battalions changed during the successive reorganisations of the Madras Presidency Army and later of the Indian Army during the 18th, 19th and 20th Centuries. The names changed from Coast Sepoys to Carnatic Battalions to Madras Native Infantry to The Punjab Regiment. In 1951, four battle experienced battalions of the former princely states of Punjab, joined the Regiment. These were a battalion each from the Jind and Nabha State Forces and the First and Second Battalions of Patiala Infantry. They are now designated as the 13, 14, 15 and 16 Punjab.Its Regimental Centre is in Ramgarh, Bi

THE PARACHUTE REGIMENT The first Indian airborne formation was the 50 Independent Parachute Brigade raised on 29 October 1941 with 151 British, 152 Indian and 153 Gurkha Parachute Battalions and other support units. The Indian Parachute Regiment was established on March 01, 1945, as the regiment to which is Indian and Gurkha parachute battalions would belong. 152nd Indian Parachute Bn was split to form the 1st Parachute Bn consisting of Hindu troops and the Muslims troops forming the 4th Para Bn, while 153rd and 154th Gurkha Para Bns being renamed the 2nd and 3rd Battalions respectively. Four independent parachute companies were also raised to complete the regiment, one each as a defence company for the divisional HQ and the brigade HQs and named thus. Its  Regimental Centre is Bangalore with the training establishment at Agra. Regimental insignia is an open parachute  with wings spread out and a dagger  placed upright, between the wingsand its motto is ‘Shatruje

MECHANISED INFANTRY REGIMENT The Mechanised Infantry Regiment is an infantry regiment of the Indian Army. It is one of the youngest regiments in the army and though it was formed as a result of lessons learned in the 1965 Indo-Pak War, to give infantry battalions greater mobility, it was the mastermind of late Gen K Sundarji who had the foresight to cater the needs of a modern army. Various mechanised battalions being brought together under a single cap badge as the Mechanised Infantry Regiment in 1979. The Mechanised Infantry Regiment has participated in Operation Pawan in Sri Lanka, Operation Rakshak in Punjab and Jammu & Kashmir and Operation Vijay in Jammu & Kashmir. It also specialises in UN Peacekeeping Operations in Somalia, Angola and Sierra Leone. The Regiment has its affiliation to INS Gharial, of the Indian Navy. The The Mechanised Infantry Regiment of the Indian Army has a special distinction of operating even in the high altitude areas of Lad

BRIGADE OF THE GUARDS The Brigade of The Guards is a regiment of the Indian Army. It is the first ‘All India’ mixed ‘All Class’ Composition Infantry Regiment of the Army where troops from all parts of India serve together in various battalions of the Regiment. The Guards Brigade was raised to implement the Government's policy of encouraging Army recruitment from classes and regions which had been under-represented in the forces. In the new regiment, called The Guards Brigade, the old system of class composition was replaced with recruitment open to all regions, castes, creeds and sections of society. Three of the Army's oldest and most distinguished battalions-2nd Battalion of the 2nd Punjab Regiment, 1st Battalion of the Indian Grenadiers Regiment and 1st Battalion of the 6th Rajputana Rifles were converted as Guards battalions in 1949. Later, they were joined by the 1st Battalion of the 7th Rajput Regiment. It is the only regiment of Foot Guards in the