11 GORKHA RIFLES
11 GORKHA RIFLES At the time of Independence when the division of the Indian Armed Forces was being done the question of the future employment of Gorkha troops also came up. At that time there were ten Gorkha Regiments in the Indian Army, each with two battalions. Troops of the 7th and 10th Gorkha Rifles hailed from Eastern Nepal and were mainly of Rai and Limbu ethnic groups. Transfer of troops to the British Army was to be on a purely voluntary basis. A referendum was held in the presence of the representatives of the Indian and Nepalese Governments. Troops from the 7th and 10th Gorkha Rifles opted against the transfer to the British Army in large numbers. 2/7 GR - located at Santa Cruz, Mumbai - as a whole opted against transfer to the British Army. There was no Gorkha Regiment, left in the Indian Army with troops from Eastern Nepal. Keeping in mind the large numbers of non-optees and their fighting qualities it was decided to re-raise the 11th Gorkha Rifles. Official orders