SALUGARA (NORTH BENGAL): Wednesday's start of the bicentenary celebrations of the 1/3 Gorkha Rifles in North Bengal had been planned about eight years in advance. The first battalion of the third Gorkha Rifles had two options — to hold the annual celebrations either in Dehradun or in Salugara. It chose the Sevoke Military Station in Salugara for the celebrations. The reason for choosing Salugara was to facilitate movement of veterans from Nepal.
"More than 600 retired junior commissioned officers (JCOs) and other ranks from Nepal have crossed into India through Kakarvitta. We have vehicles waiting on the border to get them to Sevoke. About 130 retired JCOs and other ranks from India, primarily from Dehradun, are also attending the event. Retired officers and their families account for about 200 guests. Veterans from Nepal may have thought twice before travelling to Dehradun to attend the bicentenary celebrations," said Colonel B S Sawian, commanding officer of 1/3 Gorkha Rifles.
Sawian said that the battalion began preparing for the event about a year and a half ago. A trophy to commemorate the occasion, a war memorial and mementos for guests and serving soldiers were also planned. The battalion also got in touch with Gorkha veterans in Britain, but they are in no position to fly to India.
"Most of them are more than 90 years old. Some of them have sent e-mails with their best wishes. There used to be an association for Gorkhas of the Third Regiment in Britain. This no longer exists," Sawian added.
Officers, some of them former commanding officers, have flocked to the bicentenary celebrations as they shared a unique relationship with the men. All officers, whether of Nepali origin or not, speak fluent Nepali. They are also well accustomed with the customs of the Gorkhas.
"As a young lieutenant, an officer is not accommodated in the officers' mess. He has to put up with the men for one and a half month to learn the way they live. They have to read three volumes of military history of the Gorkhas and pass a test before they formally get their entry into the officers' mess. We are the infantry and must learn to live and die with our men. We have to learn to lead and motivate them. We have to eat, live and die with them. Unless, we can prove our worth, the men would never listen to us or have confidence," said Sawian, a third generation officer.
Having been associated with the Gorkhas since childhood, he believes that they are the most simple and the most patient people in the world.
"Their tolerance levels are very high. They don't complicate their lives and their loyalty to whom they serve has no parallel. Had this not been the case, arranging for an event of this level may not have even been possible. They have extraordinary physical and mental strength," Sawian said.
Via: TOI
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| 200 years of glory for Indian Army: 1/3 Gorkha Rifles |
Sawian said that the battalion began preparing for the event about a year and a half ago. A trophy to commemorate the occasion, a war memorial and mementos for guests and serving soldiers were also planned. The battalion also got in touch with Gorkha veterans in Britain, but they are in no position to fly to India.
"Most of them are more than 90 years old. Some of them have sent e-mails with their best wishes. There used to be an association for Gorkhas of the Third Regiment in Britain. This no longer exists," Sawian added.
Officers, some of them former commanding officers, have flocked to the bicentenary celebrations as they shared a unique relationship with the men. All officers, whether of Nepali origin or not, speak fluent Nepali. They are also well accustomed with the customs of the Gorkhas.
"As a young lieutenant, an officer is not accommodated in the officers' mess. He has to put up with the men for one and a half month to learn the way they live. They have to read three volumes of military history of the Gorkhas and pass a test before they formally get their entry into the officers' mess. We are the infantry and must learn to live and die with our men. We have to learn to lead and motivate them. We have to eat, live and die with them. Unless, we can prove our worth, the men would never listen to us or have confidence," said Sawian, a third generation officer.
Having been associated with the Gorkhas since childhood, he believes that they are the most simple and the most patient people in the world.
"Their tolerance levels are very high. They don't complicate their lives and their loyalty to whom they serve has no parallel. Had this not been the case, arranging for an event of this level may not have even been possible. They have extraordinary physical and mental strength," Sawian said.
Via: TOI
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