Gorkha Rifles set to complete 200 years of service

1:13 PM

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indian army

The world known Gorkha Rifles or Gorkha Regiment is to complete 200 years of existence who have served India and the British-ruled Indian before independence on April 24 2015.

1st Battalion, 3rd Queen Alexandra's Own Gurkha Rifle, Waziristan, 1936 - photo via nam.ac.uk

Known for their bravery Gorkha Rifels was organised under British East India Company at Subathu in Himachal Pradesh on April 24, 1815. The unit still exists and is known as the  First Gorkha rifles (1/1 GR) serves with the Indian army during peace and war.

As part of the commemoration of this historic occasion, there will be regimental celebrations at Pathankot in Punjab where 1/1 GR is presently stationed. The Colonel of the 1st Gorkha Rifles, Lt Gen Ravi Thodge, Master General Ordnance, will preside over the function at Pathankot where other senior officers of the regiment will also be present. A bigger celebration is planned later in the year, in October, at Subathu when the regimental reunion is supposed to take place and the Chief of Army Staff, General Dalbir Singh, a Gorkha Rifles officer himself , is likely to attend that.

Invitations for the event have also been extended to former Indian and British soldiers who served in the regiment.

The Gorkha regiment started out as one but now comprises seven regiments. Of those, the Indian army takes services from the 1st, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 8th, 9th and the 11th regiments and Gorkha troops also serve in the Rashtriya rifles, Artillery and the Territorial Army units.

Commenting on the 200th anniversary, Lt Gen TK Sapru (retd), former GOC-in-C Western Command and a former Gorkha officer described them as the most amazing soldiers. “Tailor made for soldiering, very honest with integrity of highest order. They very quick on their feet and somehow they have been endowed by God with all qualities required for soldiers,” he said.
The 200 years of service of the Gorkhas is also being marked by the British Army where a host of events are kick-starting from April 24 onwards. A formal event is being held on April 30th by the British Brigade of Gorkhas with a march from Wellington Barracks to the Gorkha Statue in Whitehall, where a memorial service will be held.

As per the British Gorkha Welfare Trust, there will be a service at the Gorkha Statue to re-dedicate the ‘Campaign Service’ and ‘Gurkha Units’ plates, to reflect 200 years of rich Gorkha history and to commemorate those killed in service to the British Crown.

With inputs from indianexpress

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The Gorkhas’ Khukris flashed at Chola in 1967

12:56 AM

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khukuri

Kirantis’ khukris flash at Chola in 1967

"Rifleman Devi Prasad Limbu after finishing off all his ammunition, charged at the Chinese with his Khukri, severing the heads of five of them, before being killed."

In conflict, moral ascendancy over the enemy is an imperative. During World War 2, we had seen how the Indian and British troops systemically demolished the image of the Japanese supermen before driving them out of Burma.

The Gorkhas’ Khukris

After the demoralising defeat in the 1962 war, Indian troops were thirsting for a chance to get back at the Chinese. In the wake of the engagement with the enemy at Nathu La in Sikkim on September 11, 1967, 7/11 GR, a newly raised battalion, was moved to take over defences in the Chola area.

Here the Chinese were determined to create an ugly incident by staking claim to a territory legitimately under our control. On the morning of October 1, they got into a heated argument with Naib Subedar Gyan Bahadur Limbu, the forward platoon commander over the ownership of a boulder demarcating the boundary.

The JCO was bayoneted and wounded. In the meantime, the Chinese had taken up aggressive positions, escalating the situation. The Gorkhas’ Khukris flashed and the arms of the JCO’s assailant were chopped off.

Section commander Lance Naik Krishna Bahadur led a charge against the enemy who were forming up for an assault. Hit thrice, he was unable to use his weapon, but nevertheless urged his men on, gesticulating with his Khukri and ultimately killed by a machine-gun burst. Rifleman Devi Prasad Limbu after finishing off all his ammunition, charged at the Chinese with his Khukri, severing the heads of five of them, before being killed.

He was later awarded the Vir Chakra. Another Vir Chakra was awarded to Havildar Tinjong Lama, who used his 57mm recoilless gun to knock out a heavy machine gun with which the enemy was bringing down the withering fire.

Colonel KB Joshi, the commanding officer, exercised command well and even brought down the occasional enemy with a rifle. The same night, he personally led a company attack to recapture Point 15,450. Such was the upper hand achieved by the Kirantis’ fierce reaction to Chinese provocations that the enemy vacated the post without putting up a fight. Thus, a new battalion was blooded.

IS THE SWORD ARM GRADUALLY WEAKENING?

A recent move by the Sikh Regiment to deploy search teams to identify and motivate potential recruits does not come as a surprise to those closely following developments on the ground in Punjab. The ravages of drugs, liquor, declining standards of rural health and education have brought about great changes in the recruitment pool. A state with an abundant reservoir of young, able-bodied, qualified and motivated manpower has over time degenerated to the extent that the Punjabi youth are unable even to pass basic physical tests for entrance to the armed forces.

The people of Punjab must seriously ponder over the crisis and make the right choices in the matter of a suitable course of action to remedy the situation. No less affected will be the armed forces if they lose this very valuable pool of manpower, which has served the country very well in the past.

Citizens and leadership of the army must prevail upon politicians and bureaucrats who rule Punjab to take immediate, long-term measures to rectify the situation. Tomorrow it might be too late.

(Please write in with your narratives of war and soldiering to msbajwa@gmail.com or call on 093161-35343)

Source: Mandeep Singh Bajwa, Hindustan Times

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From sepoy to officer - Gorkhali Son Makes Father and Community Proud

8:52 AM

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indian army

Christopher Rai is a solider of soldiers, he joined the army as a sepoy when he was only 16 and a half years. But his hard work, perseverance, and love for motherland pushed him on for higher things and that has resulted in him Graduating from the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun on the June 14th, 2014. He will be joining as Lieutenant with the Artillery Regiment.
Son of Subedar Major (Retd.) Dil Kumar Rai of 7/11 Gorkha Rifles and Mrs. Chandrakala Rai who are residents of Lebong Cart road, below Tibetan Refugee Center, Darjeeling (previously from West Point Upper Dali), Lt. Christopher completed his schooling from St. Joseph’s Darjeeling, and joined the army immediately after that.

Christopher Rai From sepoy  to officer - Gorkhali Son Makes Father and Community Proud

Like his father, Lt. Christopher was initially was posted with the 7/11 GR but he continued with his education even while in the army and gave his best at what he did. Seeing his dedication, intelligence and abilities, the Service Selection Board (SSB) recommended Christopher for commission and he joined the prestigious Indian Military Academy.

Even at IMA, Dehradun Lt. Christopher shined and completed his training with flying colours, he has been awarded the Vice Chief Army Staff Commendation Card for Meritorious service.
Christopher’s story is indeed inspiring to the entire Gorkhali community not just for the fact that he is an officer today, but because he joined at the ranks and through his dedication and hard work earned his right to become an officer.

In an emotional message to his son, proud father SM (Retd.) D K Rai said, “'I am very proud of you my son Christopher (Gunjan). Today you became a Commissioned Officer of the Indian Army, which made us very proud and happy. You added a colorful feather on my hat. I was always dreaming for this day, today you have done it and made our whole family proud. This is a result of your hard working which will lead you to your destination.

Till yesterday you were known by my name but today onwards I will be known by your name. I always pray to Almighty God for your betterment in your every step because you have entered your New Life with a lot of challenges. Keep It Up!!”

Everyone is happy with Lt. Christopher’s amazing performance and proud of his achievement, especially his elder sister Priscilla Prerna Rai who put things in perspective for us when she said, “As a sister I am already proud, but the accomplishment of my brother makes me feel that Gorkhalis are very capable and intellectually equipped of being at par with the rest of the country.”

It is rare to see both father and son raise through the ranks, rarer yet to see the son outdo his father. Lt. Christopher you have made not just your family or Darjeeling, but the entire Gorkhali community proud.
Hat’s off!!

"2014 has been a proud year for the Gorkhalis and between DT and The Darjeeling Chronicle we have been able to report about 13 Gorkhalis Commissioned as Officers in the Indian Army so far, which is in and of itself an astounding number.

We hope more and more of our younger generation will keep on outdoing the performance of our ancestors." - DC

Source: The Darjeeling Chronicle

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