Sikh Regiment
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| The Sikh Regiment | |
|---|---|
 The Sikh Regiment Battle Insignia |
|
| Active | 1 August 1846 – |
| Country | India |
| Branch | Army |
| Type | Line Infantry |
| Role | Infantry |
| Size | 18 battalions |
| Motto | Nischay Kar Apni Jeet Karon (With conviction will I achieve my victory). |
| War Cry | Bole So Nihal, Sat Sri Akal (He who cries God is Truth, is ever blissful) |
| Anniversaries | September 12, 1897 (the day of the Battle of Saragarhi) is celebrated as the Regimental Battle Honours Day- Saragarhi Day. |
| Decorations | 2 Param Vir Chakras, 2 Ashoka Chakras, 14 Maha Vir Chakras, 14 Kirti Chakras, 64 Vir Chakras, 15 Shaurya Chakras, 75 Sena Medals and 25 Vishisht Seva Medals, 12 Victoria Crosses and "Unit Citation" to 8th Battalion for their meritorious and gallant performance during the isolation of
Tiger Hill in the Kargil Skirmish. |
| Battle honours | Srinagar, Tithwal, Raja Picquet, Burki, OP Hill, Parbat Ali, Punch and Siramani |
| Insignia | |
| Regimental Insignia | Sharp-edged Quoit, or Chakra, which the Khalsa Armies had used in combat. The Chakra rings a lion, symbolic of the name (Singh) every Sikh carries |
The Sikh Regiment is the most highly decorated regiment of the Indian Army,[1] with 73 Battle Honours, 14 Victoria Crosses,[2] 15 Theatre Honours and 5 COAS Unit Citations besides 2 Param Vir Chakras, 14 Maha Vir Chakras, 5 Kirti Chakras, 67 Vir Chakras and 1596 other gallantry awards. The soldiers of the Sikh Regiment are proud to wear the regimental colours of India's highest decorated regiment.[3]
The Sikh Regimental Centre is presently located in Ramgarh Cantonment, 30 km from the Ranchi, capital of Jharkhand state in India. The Centre was earlier located in Meerut in Uttar Pradesh State.
Over its life of more than 150 years, the regiment has participated in various actions and operations both in the pre and post-independence era in India and abroad, including the First and the Second World War.
With a humble beginning of two battalions, today the fraternity has grown 20 battalions strong.
Contents |
[edit] Brief History
Maharaja Ranjit Singh's Sikh Khalsa Army was a formidable force till his death in 1839. After a series of wars against the East India Company, however, the empire was incorporated into the Company's territory, and the XIV Ferozepur (1 Sikh, now 4 Mechanised Infantry), and XV Ludhiana (2 Sikh, under Captain G. Tebbs and Lieutenant Colonel P. Gordon, were raised from the soldiers of the defeated army of the Punjab Empire on August 1, 1846.
[edit] Battle of Saragarhi and the Sikh Regiment
The Battle of Saragarhi is a defining memory for the Sikh officers and soldiers of the British Indian Army and their successors in the Indian Army.[4] According to Indian newspapers, UNESCO has described the Battle of Saragarhi, September 12 1897, as one of eight stories of collective bravery.[5][6][7][8] The contingent of the twenty-one Sikhs from the 36th Sikhs was led by Havildar Ishar Singh, and held off an Afghan attack of 10,000 men. All 21 Sikh soldiers chose to fight to the death instead of surrendering.
In recognition of their supreme sacrifice, the British Parliament rose to pay them respect, and each one of them was awarded the Indian Order of Merit (equal to Victoria Cross). Sikh military personnel and Sikh non-military people commemorate the battle around the World every year on September 12 it is referred to as Saragarhi Day[citation needed].
- Havildar Ishar Singh
- Naik Lal Singh
- Lance Naik Chanda Singh
- Sepoy Sundar Singh
- Sepoy Ram Singh
- Sepoy Uttar Singh
- Sepoy Sahib Singh
- Sepoy Hira Singh
- Sepoy Daya Singh
- Sepoy Jivan Singh
- Sepoy Bhola Singh
- Sepoy Narayan Singh
- Sepoy Gurmukh Singh
- Sepoy Jivan Singh
- Sepoy Gurmukh Singh
- Sepoy Ram Singh
- Sepoy Bhagwan Singh
- Sepoy Bhagwan Singh
- Sepoy Buta Singh
- Sepoy Jivan Singh
- Sepoy Nand Singh
[edit] Units
Regimental Battalion
- 2nd Battalion
- 3rd Battalion
- 4th Battalion
- 5th Battalion
- 6th Battalion
- 7th Battalion
- 8th Battalion
- 10th Battalion
- 11th Battalion
- 13th Battalion
- 14th Battalion
- 16th Battalion
- 17th Battalion
- 18th Battalion
- 19th Battalion
- 20th Battalion
- 21st Battalion
- 22nd Battalion
Others
- 1st Battalion is now 4th Mechanised Infantry.
- 9th Battalion was disbanded in 1984
[edit] Operation Bluestar
Following Operation Bluestar, a large number of recruits at Ramgarh mutinied. They shot and killed the Commandant of the Sikh Regimental Center, Brigadier S.C. Puri and wounded some other officers. They then got hold of a number of trucks and started to proceed towards Punjab, but were stopped by army men in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.
A large part of 9 Sikh which was in the Ganganagar area of Rajasthan mutinied. This battalion was disbanded on April 1, 1985. Following Operation Bluestar, the then COAS, General Arun S. Vaidya wanted to have more mixed battalions. So he passed an order that single class battalions should begin recruiting other classes as well as their parent class. These mixed battalion came to be known as Vaidya's Battalions. The 13 Sikh is the Vaidya battalion and its class composition consists of a company each of Sikhs, Dogras, Garhwalis and South Indians.
[edit] Awards and Citations
In all, the Regiment has to its credit 1652 gallantry awards and honours including:
- 73 Battle Honours
- 14 Victoria Crosses[9]
- 2 Param Vir Chakra
- Lance Naik Karam Singh in 1948 during Kashmir operations.
- Joginder Singh (Subedar) during the Chinese Aggression of 1962.
- 14 Maha Vir Chakra (MVC)
- 68 Vir Chakra.
- 15 Theatre Honours
- 5 COAS Unit Citations
- 5 Kirti Chakras,
- 67 Vir Chakras
- 1596 other gallantry awards.
In addition it has also earned:
- 38 theatre honours
- the one bestowed upon 8 Sikh during the 1999 Kargil episode
- and two "Bravest of the Brave" citations.
The Museum of the Regimental Centre displays a record of the Sikh Regiment in four halls viz.,
- The Religious/motivational Hall,
- The Hall of Heritage,
- The Regimental Glory Hall
- The Peripheral Gallery.
Chief of Army Staff of India. (COAS) made a special instant award of "Unit Citation" to 8th Battalion, The Sikh Regiment for their meritorious and gallant performance during the isolation of Tiger Hill, which facilitated the capture of Tiger Hill top and battles of Helmet and India Gate, features to the West of Tiger Hill top, on night 07/8 July 1999, in Dras Sector.
During Operation Vijay, the unit displayed sterling performance marked with exceptional valour and grit in the face of the enemy.
[edit] Plans to Raise a UK Sikh Regiment
Advanced plans by the British Army to raise a UK Sikh infantry regiment were scrapped due to accusations by the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE) that such a creation could be viewed as racist.[10]
[edit] Alliances
[edit] Bibliography
[edit] References
- ^ Sikh Regiment
- ^ Excerpts from British High Commissioner Michael Arthur, talk [1]
- ^ Sikh Regiment
- ^ The Sunday Tribune - Books
- ^ Defending Saragarhi, 12 September 1897
- ^ The saga of sacrifice at Saragarhi
- ^ A century later, Punjab resurrects some of its bravest men
- ^ Of blood red in olive green
- ^ Excerpts from British High Commissioner Michael Arthur, talk [2]
- ^ Sikh regiment dumped over 'racism' fears - Telegraph
