Gorkha regiments (India): Difference between revisions

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}}

[[File:Indian Army soldiers with the 2nd Battalion, 5th Royal Gurkha Rifles and U.S. Army paratroopers with the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division move toward their objective after being dropped off 130511-A-DK678-018.jpg|thumb|Men of the 2nd Battalion, [[5th Gorkha Rifles (Frontier Force)]] operating alongside soldiers from the [[82nd Airborne Division]] of the US Army in 2013]]

Since the independence of India in 1947, as per the terms of the [[Britain–India–Nepal Tripartite Agreement]], six '''Gorkha regiments''', formerly part of the [[British Indian Army]], became part of the [[Indian Army]] and have served ever since. The troops are mainly from ethnic [[Gorkhas|Gurkha]] community of [[Nepal]]. They carry their signature, a [[Kukri]] knife, with them. A seventh Gorkha Rifles regiment was re-raised in the Indian Army after Independence to accommodate Gorkha soldiers of [[7th Duke of Edinburgh's Own Gurkha Rifles|7th Gurkha Rifles]] and the [[10th Princess Mary's Own Gurkha Rifles|10th Gurkha Rifles]] who chose not to transfer to the [[British Army]].

They were instrumental in the expansion of the [[British East India Company]] throughout the [[subcontinent]]. The Gorkhas took part in the [[Gurkha-Sikh War]], [[Anglo-Sikh wars]], [[European influence in Afghanistan|Afghan wars]], and in suppressing the [[Indian Rebellion of 1857]]. Throughout these years, the British continued to recruit the Gorkhas and kept increasing the number of Gorkha regiments.

By the time First World War started, there were 10 Gorkha (spelt Gurkha at the time) regiments in the [[British Indian Army]].<ref>{{cite book|first=Boris|last=Mollo|page=155|title=The India Army|ISBN=0-7137-1074-8}}</ref>

===Post-independence of India ===

Following the divisions of the Gorkha regiments, it was decided that transferring to the British Army would be a voluntary decision for the individual Gorkha soldiers affected. As a result, large numbers of men from the [[7th Gurkha Rifles]] and the [[10th Gurkha Rifles]], which recruited predominantly from eastern Nepal, decided not to remain with their regiments when these became part of the British Army. In order to retain a contingent from this area of Nepal, the Indian Army made the decision to raise the [[11 Gorkha Rifles]]. Although there was an ad hoc regiment with this number, raised during World War 1 with troops drawn from the various existing Gurkha units, the troops mostly retained the uniform and insignias of their respective regiments (with a few exceptions who wore 11 GR badges which was unofficial as no sanction was given for such). This regiment was disbanded in 1922 and has no relation to the present-day 11 Gurkha Rifles, though some do claim so.

Major [[Dhan Singh Thapa]] of the 1st battalion, 8 Gorkha Rifles, 1/8 GR, won the [[Param Vir Chakra]] for his heroic actions during the [[1962 Sino-Indian conflict]]. The 1st battalion of the 11 Gorkha Rifles, 1/11 GR, was involved in the [[Kargil War]] of 1999 where Lt.  [[Manoj Kumar Pandey]] won the [[Param Vir Chakra]] for his gallant actions. Lt Hari Singh Bist of the 3rd Battalion of the 11 Gorkha Rifles was awarded a Shaurya Chakra posthumously for his gallant close combat encounter with terrorists of JeM in Mendhar in Kashmir. Lt Bist and his patrol party had got information that a group of terrorists were hiding in a village hut. On receiving the intelligence, Lt Bist volunteered to conduct further surveillance. During the actual encounter, Lt Bist killed five of the militants but was shot five times during the encounter.

==Current structure==

* [[1 Gorkha Rifles]] – 6 battalions (previously 1st King George V's Own Gurkha Rifles (The Malaun Regiment))

* [[3 Gorkha Rifles]] – 5 battalions (previously 3rd Queen Alexandra's Own Gurkha Rifles)

* [[4 Gorkha Rifles]] – 5 battalions (previously 4th Prince of Wales's Own Gurkha Rifles)

* [[5 Gorkha Rifles (Frontier Force)]] – 6 battalions (previously 5th Royal Gurkha Rifles (Frontier Force))

* [[8 Gorkha Rifles]] – 6 battalions (In 8 GR the First Battalion is converted into [[Indian Army Mechanised Infantry Regiment|Mechanised Infantry Regiment]])

* [[9 Gorkha Rifles]] – 5 battalions  

* [[11 Gorkha Rifles]] – 7 battalions (raised after the independence of India).

[[File:Bipin Rawat (CDS).jpg|thumb|Gen. [[Bipin Rawat]] wearing the tilted Gorkha Hat.|alt=|center]]

The Gorkha hat is wide brimmed and comprises two layers of material. It is made of felt and is worn tilted.<ref name="thegurkhamuseum">{{cite web |title=The Gorkha Hat – The Gorkha Museum |url=https://thegurkhamuseum.co.uk/the-gorkha-hat/ |website=thegurkhamuseum.co.uk |access-date=3 January 2020}}</ref> It was originally adopted prior to World War I for wear with the khak drill service uniform of the time. The round "pill-box" cap worn with the traditional rifle-green dress uniform of Gorkha regiments was retained after 1947 for off-duty use.<ref>{{cite book|first=John|last=Gaylor|pages=328-329|title=Sons of John Company. The Indian & Pakistan Armies 1903-1991|ISBN=0-946771-98-7}}</ref>

A platoon of the [[11 Gorkha Rifles|1/11 Gorkha Rifles]], led by [[Manoj Kumar Pandey|Lt. Manoj Kumar Pandey]], has been depicted in the [[Bollywood]] movie [[LOC: Kargil]].