Sikh Regiment

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name=The Sikh Regiment


caption=Cap Badge of the Sikh Regiment
dates=1 August 1846-Present
country=India
branch=Army
type=Line Infantry
role=Infantry
size=18 battalions
colors="Jo Bole So Nihal, Sat Sri Akal" (He who cries God is Truth, is ever Happy)
colors_label=War Cry
current_commander=
colonel_of_the_regiment=
nickname=
motto="Nischay Kar Apni Jeet Karon" (I Fight For Sure To Win).
identification_symbol= 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
identification_symbol_label=Regimental Insignia
march=
anniversaries=September 12, 1897 (the day of the Battle of Saragarhi) is celebrated as the "Regimental Battle Honours 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 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

The Sikh Regiment is regiment of the Indian Army.

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.

Infantry are recruited from the Jat, Rajput, Khatri and Ramgarhia Sikh Communities.

The war cry of regiment is: "Jo Bole So Nihal, Sat Sri Akal" (He who cries God is Truth, is ever Happy)

Brief History

Maharaja Ranjit Singh brought the well built and courageous people of the then Punjab to "Khalsa Panth" and formed "Khalsa Army". Following numerous heroic and valiant battles by the Khalsa Army, XIV Ferozepur (1 Sikh, now 4 Mechanised Infantry), and XV Ludhiana (2 Sikh) were raised from the soldiers of the vanquished force on August 1 1846.

The Sikh Regiment came into existence on 1 August 1846, with the raising of Regiment of Ferozepore Sikhs and Regiment of Ludhiana Sikhs by Captain G. Tebbs and Lieutenant Colonel P. Gordon respectively. The regiments were raised by reorganizing the armed forces of Maharaja Ranjit Singh by the then British rulers of India.

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

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.

Awards and Citations

In all, the Regiment has to its credit 1652 gallantry awards and honours including

* 10 Victoria Crosses
* 2 Param Vir Chakra
** Lance Naik Karam Singh in 1948 during Kashmir operations.
** Subedar Joginder Singh during the Chinese Aggression of 1962.
* 14 Maha Vir Chakra (MVC)
* 68 Vir Chakra.

In addition it has also earned
* 73 battle honours
* 38 theatre honours besides four COAS Unit Citation, including
** 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.

The Chief of Army Staff (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 07/08 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.

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 or sectarian. [ [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/06/24/nsikh124.xml UK Sikh regiment] ]

Alliances

*GBR - The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment (King's Lancashire and Border)

References

Bibliography

* [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0006C6T48 1st King George V's own battalion,: The Sikh Regiment]

External links

* [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/india/rgt-sikh.htm globalsecurity.org: The Sikh Regiment]
* [http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/LAND-FORCES/Army/Regiments/Sikh.html Bharat-Rakshak.com: The Sikh Regiment]
* [http://www.info-sikh.com/SSPage5.html Some old images of Sikh Soldiers]