62 Cavalry
Encyclopedia
The 62nd Cavalry is an Armoured Regiment of the Indian Army
and was raised by Lt Col RS Butalia on 31 Mar 1957 at Ambala
Cantonment. Drawn from the existing cavalry regiments of the time, the 62nd Cavalry is recruited from the Sikh
, Jat and Dogra
communities.
The Regiment was born as the first Armoured Regiment to be raised in Independent India and was the First Indian Armoured Regiment to be raised entirely on Tanks. In its ninth year, the 62nd Cavalry took part in the 1965 War against Pakistan. The regiment, equipped with obsolete Sherman tanks fought modern Pakistani Patton
tanks and outgunned and out-tanked them. The Regiment was honoured by President Neelam Sanjiva Reddy
during its silver Jubilee when he presented a Guidon to them on 31 March 1981.
The Regiment celebrated its Golden Jubilee with a mounted parade reviewed by the Chief of Army Staff on 31 March 2006. During the parade the COAS bestowed the Regiment with a Standard in recognition of its achievements. The celebrations were attended by the Chief Minister of Punjab, Capt. Amarinder Singh
, in recognition of the services rendered by 62nd Cavalry personnel who hail from Punjab apart from Lt Gen GD Singh, Deputy Chief of Army Staff (P&S), the Colonel of the Regiment of 62 CAVALRY.
Indian Army
The Indian Army is the land based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. With about 1,100,000 soldiers in active service and about 1,150,000 reserve troops, the Indian Army is the world's largest standing volunteer army...
and was raised by Lt Col RS Butalia on 31 Mar 1957 at Ambala
Ambala
Ambala is a city and a municipal corporation in Ambala district in the state of Haryana, India, located on the border of the states of Haryana and Punjab in India. Politically; Ambala has two sub-areas: Ambala Cantt and Ambala City, approximately 3 kilometers apart from each other...
Cantonment. Drawn from the existing cavalry regiments of the time, the 62nd Cavalry is recruited from the Sikh
Sikh
A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. It primarily originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term शिष्य , meaning "disciple, student" or शिक्ष , meaning "instruction"...
, Jat and Dogra
Dogra
The Dogras are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group in South Asia. Being a diversified group, the Dogras include both Savarnas such as Brahmins, Rajputs and Non-savarnas. The Dogras also incluide merchant castes such as Mahajans...
communities.
The Regiment was born as the first Armoured Regiment to be raised in Independent India and was the First Indian Armoured Regiment to be raised entirely on Tanks. In its ninth year, the 62nd Cavalry took part in the 1965 War against Pakistan. The regiment, equipped with obsolete Sherman tanks fought modern Pakistani Patton
Patton tank
Patton tank may refer to:*M46 Patton, a tank model operational during the Korean War*M47 Patton, a tank model in service from 1952 through 1959 with the U.S. Army, and through the mid 1990s in foreign service...
tanks and outgunned and out-tanked them. The Regiment was honoured by President Neelam Sanjiva Reddy
Neelam Sanjiva Reddy
Neelam Sanjiva Reddy was the sixth President of India, serving from 1977 to 1982 and was the only person to be elected President of India unopposed....
during its silver Jubilee when he presented a Guidon to them on 31 March 1981.
The Regiment celebrated its Golden Jubilee with a mounted parade reviewed by the Chief of Army Staff on 31 March 2006. During the parade the COAS bestowed the Regiment with a Standard in recognition of its achievements. The celebrations were attended by the Chief Minister of Punjab, Capt. Amarinder Singh
Amarinder Singh
Captain Amarinder Singh . He served as the Chief Minister of Punjab from 2002 to 2007 and presently serves as the President of Punjab PCC. He currently resides in New Moti Bagh Palace, Patiala.-Personal life:...
, in recognition of the services rendered by 62nd Cavalry personnel who hail from Punjab apart from Lt Gen GD Singh, Deputy Chief of Army Staff (P&S), the Colonel of the Regiment of 62 CAVALRY.