The Punjab Regiment of India

India

India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

 was formed from the 2nd Punjab Regiment

2nd Punjab Regiment

The 2nd Punjab Regiment was a British Indian Army regiment from 1922 to the partition of India in 1947.The regiment was formed by the amalgamation of other regiments:*1st Battalion, from the 67th Punjabis, formerly the 7th Regiment of Madras Native Infantry...

 of the
British Indian Army

British Indian Army

The British Indian Army, officially simply the Indian Army, was the principal army of the British Raj in India before the partition of India in 1947...

 in 1947. It is one of the oldest regiments still in service in the Indian Army

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 has taken part in various battles and wars winning numerous honors for the same. It is one of the most acclaimed regiments of the Indian Army

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...

.

Prior to independence and partition there were a number of "Punjab regiments" in the British India. These were amalgamated to form two regiments: the 1st Punjab Regiment

1st Punjab Regiment

The 1st Punjab Regiment was a regiment of the British Indian Army from 1922 to 1947. It was transferred to the Pakistan Army on Partition of India in 1947, and amalgamated with the 14th, 15th and 16th Punjab Regiments in 1956, to form the Punjab Regiment....

, and the 2nd. At the onset of independence in 1947, the 1st Punjab Regiment being predominantly a Muslim regiment went over to the newly-raised Pakistan army, while the 2nd Punjab Regiment was retained in the Indian Army. Troops were transferred between regiments based on whether the soldiers would be a part of India or Pakistan.

Organizational History

The Punjab Regiment is one of the oldest in the Indian Army. The first battalion which today constitutes this regiment was raised in 1805. This was done by the then Maharaja of Patiala.
The first four British-raised battalions of what later became the 2nd Punjab Regiment and finally the Punjab Regiment, were raised during the hostilities in the Carnatic in South India between 1761 and 1776. (Note - The 15 Punjab only became a battalion of the regiment after Independence). The first and second battalions have been converted to other regiments and the fourth battalion was disbanded. The third battalion still continues as part of the regiment. The numbers and titles of the battalions changed during the successive reorganisations of the Madras Presidency

Madras Presidency

The Madras Presidency , officially the Presidency of Fort St. George and also known as Madras Province, was an administrative subdivision of British India...

 Army, the British Indian Army and the Indian Army

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...

 during the 18th, 19th and 20th Centuries. The names changed from Coast Sepoys to Carnatic Infantry, Madras Native Infantry, Punjabis and finally to the Punjab Regiment. After 1857, the British applied the Martial Races theory and north Indian troops replaced the South Indians, the regiment eventually being renamed as The Punjab Regiment.

The 1st Battalion of the 2nd Punjab Regiment (now the Punjab Regiment of the Indian Army) initially formed part of the 44 (later 2nd) Indian Airborne Division in an airborne role on the disbandment of the Indian Parachute Regiment in 1946 and was called 1st Bn, 2nd Punjab Regt (Para). The unit retained Punjab Regiment uniform except donning the maroon beret, qualification wings and allied insignias of the airborne. In 1952, when the Parachute Regiment was raised and a Regimental Centre formed, 1st Punjab, became the 1st Bn of the Parachute Regiment and known as the 1st Battalion, the Parachute Regiment (Punjab). The uniform changed to the Parachute Regiment but retained the Punjab's hackle on its headgear.

In 1951, four battle experienced battalions of the former princely states of Punjab

Punjab (British India)

Punjab was a province of British India, it was one of the last areas of the Indian subcontinent to fall under British rule. With the end of British rule in 1947 the province was split between West Punjab, which went to Pakistan, and East Punjab, which went to India...

, joined the Regiment. These were a battalion each from the Jind

Jind

Jind is a town in Jind District, Harayana state, India.It is one of the oldest districts of Harayana. It is one of the first Sikh Kingdoms. It lies in central Haryana and is the fourth district of the Jat belt .The city is beautiful...

 and Nabha

Nabha

Nabha is a city and municipal council in the Patiala district to the south-west of the Indian state of Punjab. In 1998, the annual income of Nabha state was Rs 1,50,000/-.- Princely State of Nabha :...

 State Forces and the First and Second Battalions of Patiala Infantry (as mentioned above). They are now designated as the 13, 14, 15 and 16 PUNJAB. Additional battalions were raised since 1963.

15 Punjab

Fifteen Punjab (Formerly First Patiala), is one of the finest units of Indian Army, completed 300 years of service to the nation on April 13, 2005. Currently deployed somewhere in the western sector, the battalion was raised on the auspicious baisakhi day in 1705 by Baba Alla Singh, the founder of Patiala State. It was the first battalion of the state forces of the Maharaja of Patiala. Apart from being the oldest infantry battalion in the Indian Army, 15 Punjab also has the proud distinction of being the second highest decorated battalion of the Army, with 22 Battle Honours, one Theatre Honour (Punjab) and numerous gallantry awards. The battalion took part in numerous campaigns in India and abroad, carving a mark for itself in every operation. In May 1900, the battalion was re-designated as First Patiala Imperial Service Infantry (Rajindra Sikh). During World War-I, it took part in operations in the Middle East under the British Expeditionary Force. In 1932, the battalion was re-designated as First Patiala Rajindra Sikh Infantry. During World War-II, the battalion participated in the Burma Campaign. It successfully cut off the Japanese lines of communication, thus halting their advance towards India. Thereafter, the battalion sailed to Port Dickson for action in Malaya and Batavia (now Java).

2 Punjab

The 2 Punjab (now First Battalion, the Brigade of the Guards

Brigade of the Guards

Brigade of The Guards is a regiment of the Indian Army. It is the first "All India" mixed "All Class" Composition Infantry Regiment of the Army where troops from all parts of India serve together in various battalions of the Regiment...

) was raised in 1762 as the tenth battalion of the Coastal Sepoys and has been redesignated eighteen times since then. The troop composition of the unit was changed to a North Zone Battalion in 1902 and the unit was redesignated as 69 Punjab. In 1922, the unit was redesignated as 2/2 Punjab Regiment. The battalion, by virtue of its seniority and efficiency, was handpicked by the then Chief of the Army Staff, Gen (later Field Marshal) KM Carriappa to be redesignated as First Guards in April 1951. Lt Col (later Brigadier) Shivinder Singh was the first commanding officer of the battalion. Since then, 22 commanding officers had commanded the battalion and brought it to the present state of glory. Of them, Lt Col MCS Menon, Lt Col Sehdev Sahgal and Lt Col PP Singh retired as Generals.

1984 Desertions

In 1984, desertions broke out in several places following the army assault on the Golden Temple. In the result, the general court martial in Pune handed down some of the harshest sentences known in history of the army against 122 other ranks of the Punjab Regiment on July 20, 1985.

UN Peacekeeping Operations

In recent years, the Punjab Regiment has contributed towards UN peacekeeping missions by sending three of its battalions overseas i.e. in Gaza

Gaza

Gaza , also referred to as Gaza City, is a Palestinian city in the Gaza Strip, with a population of about 450,000, making it the largest city in the Palestinian territories.Inhabited since at least the 15th century BC,...

, Angola

Angola

Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...

 and Lebanon

Lebanon

Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...

 (3,14 and 15 PUNJAB respectively).

Regimental Centre

The Regimental Centre was first raised at Loralai and was shifted to Multan in 1922, Meerut in 1929 and its present location in Ramgharh, Jharkhand in 1976.

Composing Battalions

• 3rd Battalion
• 9th Battalion
• 13th Battalion (former State Forces unit of Indian princely states)
• 14th Battalion (former State Forces unit of Indian princely states)
• 15th Battalion (former State Forces unit of Indian princely states)
• 16th Battalion (former State Forces unit of Indian princely states)
• 17th Battalion
• 18th Battalion
• 19th Battalion
• 20th Battalion
• 21st Battalion
• 22nd Battalion
• 23rd Battalion
• 24th Battalion
• 25th Battalion
• 26th Battalion
• 27th Battalion
• 28th Battalion
• 29th Battalion
• 102nd Infantry Battalion (Territorial Army) Punjab
• 150th Infantry Battalion (Territorial Army) Punjab
• 156th Infantry Battalion (Territorial Army) (H&H) Punjab
• 7th Battalion Rashtriya Rifles
  Rashtriya Rifles
  The Rashtriya Rifles or RR are a branch of the Indian Army placed under the authority of the Ministry of Home Affairs....
  
   Punjab
• 22nd Battalion Rashtriya Rifles
  Rashtriya Rifles
  The Rashtriya Rifles or RR are a branch of the Indian Army placed under the authority of the Ministry of Home Affairs....
  
   Punjab
• 37th Battalion Rashtriya Rifles
  Rashtriya Rifles
  The Rashtriya Rifles or RR are a branch of the Indian Army placed under the authority of the Ministry of Home Affairs....
  
   Punjab
• 53rd Battalion Rashtriya Rifles
  Rashtriya Rifles
  The Rashtriya Rifles or RR are a branch of the Indian Army placed under the authority of the Ministry of Home Affairs....
  
   Punjab

Apart from the above battalions, the following were also affiliated to the Regiment at one time or the other.

• 1st Battalion - 1 Para (Special Forces)
• 2nd Battalion - 1 Guards (Mechanized)
• 4th Battalion - Disbanded in 1938
• 7th Battalion - 8th Mechanised Infantry
• 8th Battalion - Disbanded after World War II
• 10th Battalion - Regimental Centre

The regiment has an affiliation with INS Ranjit

INS Ranjit

The following ships of the Indian Navy have been named Ranjit: was a R class destroyer acquired in 1949 from the Royal Navy, where it served in World War II as is a Rajput class destroyer, currently in active service with the Indian Navy...

 (D53), a Rajput class destroyer

Destroyer

In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...

 of the Indian Navy

Indian Navy

The Indian Navy is the naval branch of the armed forces of India. The President of India serves as the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy. The Chief of Naval Staff , usually a four-star officer in the rank of Admiral, commands the Navy...

.

Class Composition

The regiment consists of Punjabi Hindu, Sikh and some Dogra troops primarily drawn from North Indian states of Jammu and Kashmir

Jammu and Kashmir

Jammu and Kashmir is the northernmost state of India. It is situated mostly in the Himalayan mountains. Jammu and Kashmir shares a border with the states of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab to the south and internationally with the People's Republic of China to the north and east and the...

, Himachal Pradesh

Himachal Pradesh

Himachal Pradesh is a state in Northern India. It is spread over , and is bordered by the Indian states of Jammu and Kashmir on the north, Punjab on the west and south-west, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh on the south, Uttarakhand on the south-east and by the Tibet Autonomous Region on the east...

, Punjab

Punjab (India)

Punjab ) is a state in the northwest of the Republic of India, forming part of the larger Punjab region. The state is bordered by the Indian states of Himachal Pradesh to the east, Haryana to the south and southeast and Rajasthan to the southwest as well as the Pakistani province of Punjab to the...

, Haryana

Haryana

Haryana is a state in India. Historically, it has been a part of the Kuru region in North India. The name Haryana is found mentioned in the 12th century AD by the apabhramsha writer Vibudh Shridhar . It is bordered by Punjab and Himachal Pradesh to the north, and by Rajasthan to the west and south...

 and Uttrakhand. However as an exception, two regular battalions (19 and 27 PUNJAB) have troops from other Indian castes as well.

Battle of Longewala

During the Battle of Longewala

Battle of Longewala

The Battle of Longewala was one of the first major engagements in the Western Sector during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, fought between assaulting Pakistani forces and Indian defenders at the Indian border post of Longewala, in the Thar Desert of the Rajasthan state in India.The Indian infantry...

, 'A' company

Company (military unit)

A company is a military unit, typically consisting of 80–225 soldiers and usually commanded by a Captain, Major or Commandant. Most companies are formed of three to five platoons although the exact number may vary by country, unit type, and structure...

 (reinforced), 23rd Battalion, with about 120 soldiers, survived an assault by a Brigade

Brigade

A brigade is a major tactical military formation that is typically composed of two to five battalions, plus supporting elements depending on the era and nationality of a given army and could be perceived as an enlarged/reinforced regiment...

 of the Pakistani Army. The battle was fought at the desert border post of Longewala

Longewala

Longewala is a place in western India where the Battle of Longewala occurred during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 in the western Indian state of Rajasthan....

. The unit fought during the last three hours of the night of December 5, 1971 unsupported as the Indian Air Force

Indian Air Force

The Indian Air Force is the air arm of the Indian armed forces. Its primary responsibility is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial warfare during a conflict...

 aircraft did not have night attack capabilities. The company commander, Major (later Brigadier) Kuldip Singh Chandpuri

Kuldip Singh Chandpuri

Brigadier Kuldip Singh Chandpuri is an Indian Army officer known for his heroic leadership in the famous Battle of Longewala. for which he was awarded Maha Vir Chakra by the Indian Army.Border, a 1997 Bollywood film directed by J.P.Dutta...

, was decorated with the Maha Vir Chakra

Maha Vir Chakra

The Maha Vir Chakra is the second highest military decoration in India and is awarded for acts of conspicuous gallantry in the presence of the enemy, whether on land, at sea or in the air. It may be awarded posthumously. Literally Maha Veer means extraordinarily brave.-Appearance:The medal is made...

, the second highest gallantry award in India.

Regimental Insignia

The regiment is perhaps the only infantry regiment with naval Galley as an insignia, anywhere. It was awarded to 69th Punjabis (later 2nd PUNJAB) in recognition of the readiness to serve overseas, after the battalion had fought in eight overseas campaigns by 1824.

Pre-Independence

Sholinghur, Carnatic, Mysore, Mehidpore, Ava, China, Pegu, Lucknow, Burma, Afghanistan, Laos, Flanders, Hellis, Krithia, Gallipoli, Suez, Egypt, Sharon, Nablus, Palestine, Aden, Kut-al-Amara, Baghdad, Mesopotamia, North Western Frontier, Mersa Metruh, Buthidaung, Ngakyedauk Pass, Imphal, Kangla Tongbi, Tonzang, Kennedy Peak, Meiktila, pyinmana, Malaya, Ipoh, Singapore, Kern and Casa Bettini.

Post-Independence

Zoji La, Ichhogil, Dograi, Barki, Kalidhar, Bedori, Nangi Tekri, Brachil Pass, Laungewala, Garibpur, and Jessore

In fiction

Films

• Border, a 1997 Bollywood
  Cinema of India
  The cinema of India consists of films produced across India, which includes the cinematic culture of Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Gujarat, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Orissa, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal. Indian films came to be followed throughout South Asia and...
  
   film directed by J.P.Dutta, depicts the Battle of Longewala
  Battle of Longewala
  The Battle of Longewala was one of the first major engagements in the Western Sector during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, fought between assaulting Pakistani forces and Indian defenders at the Indian border post of Longewala, in the Thar Desert of the Rajasthan state in India.The Indian infantry...
  
  .
• Lakshya, a Bollywood film depicting the Kargil War, places the protagonist as a Captain in 3 PUNJAB.