Rajput Regiment
Encyclopedia
The Rajput Regiment is a regiment in the Indian Army
that is composed primarily of the Rajput
clans from India. The British designated the Rajputs as a martial race
and subsequently employed large numbers of these warriors in the British Indian Army
.
. Two other battalions the 1st and 2nd were raised in 1798. The 3rd Battalion fought against Hyder Ali
and captured Cuddalore. It was after this battle that the crossed daggers (also known as katars) as a badge was granted in recognition of gallantry, this since has been adopted as the badge by the Rajput Regiment. The 1st Battalion fought at the battle of Delhi (1803), which broke the power of the Marathas at the Imperial court. This battalion was in action again at the siege of Bharatpur (1805), of the 400 men who went into the assault at least 50 percent became casualties.
The 1st and 4th Battalions participated in the British campaign against the Gurkhas. All the Rajput Battalions (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and the 5th) fought against the Sikhs in the Sikh Wars. The 5th Battalion captured three Sikh standards at the battle of Gujarat
. The 1857 mutiny was mostly confined to the Bengal infantry regiments, during which the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Rajputs were temporarily disarmed. The 1st Battalion was at Saugor and stood firm while guarding the treasury and the arsenal. For its role it was awarded the title of Light Infantry. The Regiment of Lucknow, which later became the 16th Battalion, then the 10th Battalion contributed to the successful defence of the Lucknow Residency. It won two Victoria Crosses and every Sepoy in the regiment was also awarded a medal. The 1st Battalion in 1876 achieved a rare honour by becoming the Queen's Own as well as the Royal regiment.
and Médaille militaire. A large number of other awards and battle honours were won by the Rajputs and at the end of WW1, a total of 37 battle honours were on the colours of the Rajputs, which exceeded that of any other regiment of the Indian Army.
In 1922 the infantry regiments of the British Indian Army
were reorganised and all the Rajput regiments (with the exception of 13th (Shekhawati) Rajput Infantry, which became the 10th battalion of the 6th Rajputana Rifles
) were amalgamated to become battalions of the new 7th Rajput Regiment
(which in 1947 was renamed the Rajput Regiment) as follows:
Also the one class character of most of the infantry regiments were changed and the Rajputs introduced a company each of Punjabi Musalmans and Hindustani Musalmans in each of their battalions.
Between the world wars, the battalions had many postings. In the late 1930s, the 3rd Battalion, styled 3/7 Rajput, was posted to Waziristan
in what is now the tribal areas of Pakistan
. During that time, they were employed against Afghan
insurgents and criminal gangs raiding across the border.
A number of Rajput regiments participated in World War 2:
The 1st Battalion was in the Arakan
during the Burma campaign
and then took over the defence of Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
The 2nd Battalion was also in the Arakan area and a number of actions were fought by it. The capture of Point 551, also called Rajput Hill was the most important. The Japanese holding this feature had turned back repeated attacks by other battalions but the Rajputs carried the day winning an IOM, five MC
's and two MM
's for this action.
The 3rd Battalion shipped by convoy to Egypt
in August and September 1940. Their convoy was attacked several times by Italian bombers operating out of Ethiopia
. The Battalion Bren guns were deployed for air defense and on one occasion are believed to have brought down an Italian aircraft. The Battalion was at Suez and Egypt and was sent to defend Cyprus
after the German attack on Crete
as part of Indian 5th Infantry Division
's 161 Indian Infantry Brigade. Here, they were mainly used in an anti-parachute role, supported by elements of Australian armour. Later, they returned to Egypt and participated in fierce fighting around Deir el Shein and Ruweisat Ridge
including a particularly difficult offensive on 21/22 July 1942 where they lost many casualties including the CO. Later in the year they participated in the Second Battle of El Alamein
.
The 4th was also in the Western Desert Campaign
at Sidi Barrani
and El Alamein
and on its return to India was posted to the Kohima
front.
The 5th Battalion was in the Battle of Hong Kong
. The action against the invading Japanese was short and swift with heavy casualties to the regiment. The regiment along with the British garrison was forced to surrender and the men became POWs and had to undergo great hardships. 130 men of the 5th Rajput were either beaten or starved to death or just died because lack of medical care. The Japanese wanted Captain M.A. Ansari
of 5th Rajput to renounce his allegiance to the British, but he refused. For five months he was subjected to brutal beatings and treatment, as a result of which he could not walk. He was then sent to live with the other ranks instead of the officers. Captain Ansari remained true to the regiment and organised a system for helping escapees. He was again put in jail and tortured but refused to be broken. In the end the Japanese executed him. Captain M.A. Ansari was awarded the George Cross
for his heroism.
Four Rajput Regiments (1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th) participated in the 1947-48 operations in J&K. The 3 Rajput was the first to be inducted. Its original task was for protection of Ramban and Jammu, but it quickly came under 50 Para Brigade for its relief of Jhangar and Kotli. The advance from Jhangar to Kotli took five days, as the column had to clear 47 road blocks. After the relief of Kotli the column returned to Naushera. 1 Rajput was inducted next and it also formed a part of 50 Para Brigade at Naushera. It had its share of fighting in clearing the raiders from some hill features around Naushera. The raiders meanwhile kept heavy pressure on the Naushera Jhangar road and both 1 and 3 Rajputs fought a number of engagements to keep the road open. In December 1947, 4 Rajput were inducted and deployed in the Chammb- Akhnoor area. 2 Rajput came in next and were employed for L of C duties around Jammu.
Aggressive patrolling was done by 1 and 3 Rajputs around Naushera and Kot. On 6 February 1948 a strong patrol was send out in the area east of Naushera. The patrol was surrounded by an enemy force of approximately 1000 men. Soon a fierce fight started which continued for seven hours. During this time Subedar Gopal Singh's platoon came under heavy pressure. Gopal Singh wounded thrice kept reorganizing his men time and again. At one time Gopal Singh got separated from his platoon and had only three men at his side, one of them was Sepoy Sikdar Singh. When things got tough Subedar Gopal Singh lead a bayonet charge during which he was seriously wounded. Sikdar Singh picked him up and carried him back to the main patrol area. Havildar Mahadeo Singh was another hero. He kept on supplying ammunition to the bren gunners of the platoon, couple of times he walked through heavy enemy fire to get the ammunition through. In one of his attempts he was wounded and fell down, when he scrambled to his feet he was riddled with bullets. In this action the 3 Rajput won 3 VrCs - one each to Subedar Gopal Singh and Sepoy Sikdar Singh and a posthumous one to Havildar Mahadeo Singh.
After the fall of Jhangar, Naushera became the enemy's next objective. Brigadier Mohammad Usman, 50 Para Brigade commander closely watched the situation and drew up defensive plans in which the Rajputs were holding tactical grounds around Naushera. C Company, 1 Rajput was holding the vital Taindhar position, which was vital for the defence of Naushera. Brig. Usman had directed C company to hold this position at any cost in case of an attack. On the early morning hours of 6 February 1948 the enemy attacked the Taindhar position. The enemy was about 1500 strong and consisted mostly of Pathans with some Pakistani servicemen. The enemy attacked in waves of lines of 200-300 men. Six such attacks were launched and there was heavy hand to hand fighting in some posts. Havildar Daya Ram who was then manning the 3-inch mortar detachment realised that the enemy had gotten very close to the defensive positions. He took the secondary charge out of the mortar bombs, elevated the mortars to their maximum limit and fired the bombs. These bombs landed within 30-50 yards of the Rajput defensive positions and caused havoc among the enemy. Some of the enemy switched and attacked Daya Ram's section, but the position held, Daya Ram was wounded and his bren gunner killed. He picked up the bren gun and started firing at the enemy, for his courage and actions Daya Ram was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra.
The left flank of C Company gave an easy approach to the enemy. This sector was defended by Naik Jadu Nath Singh
and his section. The enemy after failing in the frontal attacks switched the main effort on this sector. Naik Jadu Nath Singh
effectively directed the fire of his bren gun, rifles and grenades. The enemy, however still continued to advance, Jadunath
rushed out of his defensive position throwing hand grenades and firing his sten gun, this took the enemy by surprise and he withdrew to regroup. The enemy regrouped and charged again, Naik Jadu Nath Singh
again stood firm and charged out. He was wounded this time but the attack failed again. By this time his section had suffered heavy casualties. The enemy attacked again and Jadunath Singh
charged out the third time firing his sten gun and hurling grenades. He was hit by two bullets, one in the head and another in the chest and at last fell making the supreme sacrifice. The enemy had lost heart after this and withdrew, leaving behind a large number of dead and wounded. Naik Jadu Nath Singh
for his gallantry was awarded the Param Vir Chakra
.
The story of gallantry beyond the call of duty was re-enacted in many platoons and companies. At the temporary bridge, Naik Roshan Singh's section clung doggedly to its position till every man was killed. Subedar Dasrath Singh's platoon was reduced to seven men and had exhausted its ammunition in repulsing three Chinese attacks. When the fourth Chinese attack came the Rajputs fixed bayonets and charged. In the ensuing hand to hand fighting four men were killed and the three survivors all seriously wounded were captured. Jemadar Bose's platoon was left with only 10 men after halting three Chinese attacks. He too fixed bayonets and charged. He along with most of his platoon were killed. For those interested in more details there is an excellent article in the 'Battles' section of Bharat Rakshak on this battle.
Not a single man from B, C or D Companies was awarded any gallantry medal as there was no one left to write the citations because there was no officer or JCO who was not killed or seriously wounded and taken POW. When the CO, Lt. Col. M.S. Rikh was released from the POW camp, he wrote up the citations but GoI and MoD made lame excuses and did not pay any attention to them. There is a memorial erected to those who fought at Namka Chu, which is a ricktey tin shed with names still missing from it and names of persons who were not there have been put up. Major B.K. Pant's company of 112 men had 82 killed and wounded. 2 Rajput, out of 513 all ranks in battle, 282 were killed, 81 were wounded and captured. 90 others were taken prisoners when they tried to break out. Only 60 other ranks, mostly from the administrative elements got back.
4 Rajput under Lt. Col. B. Avasthi was in the Sela-Bomdila area and it too had to face heavy odds. There was conflicting views among the senior commanders. The brigade commander wanted to hold Sela, but the divisional commander wanted to fall back. The divisional commander and the corps commander both agreed to withdraw. This led to total chaos during the retreat as the Chinese had bypassed many positions and ambushed parties of the soldiers withdrawing in a number of places. The battalion broke up into a number of parties, one led by Lt. Col. Avasti was ambushed and he was killed along with 300 men.
In August, 4 Rajput were moved to the Hajipir
area and Bisali feature was captured by them on the night of 4/5 September. This assault was carried out in face of heavy MMG, mortar and artillery fire. The Pakistanis launched five counterattacks and all these were beaten back. By this time the Rajputs had nearly exhausted all of their ammunition and with no hope of reinforcements, they had to withdraw to other defensive positions.
6 Rajput were in and around Srinagar dealing with the Pakistani infiltrators. A number of raids and ambushes were systematically carried out by them. After the infiltrator menace had died down, 6 Rajput moved to Ahknur area and came under 191 Infantry Brigade, which in turn was directly under HQ 15 corps. The battalion was supplied with RCL guns but without sights. When asking for the sights they were told to "see through the barrels and engage the Pakistani armour.'" The battalion held on to a number of forward posts in the area in face of repeated counterattacks and heavy shelling. Some time after the cease fire a Brigadier came around to see the 6 Rajput defences. He asked Naik Nanak Singh, who was in charge of an LMG position as to where his range card was, and how could he fire properly without knowing the primary and secondary arcs. The Naik replied that he would fire from where ever the enemy came. This annoyed the Brigadier and he said that the Naik was not a good NCO. Nanak Singh faced the Brigadier and said, "Sahib, jab golian chal rahi theen to dikhai nahin diye. Ab range card poochh rahe ho." (Sir, when the bullets were flying you were not to be seen and now you are asking for the range card!). That ended the matter.
14 and 20 Rajput were at the Phillora-Chawinda front and after the capture of Charwa on the border, 20 Rajput led the advance for the next 10 days. 17 Rajput were in the southern Lahore sector in the Bedian area.
22 Rajput captured Akandabaria and cleared the way to capture Darsana. The Rajputs then led the brigade attack on Kushtia. The Pakistanis had built up the area around Kushtia and they let the Rajputs and the supporting tanks come forward into the area. They then opened up with heavy fire, the leading company of the Rajputs suffered heavy casualties.
16 Rajput participated in the Battle of Hilli
and then led the brigade advance to Ghoraghat and on to Rangpur. 21 Rajput (Also Known as Veer Ekkis Rajput) spearheaded the move to Saidpur and fought in the battle of Pachagarh and Khansama during which there was fierce hand to hand fighting. 4 Rajput were in the area Kurigram-Kaligunj-Jaipurhat. 6 Rajput fought in the Sylhet area and led the advance towards Fenchunganj and Kola Bils. Heavy fighting took place at Kola Bils and the battalion suffered 100 casualties, but it obtained the surrender of 22nd Baluch Regiment. The battalion was awarded 1 VrC (posthumous) and 2 SMs for the action at Kola Bils.
18 Rajput were on the Akhaura-Ashuganj
axis. Akhaura proved a tough nut to crack, fighting for it took nearly three days. After this the Rajputs rushed forward and captured the Titas bridge intact. They then attacked Ashuganj, which was cleared after a tough fight and moved on to Narsingdi and entered Dacca on the 16th December. 20 Rajput operated in the Belonia bulge and captured Chaudagram and later moved to Chittagong.
On the western front, 20 Rajput (Jodhpur Sardar) were in their elements in the sands of Rajasthan. Covering a distance of 70 km in the first five days of the war the Rajputs reached Chachro. 15 Rajput was in the Fazilka area. It was involved in heavy fighting for the capture of Beriwala bridge and Ghazi post. It suffered heavy casualties during the attacks. Lance Naik Drigpal Singh received a posthumous MVC for his gallant actions. 14 Rajput saw action in the Khalra sector and 5 and 9 Rajputs were in the Chammb area. 9 Rajput operated in the Ratnu Chak area and carried out a number of raids, they also captured a couple of enemy posts.
Since the 1980s a number of Rajput battalions have been involved involved in CI operations in the North East, Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir. 4, 5 and 25 Rajputs formed a part of IPKF in Sri Lanka. In 1980, 18 Rajput transferred to the newly raised Mechanised Infantry Regiment as its 13th battalion. More recently, 27 Rajput were involved in the fighting in the Kargil sector in 1999.
The Rajput Regimental center is in Fatehgarh, Uttar Pradesh. The regiment nowadays recruits Rajputs, Gujjar
s, Hindu
Bengalis, Ahirs, Muslim
s, Jats, Mazhabi & Ramdasia Sikh
s and Dogra
s. A war memorial was erected at Fetehgarh in 1932. It is in a form of a chattri, with its dome resting on six pillars, each representing a battalion at that time and bearing its crest. The regimental motto is Sarvatra Vijaya, which means Victory Everywhere and the war cry is Bajrang Bali Ki Jai.
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...
that is composed primarily of the Rajput
Rajput
A Rajput is a member of one of the patrilineal clans of western, central, northern India and in some parts of Pakistan. Rajputs are descendants of one of the major ruling warrior classes in the Indian subcontinent, particularly North India...
clans from India. The British designated the Rajputs as a martial race
Martial Race
Martial Race was a designation created by Army officials of British India, where they classified each ethnic group into one of two categories: 'Martial' and 'Non-Martial'. A 'martial race' was typically considered brave and well built for fighting. The 'non-martial races' were those whom the...
and subsequently employed large numbers of these warriors in 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...
.
History
The association of the Rajputs with the British Indian Army started in 1778, when the 3rd Battalion was raised as the 31st Regiment Bengal Native InfantryBengal Native Infantry
The Bengal Native Infantry was part of the organisation of the East India Company's Bengal Army before the Indian rebellion of 1857.The infantry regiments underwent frequent changes of numbering during their period of existence...
. Two other battalions the 1st and 2nd were raised in 1798. The 3rd Battalion fought against Hyder Ali
Hyder Ali
Hyder Ali was the de facto ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore in southern India. Born Hyder Naik, he distinguished himself militarily, eventually drawing the attention of Mysore's rulers...
and captured Cuddalore. It was after this battle that the crossed daggers (also known as katars) as a badge was granted in recognition of gallantry, this since has been adopted as the badge by the Rajput Regiment. The 1st Battalion fought at the battle of Delhi (1803), which broke the power of the Marathas at the Imperial court. This battalion was in action again at the siege of Bharatpur (1805), of the 400 men who went into the assault at least 50 percent became casualties.
The 1st and 4th Battalions participated in the British campaign against the Gurkhas. All the Rajput Battalions (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and the 5th) fought against the Sikhs in the Sikh Wars. The 5th Battalion captured three Sikh standards at the battle of Gujarat
Battle of Gujarat
The Battle of Gujrat was a decisive battle in the Second Anglo-Sikh War, fought on 21 February 1849, between the forces of the British East India Company, and a Sikh army in rebellion against the Company's control of the Sikh Kingdom, represented by the child Maharaja Duleep Singh who was in...
. The 1857 mutiny was mostly confined to the Bengal infantry regiments, during which the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Rajputs were temporarily disarmed. The 1st Battalion was at Saugor and stood firm while guarding the treasury and the arsenal. For its role it was awarded the title of Light Infantry. The Regiment of Lucknow, which later became the 16th Battalion, then the 10th Battalion contributed to the successful defence of the Lucknow Residency. It won two Victoria Crosses and every Sepoy in the regiment was also awarded a medal. The 1st Battalion in 1876 achieved a rare honour by becoming the Queen's Own as well as the Royal regiment.
The Two World Wars
Most of the Rajput battalions saw action during World War 1. The 1st Battalion fought at the Battle of Dujailah in Mesopatamia, where it was nearly annihilated. The 3rd Battalion fought the Battles of Qurna and Kut-al-Amara against the Turks. In one of the battles the Turks had invaded both the flanks of the 3rd Rajput, during which Jemadar Sital Baksh was severely wounded. Sepoy Jhandu Singh rushed to his rescue, the Jemadar ordered him to leave him behind but the sepoy lifted him on his back and started moving through the marshlands. Soon both the rescuer and the rescued became targets of the Turks and were riddled with bullets. Sepoy Jhandu Singh was awarded a posthumous IOMIOM
IOM may refer to:* Institute of Medicine, a not-for-profit, non-governmental American organization founded in 1970* Institute of Occupational Medicine in the UK* International Organization for Migration, an intergovernmental organization...
and Médaille militaire. A large number of other awards and battle honours were won by the Rajputs and at the end of WW1, a total of 37 battle honours were on the colours of the Rajputs, which exceeded that of any other regiment of the Indian Army.
In 1922 the infantry regiments 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...
were reorganised and all the Rajput regiments (with the exception of 13th (Shekhawati) Rajput Infantry, which became the 10th battalion of the 6th Rajputana Rifles
6th Rajputana Rifles
The 6th Rajputana Rifles were an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. They were formed in 1922, after the Indian government reformed the army. They moved away from single battalion regiments to multi battalion regiments...
) were amalgamated to become battalions of the new 7th Rajput Regiment
7th Rajput Regiment
The 7th Rajput Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was formed in 1922, after the Indian government decided to reform the army moving away from single battalion regiments to multi battalion regiments...
(which in 1947 was renamed the Rajput Regiment) as follows:
- 1st Battalion:
-
- predecessor units:
- 2nd Battalion, 15th Bengal Native Infantry (1798 - 1857)
- 31st Bengal Native Infantry (1857 - 1861)
- 2nd Bengal Native Light Infantry (1861 - 1876)
- 2nd (The Queen's Own) Bengal Native Light Infantry (1876 - 1897)
- 2nd (The Queen's Own) Rajput Bengal Light Native Infantry (1897 - 1901)
- 2nd (The Queen's Own) Rajput Light Infantry (1901 - 1911)
- 2nd Queen Victoria's Own Rajput Light Infantry2nd Queen Victoria's Own Rajput Light InfantryThe 2nd Queen Victoria's Own Rajput Light Infantry, commonly shortened to 2nd Rajputs, was a regiment of the British Indian Army, with an origin in 1798 and amalgamated with five other Rajput regiments in 1922.-History:...
(1911 - 1922)
- 2nd Battalion:
-
- predecessor units:
- 2nd Battalion, 16th Bengal Native Infantry (1798 - 1824)
- 33rd Bengal Native Infantry (1824 - 1861)
- 4th Bengal Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry (1861 - 1890)
- 4th (Prince Albert Victor's) Bengal Infantry (1890 - 1897)
- 4th (Prince Albert Victor's) Rajput Regiment, Bengal Infantry (1897 - 1901)
- 4th Prince Albert Victor's Rajputs4th Prince Albert Victor's RajputsThe 4th Prince Albert Victor's Rajputs was an infantry battalion of the British Indian Army. They could trace their origins to 1798, when they were the 2nd Battalion, 16th Bengal Native Infantry. Over the years they became known by a number of different titles...
(1901 - 1922)
- 3rd Battalion:
-
- predecessor units:
- 1st Battalion, 24th Bengal Native Infantry (1798 - 1824)
- 69th Bengal Native Infantry (1824 - 1828)
- 47th Bengal Native Infantry (1828 - 1861)
- 7th Bengal Native Infantry (1861 - 1883)
- 7th (Duke of Connaught's Own) Bengal Native Infantry (1883 - 1893)
- 7th (Duke of Connaught's Own) Rajput Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry (1893 - 1903)
- 7th (Duke of Connaught's Own) Rajput Infantry7th (Duke of Connaught's Own) RajputsThe 7th Rajputs were an infantry regiment of the Bengal Army, later of the united British Indian Army. They could trace their origins to 1798, when they were the 1st Battalion, 24th Bengal Native Infantry. Over the years the regiment became known by a number of different titles...
(1903 - 1922)
- 4th Battalion:
-
- predecessor units:
- 1st Battalion, 30th Bengal Native Infantry (1798 - 1824)
- 59th Bengal Native Infantry (1824 - 1861)
- 8th Bengal Native Infantry (1861 - 1897)
- 8th (Rajput) Bengal Infantry (1897 - 1901)
- 8th Rajput Infantry8th RajputsThe 8th Rajputs was an infantry battalion of the British Indian Army. They could trace their origins to 1798 when they were the 1st Battalion, 30th Bengal Native Infantry. Over the years the regiment became known by a number of different titles...
(1901 - 1922)
- 5th Battalion:
-
- predecessor units:
- 2nd Extra Battalion, Bengal Native Infantry (1825 - 1828)
- 70th Bengal Native Infantry (1828 - 1861)
- 11th Bengal Native Infantry (1861 - 1885)
- 11th Bengal Infantry (1885 - 1897)
- 11th (Rajput) Bengal Infantry (1897 - 1901)
- 11th Rajput Infantry11th RajputsThe 11th Rajputs was an infantry regiment of the Bengal Army and later of the British Indian Army. They could trace their origins to 1825, when they were the 2nd Extra Battalion, Bengal Native Infantry...
(1901 - 1922)
- 10th (Training) Battalion:
-
- predecessor units:
- Regiment of Lucknow from loyal elements of the 13th, 48th and 71st Bengal Native Infantry (1857 - 1861)
- 16th Bengal Native Infantry (1861 - 1864)
- 16th (The Lucknow) Bengal Native Infantry (1864 - 1885)
- 16th (The Lucknow) Bengal Infantry (1885 - 1897)
- 16th (The Lucknow) Rajput Bengal Infantry (1897 - 1901)
- 16th Rajput Infantry (The Lucknow Regiment)16th Rajputs (The Lucknow Regiment)The 16th Rajputs was an infantry regiment of the Bengal Army and later of the united British Indian Army.It can trace its origins to 1857, during the Indian Mutiny when it was formed from men of the 13th, 48th and 71st Bengal Native Infantry regiments that remained loyal to the British...
(1901 - 1922)
Also the one class character of most of the infantry regiments were changed and the Rajputs introduced a company each of Punjabi Musalmans and Hindustani Musalmans in each of their battalions.
Between the world wars, the battalions had many postings. In the late 1930s, the 3rd Battalion, styled 3/7 Rajput, was posted to Waziristan
Waziristan
Waziristan is a mountainous region near the Northwest of Pakistan, bordering Afghanistan and covering some 11,585 km² . The area is entirely populated by ethnic Pashtuns . The language spoken in the valley is Pashto/Pakhto...
in what is now the tribal areas of Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
. During that time, they were employed against Afghan
Demographics of Afghanistan
The population of Afghanistan is around 29,835,392 as of the year 2011, which is unclear if the refugees living outside the country are included or not. The nation is composed of a multi-ethnic and multi-lingual society, reflecting its location astride historic trade and invasion routes between...
insurgents and criminal gangs raiding across the border.
A number of Rajput regiments participated in World War 2:
The 1st Battalion was in the Arakan
Rakhine State
Rakhine State is a Burmese state. Situated on the western coast, it is bordered by Chin State in the north, Magway Region, Bago Region and Ayeyarwady Region in the east, the Bay of Bengal to the west, and the Chittagong Division of Bangladesh to the northwest. It is located approximately between...
during the Burma campaign
Burma Campaign
The Burma Campaign in the South-East Asian Theatre of World War II was fought primarily between British Commonwealth, Chinese and United States forces against the forces of the Empire of Japan, Thailand, and the Indian National Army. British Commonwealth land forces were drawn primarily from...
and then took over the defence of Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
The 2nd Battalion was also in the Arakan area and a number of actions were fought by it. The capture of Point 551, also called Rajput Hill was the most important. The Japanese holding this feature had turned back repeated attacks by other battalions but the Rajputs carried the day winning an IOM, five MC
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
's and two MM
Military Medal
The Military Medal was a military decoration awarded to personnel of the British Army and other services, and formerly also to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, below commissioned rank, for bravery in battle on land....
's for this action.
The 3rd Battalion shipped by convoy to Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
in August and September 1940. Their convoy was attacked several times by Italian bombers operating out of Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
. The Battalion Bren guns were deployed for air defense and on one occasion are believed to have brought down an Italian aircraft. The Battalion was at Suez and Egypt and was sent to defend Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
after the German attack on Crete
Crete
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
as part of Indian 5th Infantry Division
Indian 5th Infantry Division
Indian 5th Infantry Division was an infantry division in the Indian Army during World War II which fought in several theatres of war and more than earned its nickname the "Ball of Fire".- History :...
's 161 Indian Infantry Brigade. Here, they were mainly used in an anti-parachute role, supported by elements of Australian armour. Later, they returned to Egypt and participated in fierce fighting around Deir el Shein and Ruweisat Ridge
Ruweisat Ridge
Ruweisat Ridge is a geographical feature in the Western Egyptian desert, mid way between the Mediterranean Sea and the Qattara Depression. It was a prominent part of the defence line in the First and Second Battle of El Alamein. During the Second Battle of El Alamein, the 4th Indian Infantry...
including a particularly difficult offensive on 21/22 July 1942 where they lost many casualties including the CO. Later in the year they participated in the Second Battle of El Alamein
Second Battle of El Alamein
The Second Battle of El Alamein marked a major turning point in the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War. The battle took place over 20 days from 23 October – 11 November 1942. The First Battle of El Alamein had stalled the Axis advance. Thereafter, Lieutenant-General Bernard Montgomery...
.
The 4th was also in the Western Desert Campaign
Western Desert Campaign
The Western Desert Campaign, also known as the Desert War, was the initial stage of the North African Campaign during the Second World War. The campaign was heavily influenced by the availability of supplies and transport. The ability of the Allied forces, operating from besieged Malta, to...
at Sidi Barrani
Sidi Barrani
Sidi Barrani is a town in Egypt, near the Mediterranean Sea, about east of the border with Libya, and around from Tobruk, Libya.Probably named after Sidi Mohammed el Barrani, a Senussi fighter in the early 1900s, the village is mainly a Bedouin community...
and El Alamein
El Alamein
El Alamein is a town in the northern Matrouh Governorate of Egypt. Located on the Mediterranean Sea, it lies west of Alexandria and northwest of Cairo. As of 2007, it has a local population of 7,397 inhabitants.- Climate :...
and on its return to India was posted to the Kohima
Kohima
Kohima is the hilly capital of India's north eastern border state of Nagaland which shares its borders with Burma. It lies in Kohima District and is also one of the three Nagaland towns with Municipal council status along with Dimapur and Mokokchung....
front.
The 5th Battalion was in the Battle of Hong Kong
Battle of Hong Kong
The Battle of Hong Kong took place during the Pacific campaign of World War II. It began on 8 December 1941 and ended on 25 December 1941 with Hong Kong, then a Crown colony, surrendering to the Empire of Japan.-Background:...
. The action against the invading Japanese was short and swift with heavy casualties to the regiment. The regiment along with the British garrison was forced to surrender and the men became POWs and had to undergo great hardships. 130 men of the 5th Rajput were either beaten or starved to death or just died because lack of medical care. The Japanese wanted Captain M.A. Ansari
Mateen Ahmed Ansari
Captain Mateen Ahmed Ansari GC of the 5th Battalion, 7th Rajput Regiment, in the Indian Army during World War II, and member of the British Army Aid Group was awarded the George Cross posthumously...
of 5th Rajput to renounce his allegiance to the British, but he refused. For five months he was subjected to brutal beatings and treatment, as a result of which he could not walk. He was then sent to live with the other ranks instead of the officers. Captain Ansari remained true to the regiment and organised a system for helping escapees. He was again put in jail and tortured but refused to be broken. In the end the Japanese executed him. Captain M.A. Ansari was awarded the George Cross
George Cross
The George Cross is the highest civil decoration of the United Kingdom, and also holds, or has held, that status in many of the other countries of the Commonwealth of Nations...
for his heroism.
1947-48 Jammu & Kashmir Operations
At the time of partition in 1947 Punjabi Musalmans who formed up to 50% of the strength in most battalions were transferred to the Pakistan Army. The gaps created by their departure were filled in by Gujars, who came over from the Punjab Regiments which were allotted to Pakistan.Four Rajput Regiments (1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th) participated in the 1947-48 operations in J&K. The 3 Rajput was the first to be inducted. Its original task was for protection of Ramban and Jammu, but it quickly came under 50 Para Brigade for its relief of Jhangar and Kotli. The advance from Jhangar to Kotli took five days, as the column had to clear 47 road blocks. After the relief of Kotli the column returned to Naushera. 1 Rajput was inducted next and it also formed a part of 50 Para Brigade at Naushera. It had its share of fighting in clearing the raiders from some hill features around Naushera. The raiders meanwhile kept heavy pressure on the Naushera Jhangar road and both 1 and 3 Rajputs fought a number of engagements to keep the road open. In December 1947, 4 Rajput were inducted and deployed in the Chammb- Akhnoor area. 2 Rajput came in next and were employed for L of C duties around Jammu.
Aggressive patrolling was done by 1 and 3 Rajputs around Naushera and Kot. On 6 February 1948 a strong patrol was send out in the area east of Naushera. The patrol was surrounded by an enemy force of approximately 1000 men. Soon a fierce fight started which continued for seven hours. During this time Subedar Gopal Singh's platoon came under heavy pressure. Gopal Singh wounded thrice kept reorganizing his men time and again. At one time Gopal Singh got separated from his platoon and had only three men at his side, one of them was Sepoy Sikdar Singh. When things got tough Subedar Gopal Singh lead a bayonet charge during which he was seriously wounded. Sikdar Singh picked him up and carried him back to the main patrol area. Havildar Mahadeo Singh was another hero. He kept on supplying ammunition to the bren gunners of the platoon, couple of times he walked through heavy enemy fire to get the ammunition through. In one of his attempts he was wounded and fell down, when he scrambled to his feet he was riddled with bullets. In this action the 3 Rajput won 3 VrCs - one each to Subedar Gopal Singh and Sepoy Sikdar Singh and a posthumous one to Havildar Mahadeo Singh.
After the fall of Jhangar, Naushera became the enemy's next objective. Brigadier Mohammad Usman, 50 Para Brigade commander closely watched the situation and drew up defensive plans in which the Rajputs were holding tactical grounds around Naushera. C Company, 1 Rajput was holding the vital Taindhar position, which was vital for the defence of Naushera. Brig. Usman had directed C company to hold this position at any cost in case of an attack. On the early morning hours of 6 February 1948 the enemy attacked the Taindhar position. The enemy was about 1500 strong and consisted mostly of Pathans with some Pakistani servicemen. The enemy attacked in waves of lines of 200-300 men. Six such attacks were launched and there was heavy hand to hand fighting in some posts. Havildar Daya Ram who was then manning the 3-inch mortar detachment realised that the enemy had gotten very close to the defensive positions. He took the secondary charge out of the mortar bombs, elevated the mortars to their maximum limit and fired the bombs. These bombs landed within 30-50 yards of the Rajput defensive positions and caused havoc among the enemy. Some of the enemy switched and attacked Daya Ram's section, but the position held, Daya Ram was wounded and his bren gunner killed. He picked up the bren gun and started firing at the enemy, for his courage and actions Daya Ram was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra.
The left flank of C Company gave an easy approach to the enemy. This sector was defended by Naik Jadu Nath Singh
Naik Jadu Nath Singh
Naik Jadu Nath Singh was a soldier of Indian Army who fought the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947 in Jammu & Kashmir. He died in the battle and was later awarded with the Param Vir Chakra for his bravery in the War. He was the fourth recipient of Param Vir Chakra....
and his section. The enemy after failing in the frontal attacks switched the main effort on this sector. Naik Jadu Nath Singh
Naik Jadu Nath Singh
Naik Jadu Nath Singh was a soldier of Indian Army who fought the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947 in Jammu & Kashmir. He died in the battle and was later awarded with the Param Vir Chakra for his bravery in the War. He was the fourth recipient of Param Vir Chakra....
effectively directed the fire of his bren gun, rifles and grenades. The enemy, however still continued to advance, Jadunath
Naik Jadu Nath Singh
Naik Jadu Nath Singh was a soldier of Indian Army who fought the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947 in Jammu & Kashmir. He died in the battle and was later awarded with the Param Vir Chakra for his bravery in the War. He was the fourth recipient of Param Vir Chakra....
rushed out of his defensive position throwing hand grenades and firing his sten gun, this took the enemy by surprise and he withdrew to regroup. The enemy regrouped and charged again, Naik Jadu Nath Singh
Naik Jadu Nath Singh
Naik Jadu Nath Singh was a soldier of Indian Army who fought the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947 in Jammu & Kashmir. He died in the battle and was later awarded with the Param Vir Chakra for his bravery in the War. He was the fourth recipient of Param Vir Chakra....
again stood firm and charged out. He was wounded this time but the attack failed again. By this time his section had suffered heavy casualties. The enemy attacked again and Jadunath Singh
Naik Jadu Nath Singh
Naik Jadu Nath Singh was a soldier of Indian Army who fought the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947 in Jammu & Kashmir. He died in the battle and was later awarded with the Param Vir Chakra for his bravery in the War. He was the fourth recipient of Param Vir Chakra....
charged out the third time firing his sten gun and hurling grenades. He was hit by two bullets, one in the head and another in the chest and at last fell making the supreme sacrifice. The enemy had lost heart after this and withdrew, leaving behind a large number of dead and wounded. Naik Jadu Nath Singh
Naik Jadu Nath Singh
Naik Jadu Nath Singh was a soldier of Indian Army who fought the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947 in Jammu & Kashmir. He died in the battle and was later awarded with the Param Vir Chakra for his bravery in the War. He was the fourth recipient of Param Vir Chakra....
for his gallantry was awarded the Param Vir Chakra
Param Vir Chakra
The Param Vir Chakra is India's highest military decoration awarded for the highest degree of valour or self-sacrifice in the presence of the enemy. It can be, and often has been, awarded posthumously....
.
The 1950s
In 1950 there was another change among the infantry regiments. On raising of the Brigade of Guards, the 1st Rajput was transferred to them and became 4th Battalion Brigade of Guards. Also at this time Bengalis and Muslims started coming into the regiment. When the princely states were amalgamated with the Indian Union, the Bikaner Sadul Light Infantry and the Jodhpur Sardar Infantry joined the Rajput Regiment and became 19th and 20th Rajput respectively. The Bikaner Sadul Light Infantry traces its origin back to 1464. They fought under the legendary Rana Sanga at the Battle of Kanwa (1527) against Babur. During World War 1, this unit was organized as Camel Corps, called Ganga Risala. It won many gallantry awards including 1 DSO, 1 IOM, 11 IDSMs, 9 MMs and 16 Mentioned-in-Despatches. Jodhpur Sardar Infantry was raised in 1922. During World War 2 it was in Eritrea and then it was part of the American 5th Army when it landed at Salerno in Sept. 1943. Afterwards as part of the 10th Indian Division it operated along the Adriatic coast. During these operations it won 1 DSO, 1 MC, 3 MMs and 17 Mentioned-in-Despatches. 17 Rajputs was in Nagaland during the insurgency operations of 1955 and 1956. It carried forward the high traditions and won seven Kirti Chakras and two Shaurya Chakras.1962 Indo-China War
Two Rajput battalions witnessed some heavy fighting in NEFA in 1962. The 2nd Rajput under the command of Lt. Col. M.S. Rikh were at Walong in early 1962 and were moved to the banks of the Namka Chu river by October 10 as a part of 7 Infantry Brigade. The brigade was stretched on a twelve mile front along the Namka Chu, with the marching time from one end to the other being five days. The site chosen for their defences was forced upon them by the corps commander, who was working directly with the political authorities instead of the military chain of command. The battalion took up hastily erected defensive positions along the Namka Chu. The battalion was deployed in a trackless wilderness, where no mules could go and no civilian population lived which could help logistically. Lack of winter clothing added to the hardships of the men on these snowy heights. By the time the fighting commenced, the Chinese had occupied all the dominating heights in the area. A massive assault came on the Rajput front and in the fierce fighting that ensured, the battalion repulsed a number of determined attacks. The positions were soon enveloped from both sides and the battalion was cut off. In spite of heavy odds against them the Rajputs did not give in and fought until the end.The story of gallantry beyond the call of duty was re-enacted in many platoons and companies. At the temporary bridge, Naik Roshan Singh's section clung doggedly to its position till every man was killed. Subedar Dasrath Singh's platoon was reduced to seven men and had exhausted its ammunition in repulsing three Chinese attacks. When the fourth Chinese attack came the Rajputs fixed bayonets and charged. In the ensuing hand to hand fighting four men were killed and the three survivors all seriously wounded were captured. Jemadar Bose's platoon was left with only 10 men after halting three Chinese attacks. He too fixed bayonets and charged. He along with most of his platoon were killed. For those interested in more details there is an excellent article in the 'Battles' section of Bharat Rakshak on this battle.
Not a single man from B, C or D Companies was awarded any gallantry medal as there was no one left to write the citations because there was no officer or JCO who was not killed or seriously wounded and taken POW. When the CO, Lt. Col. M.S. Rikh was released from the POW camp, he wrote up the citations but GoI and MoD made lame excuses and did not pay any attention to them. There is a memorial erected to those who fought at Namka Chu, which is a ricktey tin shed with names still missing from it and names of persons who were not there have been put up. Major B.K. Pant's company of 112 men had 82 killed and wounded. 2 Rajput, out of 513 all ranks in battle, 282 were killed, 81 were wounded and captured. 90 others were taken prisoners when they tried to break out. Only 60 other ranks, mostly from the administrative elements got back.
4 Rajput under Lt. Col. B. Avasthi was in the Sela-Bomdila area and it too had to face heavy odds. There was conflicting views among the senior commanders. The brigade commander wanted to hold Sela, but the divisional commander wanted to fall back. The divisional commander and the corps commander both agreed to withdraw. This led to total chaos during the retreat as the Chinese had bypassed many positions and ambushed parties of the soldiers withdrawing in a number of places. The battalion broke up into a number of parties, one led by Lt. Col. Avasti was ambushed and he was killed along with 300 men.
1965 Indo-Pak War
After the Rann of Kutch affair, Pakistan switched its attempts towards Kargil and in May 1965 it attacked one of the Indian posts there. 4 Rajput as a part of 121 Infantry Brigade were ordered to capture Point 13620 and Black Rock (15000) also known as Kargil heights to remove any threat to the Srinagar-Leh highway. Both posts consisted of three parts and each of these features was held by a platoon plus of the enemy in addition to a section of 3" mortars and MMGs on Point 13620. On 17 May 1965, B Company under Major Baljit Singh Randhawa, infiltrated deep behind the enemy held posts and attacked them. A grim battles was the fought and the Rajputs were successful in evicting the enemy. The Rajputs were awarded a MVC to Maj. B.S. Randhawa (posthumous) and 3 VrCs, one each to Captain Ranbir Singh, Sepoy Budh Singh and a posthumous one to Havildar Girghari Lal. Black Rocks was captured by A Company in the second phase of the attack. As an act of goodwill by GOI these posts were handed back to the Pakistanis some weeks later. These were again recaptured by another battalion in August 1965.In August, 4 Rajput were moved to the Hajipir
Hajipir
Hajipir Dargah is located in Kutch, Gujarat, India....
area and Bisali feature was captured by them on the night of 4/5 September. This assault was carried out in face of heavy MMG, mortar and artillery fire. The Pakistanis launched five counterattacks and all these were beaten back. By this time the Rajputs had nearly exhausted all of their ammunition and with no hope of reinforcements, they had to withdraw to other defensive positions.
6 Rajput were in and around Srinagar dealing with the Pakistani infiltrators. A number of raids and ambushes were systematically carried out by them. After the infiltrator menace had died down, 6 Rajput moved to Ahknur area and came under 191 Infantry Brigade, which in turn was directly under HQ 15 corps. The battalion was supplied with RCL guns but without sights. When asking for the sights they were told to "see through the barrels and engage the Pakistani armour.'" The battalion held on to a number of forward posts in the area in face of repeated counterattacks and heavy shelling. Some time after the cease fire a Brigadier came around to see the 6 Rajput defences. He asked Naik Nanak Singh, who was in charge of an LMG position as to where his range card was, and how could he fire properly without knowing the primary and secondary arcs. The Naik replied that he would fire from where ever the enemy came. This annoyed the Brigadier and he said that the Naik was not a good NCO. Nanak Singh faced the Brigadier and said, "Sahib, jab golian chal rahi theen to dikhai nahin diye. Ab range card poochh rahe ho." (Sir, when the bullets were flying you were not to be seen and now you are asking for the range card!). That ended the matter.
14 and 20 Rajput were at the Phillora-Chawinda front and after the capture of Charwa on the border, 20 Rajput led the advance for the next 10 days. 17 Rajput were in the southern Lahore sector in the Bedian area.
1971 Indo-Pak War
Rajput battalions played an active part in liberation of Bangladesh. Starting in West Bengal, near Calcutta and going about in a clockwise direction around Bangladesh the battalions were deployed as follows.22 Rajput captured Akandabaria and cleared the way to capture Darsana. The Rajputs then led the brigade attack on Kushtia. The Pakistanis had built up the area around Kushtia and they let the Rajputs and the supporting tanks come forward into the area. They then opened up with heavy fire, the leading company of the Rajputs suffered heavy casualties.
16 Rajput participated in the Battle of Hilli
Battle of Hilli
The Battle of Hilli or the Battle of Bogra was a major battle fought in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 and Bangladesh Liberation War. It is generally regarded as the most pitched battle that took place in East Pakistan, now Bangladesh...
and then led the brigade advance to Ghoraghat and on to Rangpur. 21 Rajput (Also Known as Veer Ekkis Rajput) spearheaded the move to Saidpur and fought in the battle of Pachagarh and Khansama during which there was fierce hand to hand fighting. 4 Rajput were in the area Kurigram-Kaligunj-Jaipurhat. 6 Rajput fought in the Sylhet area and led the advance towards Fenchunganj and Kola Bils. Heavy fighting took place at Kola Bils and the battalion suffered 100 casualties, but it obtained the surrender of 22nd Baluch Regiment. The battalion was awarded 1 VrC (posthumous) and 2 SMs for the action at Kola Bils.
18 Rajput were on the Akhaura-Ashuganj
Ashuganj
Ashuganj is a town in the Brahmanbaria District of Chittagong Division of Bangladesh in the Meghna River delta. Its altitude is 10 meters ....
axis. Akhaura proved a tough nut to crack, fighting for it took nearly three days. After this the Rajputs rushed forward and captured the Titas bridge intact. They then attacked Ashuganj, which was cleared after a tough fight and moved on to Narsingdi and entered Dacca on the 16th December. 20 Rajput operated in the Belonia bulge and captured Chaudagram and later moved to Chittagong.
On the western front, 20 Rajput (Jodhpur Sardar) were in their elements in the sands of Rajasthan. Covering a distance of 70 km in the first five days of the war the Rajputs reached Chachro. 15 Rajput was in the Fazilka area. It was involved in heavy fighting for the capture of Beriwala bridge and Ghazi post. It suffered heavy casualties during the attacks. Lance Naik Drigpal Singh received a posthumous MVC for his gallant actions. 14 Rajput saw action in the Khalra sector and 5 and 9 Rajputs were in the Chammb area. 9 Rajput operated in the Ratnu Chak area and carried out a number of raids, they also captured a couple of enemy posts.
1980 - Present
The Rajput Regimental center is in Fatehgarh, Uttar Pradesh. The regiment nowadays recruits Rajputs, Gujjar
Gujjar
The Gurjar are an ethnic group in India, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Alternative spellings include Gurjara, Gujar, Gurjjara and Gūrjara. The spelling Gurjara or Gurjar is preferable to the rest....
s, Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
Bengalis, Ahirs, Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
s, Jats, Mazhabi & Ramdasia 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"...
s 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...
s. A war memorial was erected at Fetehgarh in 1932. It is in a form of a chattri, with its dome resting on six pillars, each representing a battalion at that time and bearing its crest. The regimental motto is Sarvatra Vijaya, which means Victory Everywhere and the war cry is Bajrang Bali Ki Jai.
Portraits of Heroism
The honours and awards tally for the Rajputs is as follows (from Infantry in India):- Pre-Independence: 1 VC, 1 GC, 10 DSO, 33 MC, 10 IOM, 27 MM and 46 IDSM.
- Post-Independence: 1 PVC, 1 AC, 7 MVC, 12 KC, 58 VrC, 20 SC, 67 SM, 4 YSM.
Naik Jadunath Singh
Param Vir Chakra was awarded to Naik Jadunath Singh, the acting C Company commander. During the thick of the battle he continuously visited the company positions and encouraged the men to fight in the Rajput tradition. The battle of Taindhar was vital for holding Naushera. After this battle, the Indian army consolidated its position and in March 1948 undertook the operation to recapture Jhangar. Both 1 and 3 Rajputs were in the column which captured Jhangar. In September 1948, 4 Rajput were moved to Zoji La as part of the 77 Para Brigade. The Rajputs along with tanks of 7th Cavalry cleared the way through the pass, they then went ahead and retook Dras.Major B.K. Pant
Major B. K. Pant, commander 2nd Rajputs, was a fine example in courage displayed by the Indian soldier in the war with China in 1962. His company held fast against three waves of Chinese assaults and had suffered heavy casualties. Pant himself was wounded in the stomach and legs. Yet he continued to lead and inspire his men, exhorting them to fight till the end to the last man. The Chinese sensing that their obstacle in taking 2nd Rajputs lay with Major Pant, brought a volley of machine gun fire on his position killing him instantly. His last words were "Men of the Rajput Regiment, you were born to die for your country. God has selected this small river for which you must die. Stand up and fight like true Rajputs." He died proudly shouting the Rajput battle-cry: "Bajrang Bali ki Jai." The Chinese completely wiped out the two regiments of the Rajputs and the Gorkhas. 2nd Rajputs alone had 282 killed, 81 wounded and captured and 90 unwounded and captured out of their total strength of 513.Affiliation
The affiliation between Navy ships and Army regiments was instituted in 1990 when the guided missile destroyer, "INS Rajput", was affiliated to the Rajput Regiment.See also
- Indian ArmyIndian ArmyThe 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...
- Military of India
- Armed Forces of India
- British Indian ArmyBritish Indian ArmyThe 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...
- British ArmyBritish ArmyThe British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
- Rajputs
- INS RajputINS RajputThe following ships of the Indian Navy have been named Rajput: was a R class destroyer acquired in 1949 from the Royal Navy, where it served in World War II as HMS Rotherham is the lead vessel of her class of destroyers, currently in active service with the Indian Navy...
- History of RajputsHistory of RajputsThe Rajput are a ruling class of the Indian subcontinent and south east Asia. In the Hindustani language, those belonging to the Kshatriya Varna of Hindus are generally referred to as "Rajputs"...
- Rajput MersMersThe Mer population of Kathiawar region in Saurashtra also known as the Maher, Mihir, Mair or Mehr are a community of people who have evolved from the Kshatriya Rajput varna within Hinduism. They are believed to be of Indo-Aryan descent, and have a rich and diverse history involving many battles,...
of Kathiawar - Mair RajputsMair RajputsThe Mair are a Sunar caste found in northern India, which identify themselves as Mair Rajputs.Though they are the traditional goldsmiths of North India, now many are also landowners, involved in cultivation, as well as selling grocery. But their main occupation remains the manufacture and selling...
of Punjab - Sikh RajputsSikh RajputsSikh Rajputs are the followers of Sikhism belonging to the Rajput Ethnic group. Rajputs are a warrior clan. According to the 1901 British census of India, there were 20,000 Rajput converts to Sikhism....
External links
- Global Security: Rajput Regiment
- BharatRakshak.com- Informative site on the Indian Military
- Indian Armed Forces - Indian military's official website
- Indian Air Force - Official website
- Indian Military Build-up TIME.com