Kumaon Regiment
The Kumaon Regiment is one of the oldest infantry regiments of the Indian Army. The regiment traces its origins to the 18th century and has fought in every major campaign of the British Indian Army and the Indian Army, including the two world wars, and is one of the highest decorated regiment of Indian army. Recruitment of troops. The Kumaon Regimental Centre, established at Ranikhet, recruits Rajputs and Brahmins from the Kumaon and Garhwal region, and Ahirs from the plains. The troop composition has been predominantly Rajputs from Kumaon and Garhwal and Ahirs from plains along with various  communities from plains. History. Soldiering has been an important profession of the Kumaonis and the region has a long history of warfare with neighbours, including the Nepal and Garhwal. The Kumaonis were never fully subjugated by the powerful Muslim dynasties of Delhi. They often offered their martial services as mercenaries, and fought on British side in the Anglo-Nepalese War. The Fierce fighting battalions of the Nizam of Hyderabad made up of Kumaonis and men from this region of the himalyan foothills. Well before the split from royal Gurkha rifles, the kumaonis had been enlisted in the five regiments of  Gurkhas belonging to the Bengal Infantry and the Punjab Frontier Force. The Third Gorkha Rifles recruited heavily from the then greater kumaon kingdom(which included parts of terai presently in Nepal) the large recruitment of Kumaonis led to this being known the Kemaoon Battalion. The Kumaonis were recruited in the military of the East India Company from the early 19th century. They often moved to other states in search of military service, including in the service of the Nizam of Hyderabad. The Nizam's Contingent was formed when Richard Wellesley, 1st Marquess Wellesley, brother of Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington , became Governor-General of India and formed a plan to rid India of French influence. His first action, on arriving in India in 1798, was to effect the disbandment of the Indian units of the Nizam under the command of Monsieur Raymond and officered by non-British Europeans. These soldiers were formed into the British officered Nizam's Contingent that fought at the Battle of Seringapatam in 1799 against Tippu Sultan in the final battle of the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War. In 1813, Sir Henry Russell, then British Resident in the court of Nizam of Hyderabad, raised the Russell Brigade  comprising two battalions. Later, four more battalions were raised and they were known as the Berar Infantry. In addition, two battalions known as the Elichpur Brigade, were raised by Nawab Salabat Khan, Subedar of Berar, as a part of the Nizam's forces. The men of the Russell Brigade were chiefly Hindus, recruited from Oudh and other parts of Uttar Pradesh. Kumaonis, along with other North Indian classes served in the Hyderabad contingent which was raised, trained and led by British officers under Russell, but paid for by the Nizam of Hyderabad. By 1853, at the time of the signing  of a treaty between the Nizam and the British, the Nizam's forces consisted of 8 battalions. The force was renamed as the Hyderabad Contingent, and became part of the British Indian Army, subsequently, becoming the 19th Hyderabad Regiment. Over time, the class composition changed to Kumaonis and Ahirs. During World War I, a Kumaon battalion was raised at Ranikhet on 23 October 1917 as 4/39th Kumaon Rifles. In 1918, it was redesignated as 1st Battalion, 50th Kumaon Rifles and a second battalion was raised. These were merged with the Hyderabad Contingent into the 19th Hyderabad Regiment in 1923. The  first battalion of the 50th Kumaon Rifles survived to become the 1st Kumaon Rifles, and is today the 3rd Battalion, Kumaon Regiment (Rifles) of the Indian Army. Some units of the Berar and Elichpur infantry were demobilized after World War I. However, the Hyderabad Regiment was again expanded during World War II. On 27 October 1945, after the Second World War, the 19th Hyderabad Regiment was renamed as 19th Kumaon Regiment. Post-independence, it has been known as the Kumaon Regiment. Two state forces battalions, 4th Gwalior Infantry and Indore Infantry were allocated to the Kumaon Regiment becoming 14 Kumaon  (Gwalior) and 15 Kumaon (Indore) respectively. The Kumaon Regiment has produced three Indian Army Chiefs: General Satyawant Mallannah Shrinagesh (4 Kumaon), General Kodendera Subayya Thimayya (4 Kumaon) and General Tapishwar Narain Raina (14 Kumaon). Affiliations. Upon conversion to Para(SF), class composition has been made heterogeneous, consisting of men from all across India. Engagements. World War I. During World War I, the first all Kumaoni battalions were raised. The first was formed in 1917 as the 19th Kumaon and redesignated in 1918 as the 1st Battalion, 50th Kumaon Rifles when it fought in the Battle of Megiddo (1918). A 2nd Battalion  was also raised in 1918 but disbanded in 1923. The Hyderabad Contingent, with its mixed Kumaoni, Jats, Ahirs and Deccan Muslims, continued and fought with distinction in the Great War. In 1922, during the Indian Army reorganisation, the six regiments of the Hyderabad Contingent were renamed as the 19th Hyderabad Regiment and infantry companies formed from the Kumaon region replaced many of the Deccan Muslim-based companies. In 1923 the 1/50th Kumaon Rifles joined the 19th Hyderabad Regiment as the 1st Kumaon Rifles. In 1935 the battalion commanders attempted to have the regiment renamed as the 19th Kumaon Regiment, due  to the diminishing links to the Deccan and Hyderabad regions. The request was refused. World War II. The 19th Hyderabad Regiment in 1939 consisted of four regular battalions; the 1st (Russell's), 2nd (Berar), 4th and The Kumaon Rifles. The Hyderabads expanded during the war adding another eight battalions to the 19th Hyderabad Regiment. Two more battalions, the 1st and 2nd Hyderabad Infantry, were raised as part of the Indian State Forces. The battalions of the 19th Hyderabad Regiment fought in the Middle East, North African campaign, Persia, Battle of Malaya, Battle of Singapore and Burma campaign. The Kumaon Rifles  were based in Hong Kong at the beginning of the Second World War but were transferred to the Middle East as part of the 24th Indian Infantry Brigade. The battalion took part in the Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran in 1941 under Major-General William Slim. They remained in Persia as part of the garrison throughout the rest of the war. The 4th Battalion was part of the 12th Indian Infantry Brigade based in Malaya when the Japanese Army invaded in December 1941. The 4/19th Hyderabads were one of the few battalions in Malaya that were relatively well trained in  jungle warfare. Although the battalion performed well in the fighting retreat in north-west Malaya, they were practically annihilated at the disastrous Battle of Slim River on 7 January 1942. The few survivors of the 4th Battalion were withdrawn to Singapore where they took part in the brief defence of the island before it surrendered on 15 February 1942. Indo-Pakistani War of 1947-48. 1 Kumaon(airborne) [now 3rd PARA SF] and 4 Kumaon was dispatched to Jammu and Kashmir to participate in the defence of Srinigar. 4 Kumaon elements were decisive in the Battle of Badgam. The valor of  kumaonis saved kashmir from Pakistani intruders, in recognition of the gallant action in kashmir, 1st and 4th kumaon were hailed as the saviors of kashmir and bestowed with the battle honor "Srinagar(badgam)". It was for this action that Major Somnath Sharma was posthumously awarded the Param veer chakra. It was a singular honour for the kumaon regiment to be the first to win the highest recognition for gallantry in the face of enemy. Sino-Indian War of 1962. Battle of Walong. On 21 October 1962, the Chinese attacked the Dhola sector in Arunachal Pradesh's Kameng Division at a post  at Kibithu (40 km away from Walong). The battle started by Chinese machine guns and mortars fire from south of Sama, followed by infantry attacks on two platoons with over 3000 soldiers. It started at around midnight and went on for three hours. At about 5 am, the Chinese reinforced their assaulting troops and launched another fierce attack. About 60-70 Chinese soldiers died in that attack and four Indian soldiers were killed, including Vir Chakra awardee Naik Bahadur Singh, who took over the light machine gun (LMG) after his LMG detachment was killed, and kept firing till he was  hit in the chest. In the days to follow, multiple such skirmishes and change in deployments took place, both from the Indian and the Chinese side. Acknowledging that Kibithu could not be defended, 6 Kumaon was ordered to withdraw to Walong. "23 October marks a landmark win against the 153 Regt of PLA (Chengdu Sub area) when Delta Company of 6 Kumaon under Lt Bikram Singh Rathore (IC 11867) was ordered to establish screen position on Ashi Hill (NH 5484). Lt. Bikram Singh planned and executed a classic ambush at a small hanging bridge over Namti Nallah (5 km away  from Walong). Lt Bikram removed the last few planks of the hanging bridge and positioned his men at various positions adjoining Namti Nullah and sighted the MMGs and Mortars of his men on spots likely to be enemy position and to bring down accurate fire. Lt Bikram Singh briefed his soldiers to hold fire until he fired the first 'Very Light'. At 3 a.m. on 23 October, the Chinese Army marching towards Walong walked down Ashi hill to reach the hanging bridge on Namti Nullah. The first Chinese soldier of 153 Regiment crossed the bridge and stepped on the last  few plank and fell into the nullah. The following Chinese soldiers milled around and Lt. Bikram Singh fired the first Very Light revealing the Chinese in a cramped path of a planned accurate fire of Indian MMG and Mortar fire. About 200 Chinese troops were killed or wounded in this action against nine Indian fatalities. At 4 a.m. the screen by Delta Company of 6 Kumaon was ordered to withdraw. After the success at Namti Nullah, The Delta Company of 6 Kumaon was tasked to occupy critical defenses on "West Ridge" overlooking the Advanced Landing Grounds, Walong. On 5 November , there were multiple exchanges of fire between the Indian and the Chinese troops when a company under then Captain Ravi Mathur was asked to occupy Green Pimple and rescue an Assam Rifles patrol which was ambushed in the area. On 14 November 1962, 6 Kumaon attacked and captured Chinese defenses in the Walong sector, Arunachal Pradesh, without any artillery or aerial support. This was the only battle of the war in which an Indian unit attacked the Chinese, rather than defending. On 16 November, about 4000 soldiers of Chinese Army launched offensive against 120 soldiers of Delta Company of 6  Kumaon which was holding defence of West Ridge. Lt. Bikram was tasked to hold this defence at all costs till 1100 hours and he promised Brigadier N.C. Rawley that he would never withdraw & hold on till his end. Waves of Chinese attacks came on his post one after the other. However, Kumaonis fought gallantly and repulsed the attack. Then the Chinese fanned out and the next attack came with an overwhelming superiority of numbers from three sides (the fourth side was a steep cliff), supported by machine gun fire & heavy artillery bombardment. The tenacity of the troops still prevented Chinese  to capture West Ridge, however at a heavy price of precious & brave lives. By now, Lt Bikram Singh had held on to the post well beyond the assigned time of 1100 hrs. He was now left with handful of troops and all their ammunition was exhausted and had no logistical support. They then engaged in hand-to-hand combat, and fought to the last man and bullet. Five times as many Chinese soldiers died in this battle of 16 November on WestRidge. Only 17 Indian soldiers of Delta Company returned from this battle. The Chinese succeeded in retaking the defences  when there was no Kumaoni left standing. Five Vir Chakras were awarded to soldiers from 6 Kumaon for their actions in the battle; the battalion celebrates 14 November as Walong Day. In 2012, the Chinese Army released "Detailed account of the Battle of Walong" of November 16, 1962 describing the final attack on the Delta Company of 6 Kumaon. these records are at the war memorial at Walong and USI. Battle of Rezang La. 120 men of C Company (an Ahir company) of 13 Kumaon, commanded by Maj. Shaitan Singh, made a last stand at the Rezang La pass on  18 November 1962. 13 Kumaon is the only Ahir battalion of regiment. The area assigned to C Company was defended by three platoon positions, but the surrounding terrain isolated 13 Kumaon from the rest of the regiment. The Indian artillery was located behind a hill feature blocking the line of fire so the infantry had to fight the battle without artillery support. The Chinese suffered no such disadvantage and brought heavy artillery fire upon C Company. The Chinese attack, which was expected, came through a dry river bed. It was repulsed with heavy machine gun fire by the Indian soldiers . The Chinese regrouped and attacked persistently with more reinforcements. Maj. Shaitan Singh went from post to post raising the morale of his men and continued to fight even after being seriously wounded. Of C Company's 120 troops, 114 men were killed; 5 were severely injured and captured. They are all said to have escaped captivity and returned. The other remaining survivor was sent by Shaitan Singh to inform the headquaraters. The Chinese casualties are not known, but a memorial in Rewari claims that 1,300 Chinese soldiers were killed in the battle. Maj. Shaitan Singh posthumously won the Param Vir  Chakra for his actions, the second for the Kumaon Regiment (the first being won by Maj. Somnath Sharma). Other soldiers defending Rezang La who were awarded Vir Chakras were Nk. Hukum Chand (posthumous), Nk. Gulab Singh Yadav, L/Nk. Ram Singh (posthumous), Sub. Ram Kumar and Sub. Ram Chander. Indo-Pakistan War of 1965. Battle of Kumaon Hill. Two Kumaoni Battalions continued to operate against the guerrillas. One Infantry Brigade was ordered to oust the enemy from the area, own side of a river and destroy the bridges. The enemy was holding the area with a company of 23 Azad  Kashmir and one company of the Pakistani special forces unit – Special Service Group . Lt Col Salick decided to attack the feature with two Companies. It was to be a silent attack, though the battalion had adequate artillery support on call. The leading platoon under Jemadar Ram Singh hit an enemy minefield shortly after midnight on 21 September. Despite being wounded, this brave JCO pressed forward to find a way through the mines. At 7.45 AM the assaulting companies resumed the advance. Despite the heavy automatic fire that greeted them, the Kumaonis charged. In the initial assault, Capt (later Maj Gen ) Surendra Shah, and his signaller were wounded. The fighting thereafter was fierce and continued for two and a half hours. Capt Shah was wounded a second time but he refused to be evacuated till the battle was over. The Kumaonis tenacity ultimately won the day and the hill was in their hands at 10 AM. For conspicuous gallantry in the action, Capt Surendra Shah received Vir Chakra. Another recipient of this award was Nk Chander Singh. In addition to these awards, one officer and two JCOs were Mentioned in Despatches. To commemorate the Kumaonis victory, the hill was named the  KUMAON Hill. It was a significant achievement as a regular infantry battalion's Kumaoni troops ousted re-enforced enemy positions at significant heights occupied by better equip enemy special forces unit. This however was not the last encounter between the kumaoni troops and Pakistani commandos as they faced off again on the icy heights of siachen in '84. 3rd Kumaon (Rifles). The Chhamb sector saw heavy fighting between the Indian and Pakistani troops. On moving from Srinagar to Akhnur, 3rd Kumaon was ordered to undertake several operations against the Pakistani forces in this sector. One of these included a raid  on Gulaba-Chappar, a strong enemy position, in which 63 casualties were inflicted on the enemy at loss of 5 (4 injured, 1 Killed). Large quantities of arms and ammunitions were captured. Later, the Battalion was tasked with capturing the Keri-Pail area held by approximately one infantry battalion. At 3:15 AM, the battalion’s A Coy, led by Major Dhirendra Nath Singh, charged the enemy post at Keri and captured it after a fierce hand-to-hand fight. Meanwhile, C Coy had made an abortive attack on Pail and was held by the positions Pakistani defenders. Then, a counter  attack from the Pakistanis drove C Coy back, who were able to successfully retreat under A Coy’s fire. Battle of Maharajke. Another Kumaon Battalion captured 'Maharajke' in West Pakistan with a fierce attack during the night of 6 and 7 September 1965. On 13 September 1965, the Battalion attacked and captured village Pagowal an enemy stronghold which was 13 miles inside Pakistan . Not content with this, by 23 September 1965 (the day cease fire came into effect) the Battalion had made another deep wedge into Pakistani territory. Nk Ganesh Dutt was awarded Vir Chakra for his conspicuous bravery. The  Battalion was also awarded four Mentioned in Dispatches and four Chief of the Army Staff Commendation Cards during these operations and was bestowed with the Theatre Honour ‘ Punjab ’. Battle of Chhamb. To preempt Pakistani attacks into India, a Kumaon battalion advanced into the Mandiala Heights in West Pakistan at the end of August 1965. Before they had the chance to set up any defenses, the Pakistan Army began a major offensive in the Chhamb sector during the early hours of 1 September, accompanied by massive artillery shelling targeting the Kumaon battalion's positions. There followed an armoured thrust by two  Pakistani armoured divisions. Faced with enemy advancing from 3 sides, the battalion held off for a day and a half. On 2 September, the battalion was ordered to withdraw after they had destroyed four Pakistani tanks. One Vir Chakra was awarded for the action. Indo-Pakistan War of 1971. Kumaon battalions were deployed and fought on both the Eastern and the Western fronts during the war. Operation Meghdoot. The Indian Army's initiative to hold the Siachen Glacier consisted of units of the Kumaon Regiment and the Ladakh Scouts. It was led by Maj. R.S. Sandhu, who was awarded the  Vir Chakra for his leadership. Capt. Sanjay Kulkarni's unit was the first to land on Bilafond La and hoist the Indian tricolour. Kumaon units were instrumental in Indian success in capturing the glacier and repelling Pakistani attempts to retake it. Anticipating a Pakistani attack on the glacier at the start of the spring thaw in 1984, a full Kumaon battalion led by Lt. Col. (later Brigadier) D.K. Khanna, marched on foot with full packs and equipment for weeks in the dead of the winter across Zoji La, through the world's toughest terrain, highest altitudes and most forbidding climate . To their credit they achieved this without suffering a serious casualty or a single fallout en route. They also became the first battalion to operate as a unit in the Nubra Valley and on the Siachen Glacier. 19 Kumaon was the first battalion to hoist the Indian flag on the Saltoro Ridgeline (at Point 5705, an altitude of 18,717 feet) in the face of enemy fire, thus dominating Gyongla (18,655 feet) which was under enemy occupation. On 29 May 1984, 19 Kumaon lost 19 of its best soldiers, including one officer (2Lt. P.S. Poondir), who had volunteered to obey orders  which they fully knew could take them to their certain death. During April and May 1984, 19 Kumaon was spread all through the area of Siachen with Capt. Roshan Lal Yadav at the Indira Col, Maj. Shashi Kant Mahajan and Maj. Darshan Lal Julka on the Central Glaciers (Gyongla, Zingrulma Lagongma, and Layogma Glaciers) and Maj. Rajender Singh Hooda in the Urdelop Glacier. 19 Kumaon was thus the first battalion ever to be spread out so much on the glacier (about 100 km), which, perhaps, no other battalion has been subjected to ever since. Nk. (later Subedar/Honorary Captain) Ram  Mehar Singh was awarded the Shaurya Chakra for his gallant role during the move. This turned out to be a vital move that enabled Indian victory in Operation Meghdoot. Operation Pawan. Kumaon units were deployed to Sri Lanka during Operation Pawan. A Kumaon battalion was the first Indian Army unit to land in Jaffna at the Palali airfield. It successfully cleared the Kokuvil area, and moving to Mallakam. A number of LTTE militants were killed or captured. Another battalion was deployed to search and destroy LTTE camps in the Kumurupiddi and Irrakandi areas of the Trincomalee Sector. Among the areas  in which Kumaon units were deployed and operated included Kilividdi of Muttur Sector, Sampur, Vellvutturai and Point Pedro. Kargil War. Kumaon units were deployed during Operation Vijay to oust Pakistan Army regulars who had infiltrated the Kargil sector in Ladakh posing as insurgents. In difficult terrain and hostile weather conditions, they cleared and captured a number of altitude features. The regiment was honored with a number of gallantry awards for the operations. Units. Others: The Kumaon Regiment also has affiliated to it three battalions of the Naga Regiment, a Navy ship and an Air Force Squadron. Battle honours. The list  of battle and theatre honours of the Kumaon Regiment are as follows : Nagpore – Maheidpoor – Nowah – Central India – Burma 1885-87 – China 1900 – Afghanistan 1919. Neuve Chapelle – France and Flanders 1914-15 – Suez Canal – Egypt 19l5-16 – Gaza – Jerusalem – Megiddo – Sharon – Nablus – Palestine 1917-18 – Tigris 1916 – Khan Baghdadi – Mesopotamia 1915-18 – Persia 1915-18 – Suvla – Landing at Suvla – Scimitar Hill – Gallipoli 1915 – Macedonia 1916-18 – E Africa 1914-16 – NW Frontier India 1914–15, 1916–17 North Malaya – Slim River – "Malaya 1941-42" – Kangaw – Bishenpur – "Burma 1942-45" Gallantry Awards. The Kumaon regiment is one of the highest decorated regiment in Indian  Army.The regiment has won 2 Param Vir Chakras, 4 Ashoka Chakras, 15 Maha Vir Chakras, 6 Kirti Chakras, 2 Uttam Yudh Seva Medals, 78 Vir Chakras, 1 Vir Chakra & Bar, 23 Shaurya Chakras, 1 Yudh Seva Medal, 127 Sena Medals, 2 Sena Medals and Bar, 8 Param Vishisht Seva Medals, 24 Ati Vishisht Seva Medals, 1 PV, 2 PB, 1 PS, 1 AW and 36 Vishisht Seva Medals. Mention-in-Dispatch Col Prakash Bhatt 18 KR