The Sikh Regiment

Cap Badge of the Sikh Regiment
Active 1 August 1846-Present
Country India
Branch Army
Type Line Infantry
Role Infantry
Size 18 battalions
Motto Nischay Kar Apni Jeet Karon (I Fight For Sure To Win).
War Cry Bole So Nihal, Sat Sri Akal (Victory belong to those; Whom recite the name of god with a true heart)
Anniversaries September 12, 1897 (the day of the Battle of Saragarhi) is celebrated as the Regimental Battle Honours Day.
Decorations 14 Victoria Crosses, 2 Param Vir Chakras, 2 Ashoka Chakras, 14 Maha Vir Chakras, 14 Kirti Chakras, 64 Vir Chakras, 15 Shaurya Chakras, 75 Sena Medals and 25 Vishisht Seva Medals and "Unit Citation" to 8th Battalion for their meritorious and gallant performance during the isolation of Tiger Hill in the Kargil Skirmish
Insignia
Regimental Insignia sharp-edged Quoit, or Chakra, which the Khalsa Armies had used in combat. The Chakra rings a lion, symbolic of the name (Singh) every Sikh carries
The Sikh Regiment is a regiment of the Indian Army. It is currently the highest decorated regiment in the Indian Army and was at one stage the highest decorated regiment in the British Empire.

The Sikh Regimental Centre is presently located in Ramgarh Cantonment, 30 km from the Ranchi, which is the capital of the state of Jharkhand in India. The Centre was earlier located in Meerut in the state of Uttar Pradesh.

Over its life of more than 150 years, the regiment has participated in various actions and operations both in the pre and post-independence era in India and abroad, including the First and the Second World War.

With a humble beginning of two battalions, today the fraternity has grown to a regiment of 1 training, 17 regular infantry and two reserve battalions strong. Enlisted soldiers are strictly recruited from the Sikh community, while officers are recruited from all regions and areas of India. The war cry of regiment, taken from Sikh scriptures is: Jo Bole So Nihal, Sat Sri Akal (He who cries God is Truth, is ever Happy)




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

The Sikh Regiment came into existence on 1 August 1846, with the raising of Regiment of Ferozepore Sikhs and Regiment of Ludhiana Sikhs by Captain G. Tebbs and Lieutenant Colonel P. Gordon respectively and were used in great effect in the 1857 Indian Rebellion. The outcomes were extremely beneficial for the Sikhs, as their loyalty and fighting tenacity made them the backbone of recruitment for the British Indian Army. In this campaign the Sikhs were awarded their first two battle honours for operations conducted at the seige of Lucknow and the defence of Arrah. In addition the Sikh Regiment were awarded a one rank seniority over other Indian Sepoys and awarded the authorisation to wear the converted red turban (which is still worn by the regiment today) opposed to the standard blue head dress worn by British Indian Army Units at the time. The Sikh Regiment was further used as a vanguard unit for the British Empire being used to garrison India internally, protect Indian frontiers (such as the North West Frontier Provience) and to serve in over seas deployments such as operations in Hong Kong. By 1914 Sikh Regiments were deployed as part of the British Indian Army for operations in World War I. The Regiment served in all theatres of operations and earning 28 battle honours.

In 1931 Adolf Hitler had seen the strength of the Sikh regiment in the war of France. Hitler had given a speech for the Sikhs to join the Nazis, but most of regiment had kept their loyalty towards the British because the empire had always given large amounts of land, money, and provided them to stay in other countries.

Sikhs make up 10–15% of all ranks in the Indian Army and 20% of its officers,[58] whilst Sikhs only forming 1.87% of the Indian population, which makes them over 10 times more likely to be a soldier and officer in the Indian Army than the average Indian.[59] The Sikh Regiment is one of the highest decorated regiment of the Indian Army,[60] with 73 Battle Honours, 14 Victoria Crosses,[61] 21 first class Indian Order of Merit (equivalent to the Victoria Cross),[62] 15 Theatre Honours and 5 COAS Unit Citations besides 2 Param Vir Chakras, 14 Maha Vir Chakras, 5 Kirti Chakras, 67 Vir Chakras and 1596 other gallantry awards.The highest-ranking General in the history of the Indian Air Force is a Punjabi Sikh Marshal of the Air Force Arjan Singh.[63] Advanced plans by the MOD to raise an Infantry UK Sikh Regiment were scrapped in June 2007 to the disappointment of the UK Sikh community and Prince Charles of Britain.

Fallen & Injured Under the British
In the last two World Wars 83,005 turban wearing Sikh soldiers were killed and 109.045 were wounded. They all died or were wounded for the freedom of Britain and the World, enduring shell fire with no other protection but the turban, the symbol of their faith.

Units
Regimental Battalion

2nd Battalion
3rd Battalion
4th Battalion
5th Battalion
6th Battalion
7th Battalion
8th Battalion
10th Battalion
11th Battalion
12th Battalion
13th Battalion
14th Battalion
16th Battalion
17th Battalion
18th Battalion
19th Battalion
20th Battalion
21st Battalion
22nd Battalion
124 Infantry Bn Territorial Army (Sikh)
157 Infantry Bn Territorial Army (Sikh)(Home and Hearth)

Sikh helmetOthers

1st Battalion is now 4th Mechanised Infantry.
9th Battalion was disbanded in 1984
Operation Bluestar
Following Operation Bluestar, some of the recruits at Ramgarh mutinied. They shot and killed the Commandant of the Sikh Regimental Center, Brigadier S.C. Puri and wounded some other officers. They then got hold of a number of trucks and started to proceed towards Punjab, but were stopped by army men in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.

A part of 9 Sikh which was in the Ganganagar area of Rajasthan mutinied. This battalion was disbanded on April 1, 1985. Following Operation Bluestar, the then COAS, General Arun S. Vaidya wanted to have more mixed battalions. So he passed an order that single class battalions should begin recruiting other classes as well as their parent class. These mixed battalion came to be known as Vaidya's Battalions. The 13 Sikh is the Vaidya battalion and its class composition consists of a company each of Sikhs, Dogras, Garhwalis and South Indians.

Awards and citations
The Museum of the Regimental Centre displays a record of the Sikh Regiment in four halls.

The Religious/motivational Hall,
The Hall of Heritage,
The Regimental Glory Hall
The Peripheral Gallery.
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS) made a special instant award of "Unit Citation" to 8th Battalion, The Sikh Regiment for their meritorious and gallant performance during the isolation of Tiger Hill, which facilitated the capture of Tiger Hill top and battles of Helmet and India Gate, features to the West of Tiger Hill top, on night 07/8 July 1999, in Dras Sector.

During Operation Vijay, the unit displayed sterling performance marked with exceptional valour and grit in the face of the enemy.

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

2 Param Vir Chakra
Lance Naik Karam Singh in 1948 during Kashmir operations.
Subedar Joginder Singh during the Sino-Indian War of 1962.
14 Maha Vir Chakra (MVC)
68 Vir Chakra.
14 Victoria Crosses
In addition it has also earned :

73 battle honours
38 theatre honours besides four COAS Unit Citation, including
the one bestowed upon 8 Sikh during the 1999 Kargil episode
and two "Bravest of the Brave" citations.
Battle Honours and Theatre Honours
Battle Honours
Pre-Independence
Lucknow 1857-58 1 SIKH
Defence of Arrah 1857 3 SIKH
Bihar 1857 3 SIKH
China 1860-62 2 SIKH
Ali Masjid 1878 1, 3 SIKH
Ahmed Khel 1880 2 SIKH
Afghanistan 1878-79 1 SIKH
Afghanistan 1878-80 2, 3 SIKH
Kandhar 1880 2 SIKH
Saukin 1885 2 SIKH
Tofrek 1885 2 SIKH
Manipur 1891 4 SIKH
Defence of Chitral 1895 1 SIKH
Chitral 1895 2 SIKH
Samana 1897 4 SIKH
Saragarhi/Gulistan 1897 4 SIKH
Punjab Frontier 1897 2, 3, 4 & 35 SIKH (SRC)
Malakand 1897 3 & 35 SIKH (SRC)
Tirah 1897-98 2 & 4 SIKH
China 1900 1 SIKH
NW Frontier 1908 3 SIKH
World War I
La Bassee 1914 2 & 5 SIKH
St Julien 1914 2 & 5 SIKH
Armentiers 1914-15 5 SIKH
Auber 1914 2 & 5 SIKH
Givens 1914 4 SIKH
Tsing-Tao (China) 1914 5 SIKH
Neuve Chappell 1914-15 2, 3 & 5 SIKH
France and Flanders 1914-15 2 & 5 SIKH
Suez Canal 1914-15 1 SIKH
Festubert 1915 2 SIKH
Tigris 1916 3 & 5 SIKH
Pyres 1915 2 & 4 SIKH
Sari Bair 1915 1 SIKH
Hells 1915 1 SIKH
Krishna 1915 1 SIKH
Suva 1915 1 SIKH
Gallipoli 1915 1 SIKH
Egypt 1915 1 SIKH
Mesopotamia 1916-18 1,3 & 4 SIKH
Sharon 1918 5 SIKH
Palestine 1918 5 SIKH
Baghdad 1916-18 5 SIKH
Kut-Al-Amara 1917 1,3 & 5 SIKH
Hai 1917 3 & 4 SIKH
Megiddo 1918 5 SIKH
Persia 1918 4 SIKH
Egypt 1918 2 & 3 SIKH
Sharot 1918 2 SIKH
Inter-War Years
NWFP 1918-19 35 (SRC) & 5 SIKH
Afghanistan 1919 2 & 35 SIKH (SRC)
Palestine 1921 35 (SRC) & 5 SIKH
Second World War
Agordat 1940-41 4 SIKH
Keren 1941 4 SIKH
Deir-el-Shein 1940-43 4 SIKH
Omars 1941 4 SIKH
Kuantan 1941-42 5 SIKH
Niyor 1941-42 5 SIKH
Mersa Matruh 1941-42 2 SIKH
Kota Bahru 1942 5 SIKH
North Arakan 1942-45 1 SIKH
Buthidaung 1942-45 1 SIKH
Coriano 1943-45 2 SIKH
San Mariano 1943-45 2 SIKH
Poggio San Giovanni 1943-45 2 SIKH
Monte Calvo 1943-45 4 SIKH
Kangla Tongbi 1944 1 SIKH
Gothic Line 1943-45 4 SIKH
Nyaungu Bridgehead 1945 1 SIKH
Irrawaddy Crossing 1945 1 SIKH
Shandatgyi 1945 1 SIKH
Kama 1945 1 SIKH
Sittang 1945 1 SIKH
Post-Independence
Srinagar 1947 1 SIKH
Tithwal 1948 1 SIKH
Raja Picquet 1965 2 SIKH
Burki 1965 4 SIKH
Op Hill 1965 7 SIKH
Siramani 1971 4 SIKH
Defence of Punch (Poonch) 1971 6 SIKH
Purbat Ali 1971 10 SIKH
Tiger Hill 1999 8 SIKH
[edit] Theatre Honours
Pre-Independence
North Africa 1940-43 2 & 4 SIKH
Abyssinia 1940-41 4 SIKH
Iraq 1941 3 SIKH
North Africa 1941-42 3 SIKH
Malaya 1941-42 5 SIKH
Burma 1942-45 1 SIKH
Italy 1943-45 2 & 4 SIKH
Greece 1944-45 2 SIKH
Post-Independence
Jammu & Kashmir 1947-48 1,5,7 & 16 SIKH
Jammu & Kashmir 1965 2,3 & 7 SIKH
Punjab 1965 4 SIKH
Sindh 1971 10 SIKH
Punjab 1971 2 SIKH
East Pakistan 1971 4 SIKH
Jammu & Kashmir 1971 5 & 6 SIKH
Kargil 1999 8 SIKH
[edit] Plans to raise a UK Sikh Regiment
Advanced plans by the British Army to raise a UK Sikh infantry regiment were scrapped due to accusations by the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE) that such a creation could be viewed as racist or sectarian. The Sikh regiment had many supporters including Prince Charles. [1]

Alliances
United Kingdom - The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment (King's Lancashire and Border)
See also
11th Sikh Regiment
References
^UK Sikh regiment
Bibliography
1st King George V's own battalion,: The Sikh Regiment
Sikh Light Infantry
Indian Army Infantry Regiments

Brigade of the Guards • The Parachute Regiment • Mechanised Infantry Regiment • Punjab Regiment • Madras Regiment • The Grenadiers • Maratha Light Infantry • Rajputana Rifles • Rajput Regiment • Jat Regiment • Sikh Regiment • Sikh Light Infantry • Dogra Regiment • Garhwal Rifles• Kumaon Regiment • Assam Regiment • Bihar Regiment • Mahar Regiment • Jammu & Kashmir Rifles • Jammu & Kashmir Light Infantry • Naga Regiment • 1 Gorkha Rifles (The Malaun Regiment)3 Gorkha Rifles • 4 Gorkha Rifles • 5 Gorkha Rifles (Frontier Force) • 8 Gorkha Rifles • 9 Gorkha Rifles • 11 Gorkha Rifles • Ladakh Scouts