Sikh Regiment

The Sikh Regiment of the Indian Army is presently headquartered in Ramgarh Cantonment, 30 km from the city of Ranchi, capital of Jharkhand state, India. From Ramgarh, as and when required, the Sikh Regiment has moved on to a number of locations and participated in several actions.

The Sikh Regiment came into existence on 1 August 1846, when elements of erstwhile armed forces of Maharaja Ranjit Singh were reorganized into a distinct force of combatants by the then British rulers of India. Over its life of more than 150 years, the Sikh Regiment has emerged as the most decorated segment of the Indian army, and have participated into armed action in India and also outside India, including action during First World War and the Second World War.

The Sikh Regiment is one of the oldest and highest decorated Regiments of the Indian Army. The Regimental Centre is located at Ramgarh, South Bihar. With 73 Battle Honours, the largest collection of Victoria Crosses-Param Vir Chakras and equivalent, the Saga of Saragarhi, the young soldiers of the Sikh Regiment are proud to wear the regimental colours of India's highest decorated regiment. Since it is raising more than 150 years ago, the regiment has been in the vanguard of various actions and operations both in the pre and post-independence era in India and abroad.

Maharaja Ranjit Singh brought the well built and courageous people of the then Punjab to "Khalsa Panth" 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 history of the Sikh Regiment has been replete with examples of gallant soldiering and supreme sacrifice. "It is the highest decorated Regiment of the Indian Army as reported in the Defence Review Annual 1995-96" says Brig R Sharma, the Commandant of the Sikh Regimental Centre.

In all, the Regiment has to its credit 1652 gallantry awards and honours including 10 Victoria Cross, two Param Vir Chakra, 14 Maha Vir Chakra and 68 Vir Chakra. In addition it has also earned 73 battle honours and 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. The Museum of the Regimental Centre displays a record of the Sikh Regiment in four halls viz., the Religious/motivational Hall, the Hall of Heritage, the Regimental Glory Hall and the Peripheral Gallery. The two winners of Param Vir Chakra are L/Nk Karam Singh in 1948 during Kashmir operations and Sub Joginder Singh during the Chinese Aggression of 1962.

Following Operation Bluestar, a large number of 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 U.P. A large 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 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". Regarding the Sikh Regiment, 13 Sikh is the Vaidya battalion and its class composition consists of a company each of Sikhs, Dogras, Garhwalis and South Indians.

The Chief of Army Staff 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 07/08 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. (http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/india/rgt-sikh.htm)