Jump to content

Jammu and Kashmir Rifles

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jammu and Kashmir Rifles
Regimental Insignia of the Jammu and Kashmir Rifles
Active1821 – present
CountryIndia India
Branch Indian Army
TypeInfantry
RoleInfantry
Size22 battalions
Regimental CentreJabalpur, Madhya Pradesh
Motto(s)Prashasta Ranvirta
("Valour in Battle is Praiseworthy")[1]
War CryDurge Mata Ki Jai
("Victory to Mother Durga")[1]
DecorationsSee below
Commanders
Colonel of
the Regiment
Lieutenant General MP Singh, YSM, SM[2]
Insignia
Regimental InsigniaAn oval embracing the Sun, the State emblem. The Sanskrit inscription around the Sun, which cannot be read on the regimental insignia above, translates as, "Ever Victorious in War"[1]

The Jammu and Kashmir Rifles is an infantry regiment of the Indian Army. Its origins lay in the Jammu and Kashmir State Forces of the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir. After the accession of the state to the Indian Union in October 1947, the State Forces came under the command of the Indian Army. They remained in the original form until 1956 when Jammu and Kashmir Constituent Assembly effectively ratified the state's accession to India. Then the State Forces became the Jammu and Kashmir Regiment of the Indian Army.[3] In 1963, the designation was changed to Jammu and Kashmir Rifles. After the conversion, the Ladakh Scouts came under the aegis of the Regiment, where it remained until raised as a separate Regiment in 2002.[4]

History

[edit]

The Jammu and Kashmir Rifles Regiment traces its origin to the Dogra Kingdom of Jammu and Kashmir.Maharaja Gulab Singh, of the first ruler of Jammu and Kashmir raised this Force in 1820 at Jammu. The earlier exploits of the Regiment includes the annexation of the entire Hill Region of Jammu and the Kashmir Valley. General Zorawar Singh, who had joined the State Forces in 1823 assisted in expansion of the state's territory to include Ladakh, Baltistan, Tibet, Gilgit, Yasin[disambiguation needed], Darel, Hunza Nagar, Chilas and Chitral between 1834 and 1895.

Pre-Independence

[edit]
Officers of 2nd Kashmir Rifles with the German flag and machine gun captured in the Battle of Lukigura on 24 June 1916.

A major portion of the state forces participated in the first World War. The Regiment saw action in the East Africa, Palestine and Mesopotamia and won the Battle Honours of Megiddo, Nablus, Kilimanjaro, Behobeho, Palestine and Sharon. The Regiment was honoured with a total of 31 decorations.

Immediately after the First World War, the 1st Jammu and Kashmir Mountain Battery and 1 Jammu and Kashmir Infantry participated in the Third Afghan War and were awarded 23 Meritorious Service Medals.

The Regiment saw action in Burma where 23 of its person were decorated. Two Battle Honours, Kennedy Peak and Meiktila were awarded to the Regiment.

Post-Independence

[edit]

The greatest trial of the Regiment came immediately after independence when Pakistan invaded Kashmir. All nine Battalions of the Regiment (1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 & 9 Jammu and Kashmir Rifles) were strung over 500 miles of the frontier form Kathua in the South to Leh in the North, who displayed dogged tenacity, unflinching loyalty, exemplary courage and devotion to duty unparalleled in history. A total of 18 Officers, 37 Junior Commissioned Officers, 1194 Other ranks and 34 Non Combatants laid their life in the service of the motherland and the regiment was awarded with two Maha Vir Chakras (including the first Maha Vir Chakra of Independent India awarded to Late Brigadier Rajinder Singh), 18 Vir Chakras and 52 Mentioned in Despatches.

On 18 March 1956 a large force of Pakistan Regiment Army launched an uprovoked attack against 4 Jammu and Kashmir Rifles then deployed to guard Husainiwala Headworks. During the clash the enemy suffered heavy casualties and the Unit was awarded one Ashok Charka, one Kirti Chakra and one Shaurya Chakra.

Due to its valiant actions over the years including 1947-48 operations in Jammu and Kashmir, the Regiment was amalgamated enbloc into the Indian Army on 15 January 57 without any dilution in rank structure and came to be known as Jammu and Kashmir Regiment. In February 1963, the Regiment was redesignated as Jammu and Kashmir Rifles.

Two of the eight Battalions of the Regiment (2 and 3 Jammu and Kashmir Rifles) participated in 1962 war with China, wherein three Officers, 82 Other Ranks and eight Non Commissioned Employees made supreme sacrifice of their life in Bomdila Sect and the Regiment was awarded with one Mentioned-in-Despatch.

Seven of the eleven Battalions of the Regiment(3,4,5,6,7,8 & 9 Jammu and Kashmir Rifles) participated in 1965 war, wherein seven Officers and 167 men attained martyrdom in the line of duty and was the Regiment awarded with the Battle Honour of ASAL UTTAR (by 9 Jammu and Kashmir Rifles) in Khem Karan Sect and Theatre Honour PUNJAB. Five persons of the Regiment were decorated.

All the 14 Battalions (1 to 14 Jammu and Kashmir Rifles) of the Regiment participated in the 1971 War both at the Eastern and Western front wherein 76 Brave Soldiers of the regiment laid their life and the Regiment was awarded with the Battle Honour of 'SYAM GANJ' (1 Jammu and Kashmir Rifles) and Theatre Honour East Pakistan during the liberation of Bangladesh. 12 person of the Regiment were awarded with gallantry.

13, 14 and 19 Jammu and Kashmir Rifles, 28 Rashtriya Rifles Battalion and Ladakh Scouts took part in 'Operation VIJAY' (Kargil). In recognition of the ecceptional account given by 13 Jammu and Kashmir Rifles in the capture of its objectives the unit has been awarded the Battle Honours of DRAG and MUSHKOH along with the Theater Honour of KARGIL. The following honours were awarded to the Battalions of the Regiment :-

(i) Param Vir Chakra 02
(ii) Vir Chakra 08
(iii) Yudh Seva Medal 02
(iv) Sena Medal 16
(v) COAS Commendation Card 08
(vi) Unit Citation & 'BRAVEST OF THE BRAVE' honour to 13 Jammu and Kashmir Rifles

Battle Honours

[edit]
(i) Ladakh 1834-40
(ii) Baltistan 1840
(iii) Tibet 1841
(iv) Gilgit 1860
(v) Yasin 1863
(vi) Darel 1866
(vii) Hunza Nagar 1891-92
(viii) Chilas 1893
(ix) Chitral 1895
(x) East Africa 1914-17 1914-17
(xi) East Africa 1916-18 1916-18
(xii) Megiddo (WW-I) 1914-18
(xiii) Beho-Beho (WW-I) 1914-18
(xiv) Nablus (WW-I) 1914-18
(xv) Sharon (WW-I) 1914-18
(xvi) Kilimanjaro (WW-I) 1914-18
(xvii) Palestine (WW-i) 1918
(xviii) 3rd Afghan War 1919-20
(xix) Kennedy Peak(Burma Front, WW-II) 1944
(xx) Meiktila (Burma Front, WW-II) 1945
(i) Poonch (J&K Ops) 1947-48
(ii) Skardu (J&K Ops) 1947-48
(iii) Jammu & Kashmir 1947-48 1947-48
(iv) Asal Uttar (Khem Karan) 1965
(v) Syam Ganj 1971
(vi) Drass 1999
(vii) Mushkoh 1999
(viii) Kargil 1999

Theatre Honours

[edit]
(i) East Africa 1914-17
(ii) East Africa 1916-18
(iii) Burma 1942-45
(i) 1942-45
(ii) Jammu & Kashmir 1947-48
(iii) Punjab 1965
(iv) East Pakistan 1971
(v) Kargil 1999

Gallantry Awards

[edit]
S No Gallantry Awards No of Awards
(i) Param Vir Chakra 02
(ii) Ashok Chakra 02
(iii) Padma Bhushan 01
(iv) Param Vishisht Seva Medal 10
(v) Maha Vir Chakra 05
(vi) Kirti Chakra 11
(vii) UttamYudh Seva Medal 03
(viii) Ati Vishisht Seva Medal 21
(ix) Bar to Ati Vishisht Seva Medal 03
(x) Vir Chakra 44
(xi) Shaurya Chakra 49
(xii) Yudh Seva Medal 17
(xiii) Sena Medal 336
(xiv) Bar to Sena Medal 04
(xv) Vishisht Seva Medal 68
(xvi) Bar to Vishisht Seva Medal 02
(xvii) CDS Commendation Card 07
(xviii) Mentioned-in-Despatches 85
(xix) COAS Commendation Card 749
(xx) VCOAS Commendation Card 100
(xxi) Army Cdr's Commendation Card 889
(xxii) CISC Commendation Card 04
Total 2412
(i) Param Vir Chakra :-

Captain Vikram Batra (posthumous) 13th Battalion - Kargil, 1999.

Rifleman Sanjay Kumar, 13th Battalion - Kargil, 1999

(ii) Ashok Chakra :-

Second Lieutenant Cyrus Addie Pithawalla, 17 Battalion - Manipur, 1981

Lance Naik Sundar Sing, 4th Battalion - Jammu and Kashmir, 1956

Unit Citations / Appreciations of Chief of Army Staff (Indian Army)

[edit]
(i) 1 JAK RIF 2006
(ii) 2 JAK RIF 1993
(iii) 3 JAK RIF 2015
(iv) 4 JAK RIF 1993 & 2021
(v) 6 JAK RIF 1992
(vi) 10 JAK RIF 1992
(vii) 12 JAK RIF 2006
(viii) 13 JAK RIF 1999 (Bravest of the Brave)
(ix) 14 JAK RIF 2022
(x) 15 JAK RIF 2004 & 2010
(xi) 17 JAK RIF 1994
(xii) 19 JAK RIF 2006
(xiii) 20 JAK RIF 2008
(xiv) 3 RR Bn (JAK RIF) 1995, 2020 & 2022
(xv) 28 RR Bn (JAK RIF) 1999 & 2016
(xvi) 52 RR Bn (JAK RIF) 2011

United Nation Force Commander's Unit Citation

[edit]
(i) 1 JAK RIF 2008
(ii) 4 JAK RIF 1993
(iii) 6 JAK RIF 2017

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  • Rawat, Rachna Bisht (2014). The Brave: Param Vir Chakra Stories. Penguin Books India Private Limited. ISBN 9780143422358.
  • Singh, K. Brahma (1990), History of Jammu and Kashmir Rifles, 1820-1956: The State Force Background, Lancer International, ISBN 978-81-7062-091-4

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c "The Jammu and Kashmir Rifles". bharat-rakshak.com. 2014. Archived from the original on 19 February 2014. Retrieved 18 February 2014.
  2. ^ "Maj Gen MPSingh,YSM,SM COR JAKRIF & LS addressed a Special Sainik Sammelan of the Raghunath Bn on the eve of its departure to Peacekeeping Mission UNMISS". X (formerly twitter). 3 July 2024.
  3. ^ Brahma Singh, K (1990). History of Jammu and Kashmir Rifles, 1820-1956: The state force background. New Delhi: Lancer International. pp. 110, 278, 279, 290. ISBN 978-81-7062-091-4. OCLC 21760758.
  4. ^ "Jammu and Kashmir Rifles". globalsecurity.org. 2014. Retrieved 18 February 2014.

Further reading

[edit]