First battalion of 'Third Gorkha Rifles' completes 200 years

KOLKATA: The first battalion of the 'Third Gorkha Rifles', one of the four pioneering infantry battalions that heralded the legend of Gurkhas as among the bravest warriors of Indian Army, turned 200 today.

A ceremonial event was held today at the Military Station, Sevoke Road, near Siliguri in West Bengal, where the 'First-Third', as they are also referred to, celebrated their bicentenary.

The battalion was initially raised as the ' Kumaon Provincial Battalion' on April 24, 1815, under Sir Robert Colquhoum at Hawalbagh, Almora, and eventually became the 'Third Gorkha Rifles'.

A war memorial statuette depicting a solitary Gorkha soldier with his head lowered in reverence, palms placed on his reversed rifle symbolising paying of homage to his fallen comrades, was unveiled by Maj Gen (Retd) O P Sabharwal, the senior most veteran present who also placed the first wreath.

Maj Gen Avinash Singh, Colonel of the Regiment, Col B S Sawian, Commanding Officer and others also placed wreaths at the memorial which has been specially designed to serve as a mobile memorial to move with the Battalion whenever they relocate.

Later, a Sainik Sammelan was specially convened where nearly 850 veterans, including a large number of retired soldiers from Nepal, attended the event sitting alongside serving soldiers and officers of the unit.

A special First Day Cover to mark the Bicentenary of the Battalion issued by the Army Postal Service was also released on the occasion.

Earlier, various events were held in the preceding days that included weapon and tactics display, a fete called 'pagal gymkhana' and other traditional ceremonies and festivities where bondings among comrades, some of them veterans of 1965 and 1971 wars, revived old ties.