| 8 Gorkha Rifles | 
| | Active | 1907 - Present | | Country | India | | Branch | Army | | Type | Infantry | | Size | 6 Battalions | | Regimental Centre | Shillong, Meghalaya | | Nickname | The Shiny Eight | | Motto | Kafar Hunu Bhanda Marnu Niko (Better to die than live like a coward) | | War Cry | Ayo Gorkhali (The Gorkhas are here) | | Decorations | 1 Param Vir Chakra, 4 Ashoka Chakras, 1 Padma Vibhushan, 1 Padma Bhushan, 4 Param Vishist Seva Medals, 7 Maha Vir Chakras, 1 Uttam Yudh Seva Medal, 2 Kirti Chakras, 8 Ati Vishist Seva Medals and 1 Bar, 22 Vir Chakras, 13 Shaurya Chakras, 1 Yudh Seva Medal, 34 Sena Medals and 12 Vishist Seva Medals | | Battle honours | Post Independence: Punch, Chushul, Sanjoi and Mirpur,
Theatre Honours
Jammu & Kashmir 1948, Ladakh 1962, Jammu & Kashmir, 1965 | | Commanders | Notable
commanders | Field Marshall Sam Manekshaw | | Insignia | | Regimental Insignia | A pair of crossed Khukris with the numeral 8 above | | Tartan | Government (pipe bags and ribbons) | The 8 Gorkha Rifles is a Gorkha regiment of the Indian Army. The regiment was one of the Gurkha regiments transferred to the Indian Army after independence. The regiment is one of the most celebrated regiments of the Indian Army, receiving numerous citiations for bravery in the field of battle, and even producing one of the two field marshals, Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, of the Indian Army. The Indian Army is the largest branch of the Armed Forces of India and has the primary responsibility of conducting land-based military operations. ...
Shillong (Hindi: शिलांग, Bengali: শিলং) is the capital of Meghalaya, one of the smaller states in India. ...
Meghalaya (Devanagari: मेघालय) is a small state in north-eastern India. ...
The Param Vir Chakra is an Indian military decoration given for valour in combat operations. ...
The Ashoka Chakra (Pronunced as Ashok Chakra, not Ashokaa Chakraa) is an ancient Indian depiction of the Wheel of Life and Cosmic Order (Sanskrit: Chakra, wheel. ...
This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...
The Padma Bhushan is an Indian civilian decoration established on January 2, 1954 by the President of India. ...
The Maha Vir Chakra medal The Maha Vir Chakra (MVC) is the second highest military decoration in India and is awarded for acts of conspicuous gallantry in the presence of the enemy, whether on land, at sea or in the air. ...
Kirti Chakra is an Indian military decoration awarded for valor, courageous action or self-sacrifice away from the battlefield. ...
Vir Chakra is an Indian gallantry award presented for acts of bravery in the battle field. ...
Sena Medal Awarded to members of the army, of all ranks, for such individual acts of exceptional devotion to duty or courage as have special significance for the Army. ...
A battle honour is a military tradition practiced in the Commonwealth countries of the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand and is an official acknowledgement rewarded to military units for their achievements in specific wars or operations of a military campaign. ...
Combatants India Pakistan Commanders General K M Cariappa, Lt Gen S M Shrinagesh, Maj Gen K S Thimayya, Maj Gen Kalwant Singh Maj Gen Akbar Khan Casualties 2,000 killed[1](Indian army) 684 KIA(State Forces)[2] [3] 3,152 wounded [1] 1,500 killed[4] (Pakistan army) The...
This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...
Combatants India Pakistan Commanders Gen J N Chaudhuri, Lt Gen Harbakhsh Singh Field Marshal Ayub Khan, Gen Mohd Musa Casualties 3,264 killed[1] 8,623 wounded[1] (From July to ceasefire) 3,800[2] - 6,917 killed[3] (17 day period alone) 4,000 - 7,000 killed/ captured[4...
Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw Field Marshal Sam Hormusji Framji Jamshedji Manekshaw (born April 3, 1914) was the Indian Army Chief of Staff who led the Indian forces during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. ...
Khukri knife and sheath The khukri is a knife, the national weapon and forestry tool of Nepal. ...
Gurkha Soldiers (1896) Wives and children of Gurkha Soldiers (1896) Gurkha (or Gorkha) are a people from Nepal who take their name from the former city-state of Gorkha, which went on to found the Kingdom of Nepal later on. ...
The Indian Army is the largest branch of the Armed Forces of India and has the primary responsibility of conducting land-based military operations. ...
The Indian Army is the largest branch of the Armed Forces of India and has the primary responsibility of conducting land-based military operations. ...
Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw Field Marshal Sam Hormusji Framji Jamshedji Manekshaw (born April 3, 1914) was the Indian Army Chief of Staff who led the Indian forces during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. ...
History The Shiny Eight, popularly known in the Gorkha fraternity of the Indian Army, finds its roots of lineage to 16 Sylhet Local Battalion raised in 1824 and since then the identity of the Regiment has undergone transitions over the period to its present designation as the 8 Gorkha Rifles in 1907.
Military assignments commenced as soon after the raising of the Regiment when the first battalion formed the spearhead for operations in Burma War of 1824-25. The services of the Regiment were to be requisitioned again when the British went to War with Bhutan in 1864. Two battalion columns of the Regiment sallied forth, shoulder to shoulder to crush the Bhutanese revolts and the stronghold of Devnageri. The first Victoria Cross (VC) came to the Regiment in October 1879 in its first ever operation mission when its units were summoned to deal with Naga rebels. This was the first time that a regular army unit was ever employed in the Naga hills. The Younghusband Expedition of 1904 was another jewel in the crown that brought a VC again to the Regiment, awarded to John Duncan Grant. Braving the high altitude climes of Tibet, the expeditionary force successfully stormed the Tibetan fortress of Gyantse at 19,000 feet. Victoria Cross medal, ribbon, and bar. ...
John Duncan Grant (VC, CB, DSO) was a recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. ...
World War I World War I testified the enigmatic valour and heroism of the Regiment during the course of combat services in Italy, France, Mesopotamia (present-day Iraq) and Egypt. 15 battle honours were earned during the period.
World War II 8 GR battalions also saw active overseas actions in Iraq, Egypt, Libya, Tobruk, El Alamein and Burma during World War II where the Regiment earned one VC and 22 Battle Honours. Lachhiman Gurung was awarded the VC during the Burmese Campaign where he bore the brunt of atleast 200 enemy soldiers. Sup G There were two battles of El Alamein, both during 1942. ...
Lachhiman Gurung is a Nepalese recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. ...
Post Independence Soon after partition, 1/8 Gorkha Rifles saw action in the J&K operations of 1948. When the Pakistanis were all out to seize Kashmir by brute force, Lieutenant Colonel Hari Chand with a handful of men marched on an unconventional route from Kulu to Leh at an altitude of 18,000 feet and destroyed enemy guns, which forced them to withdraw from this sector and saved Leh from falling into enemy hands. For this dauntless and gallant action, Lieutenant-Colonel Hari Chand was awarded Maha Vir Chakra (MVC).
Major Dhan Singh Thapa, 1/8 Gorkha Rifles, is the first & only recipient of the Param Vir Chakra for the Regiment during the Chinese aggression of 1962. The Regiment also exhibited sterling combat performances during the 1965 and 1971 Indo-Pak conflicts during which 4 Maha Vir Chakras and Battle Honours came its way. The Regiment was also actively involved in the operations in Sri Lanka and brought home one Maha Vir Chakra and four Vir Chakras. The 7/8 Gorkha Rifles was raised on 01 July 1979 at Shillong, consequent to the 1/8 Gorkha Rifles becoming Mechanised. The regiment has produced one Army Chief, Field Marshal SHFJ Manekshaw, MC and is incidentally the most celebrated personality of the Regiment. His contribution in the 1971 Indo-Pak War is a legend in the military history of India's Armed Forces. Major Dhan Singh Thapa , 1st Battalion, 8th Gorkha Rifles Regiment Service Number: IC-7990 Date of Action: 20 October 1962 Place of Action: Ladakh, India Date and Place of Birth: 10 April 1928, Simla, Himachal Pradesh, son of P. S. Thapa Commissioned: 28 August 1949 Retired: As Lieutenant-Colonel CITATION...
The Param Vir Chakra is an Indian military decoration given for valour in combat operations. ...
Combatants India Pakistan Commanders Gen J N Chaudhuri, Lt Gen Harbakhsh Singh Field Marshal Ayub Khan, Gen Mohd Musa Casualties 3,264 killed[1] 8,623 wounded[1] (From July to ceasefire) 3,800[2] - 6,917 killed[3] (17 day period alone) 4,000 - 7,000 killed/ captured[4...
Combatants India Pakistan Commanders Sam Manekshaw J.S. Aurora A. A. K. Niazi Strength 500,000+ troops[citation needed] 400,000+ troops[citation needed] Casualties 3,843 killed[1] 9,851 wounded[1] c. ...
The Maha Vir Chakra medal The Maha Vir Chakra (MVC) is the second highest military decoration in India and is awarded for acts of conspicuous gallantry in the presence of the enemy, whether on land, at sea or in the air. ...
Shillong (Hindi: शिलांग, Bengali: শিলং) is the capital of Meghalaya, one of the smaller states in India. ...
The Mechanised Infantry Regiment is an infantry regiment of the Indian Army. ...
Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw Field Marshal Sam Hormusji Framji Jamshedji Manekshaw (born April 3, 1914) was the Indian Army Chief of Staff who led the Indian forces during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. ...
See also The following is a list of the Gorkha Regiments in the Indian Army: 1 Gorkha Rifles 3 Gorkha Rifles 4 Gorkha Rifles 5 Gorkha Rifles (Frontier Force) 8th Gorkha Rifles 9th Gorkha Rifles 11th Gorkha Rifles ...
The Indian Army is the largest branch of the Armed Forces of India and has the primary responsibility of conducting land-based military operations. ...
A group of native Indian muslim soldiers posing for volley firing orders. ...
Sir (Thomas) Russell Fairgrieve (3 May 1924 - 17 February 1999) was a Scottish Conservative politician. ...
References |
Feeds |
Contact