Dogra Regiment

Dogra Regiment
Regimental Insignia of the Dogra Regiment
Active 1877 – Present
Country India India
Branch Indian Army
Type Line Infantry
Regimental Centre Faizabad, Uttar Pradesh
Motto(s) Kartavyam Anvatma (Duty Before Death)
War Cry Jwala Mata Ki Jai (Victory to Goddess Jwala)
Decorations 3 Victoria Cross
44 Military Cross
One Ashoka Chakra
13 Maha Vir Chakras
18 Kirti Chakras
10 Yudh Seva Medals
46 Vir Chakras one Vir Chakra and Bar
one Padma Bhushan
21 Uttam Yudh Seva Medals
26 Param Vishisht Seva Medals
33 Ati Vishisht Seva Medals
40 Shaurya Chakras
189 Sena Medals
31 Vishisht Seva Medals
188 Mention-in-Despatches and
263 COAS's Commendation Cards
Battle honours

Jhangar, Rajauri, Uri, Asal Uttar, Haji Pir, Raja Picquet, OP Hill, Siramani, Suadih, Dera Baba Nanak and Chandgram Theatre Honours

Jammu and Kashmir – 1948, Punjab – 1965 and Punjab – 1971
Commanders
Current
commander		 Lt General Ranbir Singh[1]
Notable
commanders		 General Nirmal Chander Vij
Insignia
Regimental Insignia Tiger revered as the mount of the Goddess Durga, who is a widely worshipped deity in the Dogra Hills

The Dogra Regiment is an infantry regiment of the Indian Army. The regiment traces its roots directly from the 17th Dogra Regiment of the British Indian Army. When transferred to the Indian Army like its sister regiments, the numeral prefix (in the case of the Dogra Regiment, 17) was removed.

History

Formation

The regiment was formed in 1922 through the amalgamation of three separate regiments of Dogras into the 17th Dogra Regiment. They were:

The 41st Dogras were an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army that traced its origins to 1900, when it was raised as the 41st (Dogra) Bengal Infantry. After World War I, the Indian government reformed the army, moving from regiments with a single battalion to multi battalion regiments.[2] It dropped '17th' from its title in 1945 and was allocated to India upon its independence in 1947.

The regiment has produced one Chief of Army Staff, General Nirmal Chander Vij. Vij also served as the 10th Colonel-in-Chief of the Dogra Regiment and the Dogra Scouts.

Recruiting

The regiment recruits from the Dogra people of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and the hill regions of Punjab. Enlisting in the army is seen as an honourable pursuit for Dogras, with the earnings of the soldiers of the regiment forming a sizeable part of the local economy. Soldiering has not only become a substantial part of the economic structure of the Dogra Hills, but created social and cultural traditions built on the people's association with the army.

Units

  • 2nd Battalion
  • 3rd Battalion
  • 4th Battalion
  • 5th Battalion
  • 6th Battalion
  • 7th Battalion
  • 8th Battalion
  • 9th Battalion
  • 10th Battalion
  • 11th Battalion
  • 12th Battalion
  • 13th Battalion
  • 14th Battalion
  • 15th Battalion
  • 16th Battalion
  • 17th Battalion
  • 18th Battalion
  • 19th Battalion
  • 20th Battalion[3]

Others:

Indo-Pakistani War of 1971

On the eastern front, the 9th battalion, Dogra Regiment (9 Dogra) was responsible for the fall of Suadih, a small village in East Pakistan that was a strong bastion of the Pakistan Army's most fortified position in the country. This led to the ultimate liberation of East Pakistan and a victory for the Indian Army. For this herculean task, 9 Dogra was awarded the battle honour of Suadih.

Kargil War

The 5th battalion fought in the Kargil War to capture Tiger Hill.

Battle honours

Before Indian independence, the Dogras had to their credit three Victoria Crosses and 44 Military Crosses besides 312 other awards. Two battalions of the 17th Dogra Regiment (the 2nd and 3rd), also fought in the Malayan Campaign. After the Fall of Singapore, a large number of the captured troops later went on to join the Indian National Army.[4]

Pre-Independence

Combined battle honours of 37th (Prince of Wales's Own) Dogras, 38th Dogras, 41st Dogras:

World War I

World War II

Post-Independence

References

  1. ↑ https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/lt-gen-ranbir-singh-avenges-death-of-soldiers-from-his-dogra-regiment/articleshow/54616578.cms
  2. ↑ Sumner, Ian (2001). The Indian Army 1914–1947. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 1-84176-196-6.
  3. ↑ Dogra Regiment
  4. ↑ Fay 1993, p. 137
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