Units

The Rajputana Rifles

 

• Regimental Centre: Delhi Cantonment.
• Regimental Insignia: Bugle and Cords, all below a pair of crossed Katars (Rajput daggers).
• Motto: Veer Bhogya Vasundhara (The Brave Enjoy the Earth).
• War Cry: Raja Ram Chandra Ki Jai (Victory to Raja Ram Chandra).
  ...............Bole Nara Haidiri Ya Ali.

• Regimental Battalions: 2nd Battalion (former 120th [PWO] Rajputana Infantry)
  .................................3rd Battalion (former 122nd Rajputana Infantry)
  .................................4th Battalion (former 123rd Outram's Rifles)
  .................................5th Battalion (former 125th Napier's Rifles)
  .................................6th Battalion
  .................................7th Battalion
  .................................8th Battalion
  .................................9th Battalion
  .................................11th Battalion
  .................................12th Battalion (former 31st Rajputana Rifles)
  .................................13th Battalion
  .................................14th Battalion
  .................................15th Battalion
  .................................16th Battalion
  .................................17th Battalion (former State Forces unit)
  .................................19th Battalion
  .................................20th Battalion
  .................................21st Battalion
  .................................28th Battalion
• 1st Battalion (former 104 Welleseley's Rifles) ----------> 3rd Guards
  
• 10th Battalion (former 13th Rajputs [Shekhawati]) ----> The Regimental Centre
  
• 18th Battalion ---------------------------------------> 11th Mechanised Infantry

Post-Independence

• Theatre Honours: Jammu & Kashmir, 1965.
• Battle Honours: Punch, Asal Uttar, Charwa, Basantar and Myanamati.
• Honours & Awards: 1 Param Vir Chakra, 1 Ashok Chakra, 1 Padma Bushan, 11 Param Vishisht Seva Medals, 10 Maha Vir Chakras, 8 Kirti Chakras, 11 Ati Vishisht Seva Medals, 1 Uttam Yudh Seva Medal, 41 Vir Chakras, 25 Shaurya Chakras, 112 Sena Medals (including Bar), 36 Vishisht Seva Medals, 2 Yudh Seva Medals, 85 Mention-in-Despatches and 55 Arjun Awards.
• Comments: The Rajputana Rifles is the senior most Rifle Regiment of the Indian Army. Its first battalion was raised as far back as in January 1775. The Regiment, as it stands today was formed in 1921-22 during general re-organisation of the Indian Army. Battalions from the Bombay and Bengal Armies were also added in the Regiment. Each of the battalions, from the Bombay and Bengal Armies, have a long and glorious past. They have taken part in some of the bloodiest battles in many theatres of the world. During World War II, the battalions of this Regiment fought in every theatre in which the Indian Army was involved. Three of them, the 1st, 4th, and medium Machine Gun Battalions fought in Eritrea in North Africa and Italy as part of the famous 4th Indian Division, whose fighting record was the finest in World War II.
• It was in the fighting in Keren in Eritria that Subedar Richpal Ram of the 4th Battalion won a Victoria Cross (Posthumous), the first VC of the Battalion and that of the Division in World War II. The second VC of the Regiment, again during World War II, was won by Company Havildar Major Chhelu Ram again of the 4th Battalion, at Djebel in Tunisia, at the end of the North African Campaign. This battalion alone won nearly 80 gallantry awards, including two VCs, in a five year campaign. The outbreak of hostilities in Kashmir, again saw the Rajputana Rifles in the thick of battle. During the brief period of the Jammu & Kashmir Operations in 1947-48, the Regiment was awarded 1 PVC, 2 MVCs, 14 VrCs and 49 Mention-in-Despatches. Company Havildar Major Piru Singh, 6 Raj Rif, is the first & only recipient of the Param Vir Chakra (Posthumous) for the Regiment, in 1948. In 1970 Captain Umed Singh Mahra, 19th Raj Rif, won for the Regiment its first Ashoka Chakra in Counter Insurgency (COIN) Operations.

 

Recommended Links:

• The Rajputana Rifles - A BR Monitor Article - L N Subramanian