Four battalions of Assam regiment presented colours by Army Chief

Guwahati (Assam) [India], Nov. 17 (ANI): Chief of Army Staff, General Dalbir Singh, presented the colours to four young Battalions of the Assam Regiment; 16 and 17 ASSAM and 1 and 2 Arunachal Scouts in an impressive colour presentation parade. The parade was led by Brigadier Sudhir Kumar Jha, Commandant, Assam Regimental Centre, in presence of Lt. General Praveen Bakshi GOC-in- C Eastern Command, Lt. General Subrata Saha, Colonel of the Assam Regiment and Arunachal Scouts and other serving and veteran dignitaries. The Army Chief also dedicated the expanded and renovated War Memorial to the Regiment during the ceremony held yesterday. This war memorial was originally inaugurated on November 24, 1953, by Bishnuram Medhi, then chief minister of Assam. Etched on the hallowed walls are the names of 376 martyrs. The expansion and renovation of the War Memorial was initiated in mid 2015 and took almost a year to complete. The Assam Regiment that represents the Warrior Prowess of the Northeast is celebrating their Platinum Jubilee at Shillong, the capital of Meghalaya and erstwhile undivided province of Assam. The Regiment was primarily raised to quell the enemy aggression and defend a crucial part of Eastern borders of India. The first Battalion proved its mettle by winning six battle honours and theatre honour of Burma during World War II. Soon after Independence, the third Battalion demonstrated its prowess by winning a Theatre Honour of Jammu and Kashmir 1947-48 in Keri Sector. The fifth Battalion put up a valiant fight in the battlefield of Chhamb in 1971 winning the Battle Honour Chhamb and Theatre Honour Jammu and Kashmir 1971 and is the only infantry battalion to have been awarded this Battle Honour for unparalleled valour and sacrifice in this sector. The Regiment has excelled in all other operations to include Op Rakshak, Op Rhino and Op Meghdoot. It has also performed commendably in United Nation Mission at Cambodia, Congo and Lebanon. The Regiment has so far been awarded Nine Chief of the Army Staff Unit Citations, Twenty Three Army Commanders Unit Citations and Two United Nation Force Commander's Unit Citations. In the field of games and sports, the Regiment has secured 27 Gold, 17 Silver and 14 Bronze medal at International level and 152 Gold, 132 Silver and 110 Bronze at National level. The Regiment won the coveted YBC Championship in 2005. The marching contingent of the Assam Regiment was adjudged as the best Marching Contingent both in Army Day and Republic Day Parade 2016. The Assam Regiment Marching contingent was also adjudged as best Marching Contingent during Army Day Parade 1995, 2004 and 2008 respectively. Troops of this Regiment fondly referred to as Rhinos, which is their emblem too, represent all communities and tribes of the Northern Eastern region. Wherever they have been deployed, in whichever war/conflict they have fought they have acquitted themselves creditably. Many enemies and adversaries they have confronted have admitted that they would like to give them a wide berth/keep away from them. Their motto is Tagra Raho (Stay Strong). The latest example of outstanding bravery from the Assam Regiment is late Havildar Hangpan Dada, who was awarded the highest gallantry award not in regular war, the Ashok Chakra, posthumously on Independence Day, this year. In the last week of May, Havildar Dada, along with his team, spotted the movement of terrorists at the height of 13,000 feet in the harsh and icy Himalayan range of North Kashmir and lost no time in engaging them in a fierce encounter that went on for over 24 hours. Taking the enemy head-on, Havildar Dada charged at the spot where terrorists were holed up killing two terrorists on the spot and later the third one after a hand-to- hand scuffle as they slid down the hill towards the Line of Control. Other well known persons of the Assam Regiment are late Captain Maharajkumar Priyobrata Singh, scion of the erstwhile Manipuri kingdom, who became Manipur's first chief minister and late Major Ralengnao 'Bob' Khathing, who brought Tawang under India in 1952 and to many other key civilian appointments including India Ambassador to Burma, now Myanmar. (ANI)