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Statue of a Gurkha soldier near Ministry of Defence, City of Westminster, London
Statue of a Gurkha soldier near Ministry of Defence, City of Westminster, London

Gurkha, also spelled as Gorkha, are people from Nepal , who take their name from the eighth century Hindu warrior-saint Guru Gorakhnath. The Ministry of Defence ( MoD) is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters The City of Westminster ( is a borough of London with city status. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. Nepal (नेपाल) is a Landlocked country in South Asia. The 8th century is the period from 701 to 800 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian / Common Era. A Hindu ( Devanagari: हिन्दू is an adherent of the philosophies and scriptures of Hinduism, a set of religious, Philosophical Gorakshanath (also known as Gorakhnath) was an 11th to 12th century Nath Yogi, connected to Shaivism as one of the two [1] His disciple Bappa Rawal, born Prince Kalbhoj/Prince Shailadhish, founded the house of Mewar, Rajasthan (Rajputana). ' Bappa Rawal (Kalbhoj (b Prince Kalbhoj ca 713-d 753 possibly at Eklingji eighth ruler of the Guhilot Dynasty and founder of the Mewar Dynasty (r Geography The northern part of Mewar is a gently sloping plain drained by the Bedach & Banas River and its tributaries which empty northwest into the Chambal River Later descendants of Bappa Rawal moved further east to found the house of Gorkha, which in turn founded the Kingdom of Nepal. Nepal (नेपाल) is a Landlocked country in South Asia. [2]

Gurkhas are best known for their history of bravery and strength in the British Army's Brigade of Gurkhas and the Indian Army's Gorkha regiments. The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. The Brigade of Gurkhas is the collective term for British Army units that are composed of Nepalese soldiers The Indian Army (Bharatiya Thalsena भारतीय थाल्सेना is one of the armed forces of India and has the responsibility for land-based Gorkha regiments have been serving in the Indian Army ever since independence in 1947 when the Tripartite Agreement was signed

Gorkha is one of the 75 districts of modern Nepal.

The Gurkhas were designated by British officials as a "Martial Race". Martial Race or Martial Races Theory is an Ideology based on the assumption that certain Ethnic groups are inherently more martially inclined "Martial Race" was a designation created by officials of British India to describe "races" (peoples) that were thought to be naturally warlike and aggressive in battle, and to possess qualities like courage, loyalty, self sufficiency, physical strength, resilience, orderliness, the ability to work hard for long periods of time, fighting tenacity and military strategy. For usage see British rule in India British Raj ( rāj, lit "reign" in Hindustani) primarily refers to the British In Psychology and other social and Behavioral sciences aggression refers to behavior that is intended to cause harm Gallantry redirects here Or see Gallant for other meanings Courage, also known as bravery, will, intrepidity This page is about loyalty as faithfulness to a cause For its use in business see Loyalty business model or Loyalty Marketing. Self-sufficiency refers to the state of not requiring any outside aid support or interaction for survival it is therefore a type of personal or collective autonomy. Physical strength is the ability of a person or animal to exert Force on physical objects using muscles. Resilience is the property of a material to absorb energy when it is deformed elastically and then upon unloading to have this energy recovered Neatness and tidiness are Personality traits which involve the organization of things into a state of order and Symmetry in the world as Resilience in Psychology is the positive capacity of people to Cope with stress and catastrophe. Military strategy is a National defence policy implemented by Military organisations to pursue desired strategic goals Derived from the Greek The British recruited heavily from these Martial Races for service in the colonial army. Colonial troops or colonial army refers to various military units recruited from or used as garrison troops in colonial territories [3]


Contents

History

Gurkhas claim descent from the Hindu Rajputs and Brahmins of Northern India, who entered modern Nepal from the west. Rajput constitute one of the major Hindu Kshatriya groups from India Brahmin ( Brāhmaṇa, sa ब्राह्मणः is the class of educators scholars and preachers in Brahminical Hinduism. Geography Northern India lies mainly on continental India and a very small part of it lies on the Indian peninsula Guru Gorkhanath had a Rajput Prince-disciple, the legendary Bappa Rawal, born Prince Kalbhoj/Prince Shailadhish, founder of the Royal house of Mewar, who became the first Gurkha(Gorkha) and is said to be the ancestor of the present Royal family of Nepal. ' Bappa Rawal (Kalbhoj (b Prince Kalbhoj ca 713-d 753 possibly at Eklingji eighth ruler of the Guhilot Dynasty and founder of the Mewar Dynasty (r Geography The northern part of Mewar is a gently sloping plain drained by the Bedach & Banas River and its tributaries which empty northwest into the Chambal River [4]

Sri Panch (5) Maharaja Dhiraj Prthivi Narayan Shahdev
Sri Panch (5) Maharaja Dhiraj Prthivi Narayan Shahdev

The legend states that Bappa Rawal was a teenager in hiding, when he came upon the warrior saint while on a hunting expedition with friends in the jungles of Rajasthan. ' Bappa Rawal (Kalbhoj (b Prince Kalbhoj ca 713-d 753 possibly at Eklingji eighth ruler of the Guhilot Dynasty and founder of the Mewar Dynasty (r Rājasthān ( Devanāgarī: राजस्थान raːdʒəst̪ʰaːn is the largest state of the Republic of India in terms of area Bappa Rawal chose to stay behind, and care for the warrior saint, who was in deep meditation. When Guru Gorkhanath awoke, he was pleased with the devotion of Bappa Rawal. The Guru gave him the Kukri (Khukri) knife, the famous curved blade of the present day Gurkhas. The kukri ( Devanāgarī: खुकुरी(also sometimes spelled khukri or khukuri) is a curved Nepalese Knife used as both [5] The legend continues that he told Bappa that he and his people would henceforth be called Gurkhas, the disciples of the Guru Gorkhanath, and their bravery would become world famous. He then instructed Bappa Rawal, and his Gorkhas to stop the advance of the Muslims, who were invading Afghanistan (which at that time was a Hindu/Buddhist nation). Afghanistan /æfˈgænɪstæn/ officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan ( Pashto: د افغانستان اسلامي جمهوریت, Bappa Rawal took his Gurkhas and liberated Afghanistan - originally named Gandhara, from which the present day Kandahar derives its name. Gandhāra ( Sanskrit: गन्धार Urdu: گندھارا Gandḥārā; also known as Waihind in Persian is the name of an ancient For the 2001 film see Kandahar (film; for the Kandahar meteorite of 1959 see Meteorite falls; for the places in Azerbaijan see Cəndəhar and He and his Gorkhas stopped the initial Islamic advance of the 8th century in the Indian subcontinent. The 8th century is the period from 701 to 800 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian / Common Era. This article deals with the geophysical region in Asia For geopolitical treatments see South Asia. [6]

There are legends that Bappa Rawal (Kalbhoj) went further conquering Iran and Iraq before he retired as an ascetic at the feet of Mt. Meru, having conquered all invaders and enemies of his faith. ' Bappa Rawal (Kalbhoj (b Prince Kalbhoj ca 713-d 753 possibly at Eklingji eighth ruler of the Guhilot Dynasty and founder of the Mewar Dynasty (r For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iraq topics. Ascetic redirects here You might also be looking for Acetic acid. For the Mountain in Tanzania, see Mount Meru (Tanzania. Mount Meru ( Sanskrit: मेरु (also called

It is a misconception that the Gurkhas took their name from the Gorkha region of Nepal. Gorkha District, a part of Gandaki Zone, is one of the seventy-five districts of Nepal, a Landlocked country of South Asia. The region was given its name after the Gurkhas had established their control of these areas. In the early 1500s some of Bappa Rawal's descendants went further east, and conquered a small state in present-day Nepal, which they named Gorkha in honour of their patron saint.

By 1769, through the leadership of Sri Panch (5) Maharaj Dhiraj Prithvi Narayan Shahdev (1769-1775), the Gorkha dynasty had taken over the area of modern Nepal. Year 1769 ( MDCCLXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Year 1769 ( MDCCLXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Year 1775 ( MDCCLXXV) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a They made Hinduism the state religion, although with distinct Rajput warrior and Gorkhanath influences. Hinduism is a religious tradition that originated in the Indian subcontinent.

In the Gurkha War (1814–1816) they waged war against the British East India Company army. The Gurkha War ( 1814 – 1816) sometimes called the Gorkha War or the Anglo-Nepalese War, was fought between Nepal and the British Year 1814 ( MDCCCXIV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Year 1816 ( MDCCCXVI) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year The Honourable East India Company ( HEIC) referred to most commonly as the East India Company, also historically and colloquially as John Company, or The British were impressed by the Gurkha soldiers and after reaching a stalemate with the Gurkhas made Nepal a protectorate. Nepal (नेपाल) is a Landlocked country in South Asia. In International law, a protectorate is a autonomous territory that is "protected" by a stronger state or entity hense the protector which engages to protect Much later, they were granted the right to freely hire them as mercenaries from the interiors of Nepal (as opposed to the early British Gurkha mercenaries who were hired from areas such as Assam (ie. A mercenary is a person who takes part in an armed conflict who is not a national or a party to the conflict and is "motivated to take part in the hostilities essentially by Sirmoor Rifles) and were then organised in Gurkha regiments in the East India Company army with the permission of then prime minister, Shree Teen (3) Maharaja (Maharana) Jung Bahadur Rana, the first Rana Prime-minister who initiated a Rana oligarchic rule in Nepal. The 2nd King Edward VII's Own Gurkha Rifles (The Sirmoor Rifles was a Regiment of the British Indian Army before being transferred to the British Army Jung Bahadur (or Jang Bahadur) GCB, GCSI, ( June 18, 1816, Kathmandu, Nepal - February 25, 1877 Jung Bahadur was the grandson of the famous Nepalese hero and Prime minister Bhimsen Thapa. Bhimsen Thapa (1775-1839 was the third Prime Minister of Nepal. Originally Jung Bahadur and his brother Ranodip Singh brought a lot of upliftment and modernisation to Nepalese society, the abolishment of slavery, upliftment of the untouchable class, public access to education etc. but these dreams were short lived when in the coup d'etat of 1885 the nephews of Jung Bahadur and Ranodip Singh (the Shumshers J. B. or Satra (17) Family) murdered Ranodip Singh and the sons of Jung Bahadur, stole the name of Jung Bahadur and took control of Nepal bringing the darkest period of Nepalese history (104 years of dictatorial rule). This Shumsher Rana rule is regarded as one of the reasons of Nepal lagging behind in modern development and a Dark Age of Nepalese History. The children of Jung Bahadur and Ranodip Singh mainly live outside of Kathmandu, in Nepal and mainly in India after escaping the coup d'etat of 1885. [7]

Sri Teen (3) Maharaja Jung Bahadur Rana
Sri Teen (3) Maharaja Jung Bahadur Rana

The "original" Gurkhas who were descended from the Rajputs (Thakuri and Chetri) refused to enter as soldiers and were instead given positions as officers in the British-Indian armed forces. Jung Bahadur (or Jang Bahadur) GCB, GCSI, ( June 18, 1816, Kathmandu, Nepal - February 25, 1877 Rajput constitute one of the major Hindu Kshatriya groups from India The non-Kashaktriya Gurkhas entered as soldiers (ie, Magar, Gurung).

The Thakur/Rajput Gurkhas were entered as officers, one of whom, (retired) General Narendra Bahadur Singh, Gurkha Rifles, great grandson of Jung Bahadur, while a young captain, rose to become aide-de-camp (A. D. C. ) to Lord Mountbatten, the last Viceroy of India. Admiral of the Fleet Louis Francis Albert Victor Nicholas Mountbatten 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma, KG, GCB, OM, GCSI, The Governor-General of India (or from 1858 to 1947 the Viceroy and Governor-General of India) was the head of the British administration in India, and

The Gurkha soldier recruits were mainly drawn from several ethnic groups. When the British began recruiting from the interiors of Nepal these soldiers were mainly drawn from Magar, Gurung, Rai and Limbu, although earlier British Gurkhas included Garhwalis, Kumaonis, Assamese and others as well. Magar is a Sino-Tibetan ethnic group of Nepal and northern India whose homeland extends from the western and southern edges of the Dhaulagiri section of Gurung (surnameThe Gurung is an ethnic group from the Central region of Nepal. The Rai, also known as the Khambu (people of Khumbu region is one of Nepal 's most ancient indigenous ethnolinguistic groups The Limbu (meaning archer or Yakthumba/Yakthung (in Limbu language) are an indigenous ethnic group that belongs to the Kiranti group or Kirat confederation that The Garhwali are a people of the hilly Garhwal Division of Uttarakhand, India. The Kumaoni are a people of the Kumaon Division of Uttarakhand, a region in the Indian Himalayas. The Assamese people are a multi-ethnic multi-religious and multi-linguistic people of Assam.

After the British left India, Gorkhalis continued seeking employment in British and Indian forces, as officers and soldiers.

Under international law present-day British Gurkhas are not treated as mercenaries but are fully integrated soldiers of the British Army, operate in formed units of the Brigade of Gurkhas, and abide by the rules and regulations under which all British soldiers serve. The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. Similar rules apply for Gurkhas serving in the Indian Army. The Indian Army (Bharatiya Thalsena भारतीय थाल्सेना is one of the armed forces of India and has the responsibility for land-based

The Gorkha war cry is "Jai Mahakali, Ayo Gorkhali" which literally translates to "Glory be to the Goddess of War, here come the Gorkhas!"

Professor Sir Ralph Turner, MC, who served with the 3rd Queen Alexandra's Own Gurkha Rifles in the First World War, wrote of Gurkhas:

“ As I write these last words, my thoughts return to you who were my comrades, the stubborn and indomitable peasants of Nepal. Once more I hear the laughter with which you greeted every hardship. Once more I see you in your bivouacs or about your fires, on forced march or in the trenches, now shivering with wet and cold, now scorched by a pitiless and burning sun. Uncomplaining you endure hunger and thirst and wounds; and at the last your unwavering lines disappear into the smoke and wrath of battle. Bravest of the brave, most generous of the generous, never had country more faithful friends than you. ”

British East India Company army

Gurkhas served as troops under contract to the East India Company in the Pindaree War of 1817, in Bharatpur in 1826 and the First and Second Anglo-Sikh Wars in 1846 and 1848. The Honourable East India Company ( HEIC) referred to most commonly as the East India Company, also historically and colloquially as John Company, or The Third Anglo-Maratha War ( 1817 - 1818) was a final and decisive conflict between the British East India Company and the Maratha Empire in Year 1817 ( MDCCCXVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Bharatpur (भरतपुर is a city in the Indian state of Rajasthan For the game see 1826 (board game. Year 1826 ( MDCCCXXVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display The First Anglo-Sikh War was fought between the Sikh Empire and the British East India Company between 1845 and 1846 The Second Anglo-Sikh War took place in 1848 and 1849 between the restive Sikh Kingdom and the British Empire. For the game see 1846 (board game. Year 1846 ( MDCCCXLVI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display Year 1848 ( MDCCCXLVIII) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap During the Indian Rebellion of 1857, Gurkhas fought on the British side, and became part of the British Indian Army on its formation. The Indian Rebellion of 1857 began as a mutiny of Sepoys of British East India Company 's army on the 10th of May 1857 in the town of Meerut, See Indian Army for the post-independence (and post- partition) army of the Republic of India. The 2nd Gurkha Rifles (The Sirmoor Rifles) defended Hindu Rao's house for over three months, losing 327 out of 490 men. The 2nd King Edward VII's Own Gurkha Rifles (The Sirmoor Rifles was a Regiment of the British Indian Army before being transferred to the British Army The 60th Rifles (later the Royal Green Jackets) fought alongside the Sirmoor Rifles and were so impressed that following the mutiny they insisted 2nd Gurkhas be awarded the honours of adopting their distinctive rifle green uniforms with scarlet edgings and rifle regiment traditions and that they should hold the title of riflemen rather than sepoys. The Royal Green Jackets (RGJ was an Infantry Regiment of the British Army, one of two within the Light Division (the other being The Twelve Nepalese regiments also took part in the relief of Lucknow under the command of Shri Teen (3) Maharaja Maharana Jung Bahadur of Nepal. Lucknow is also a mansion in New Hampshire Lucknow ( लखनऊ لکھنؤ Lakhnaū) is the capital city of Uttar Pradesh Jung Bahadur (or Jang Bahadur) GCB, GCSI, ( June 18, 1816, Kathmandu, Nepal - February 25, 1877

British Indian Army

Gurkha Soldiers (1896). The centre figure wears the dark green dress uniform worn by all Gurkhas in British service, with certain regimental distinctions
Gurkha Soldiers (1896). The centre figure wears the dark green dress uniform worn by all Gurkhas in British service, with certain regimental distinctions

From the end of the Indian Rebellion of 1857 until the start of the First World War the Gurkha Regiments saw active service in Burma, Afghanistan, the North-East and the North-West Frontiers of India, Malta (the Russo-Turkish War, 1877-78), Cyprus, Malaya, China (the Boxer Rebellion of 1900) and Tibet (Younghusband's Expedition of 1905). Burma, officially the Union of Myanmar ( pjìdàunzṵ mjàmmà nàinŋàndɔ̀ is the largest country by geographical area in mainland Southeast Asia. Afghanistan /æfˈgænɪstæn/ officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan ( Pashto: د افغانستان اسلامي جمهوریت, The North-West Frontier Province (NWFP ( Urdu: śimāl maġribī sarhadī sūba) is the smallest of the four main provinces of Pakistan. The Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878 had its origins in a rise in nationalism in the Balkans as well as in the Russian goal of recovering territorial losses it had suffered The Boxer Rebellion, or Boxer Movement, was an uprising by members of the Chinese Society of Right and Harmonious Fists against foreign influence Year 1900 ( MCM) was an exceptional Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar The British expedition to Tibet in 1903 and 1904 was an invasion of Tibet by British Indian forces, seeking to prevent the Russian Empire from interfering

Between 1901 and 1906, the Gurkha regiments were renumbered from the 1st to the 10th and redesignated as the Gurkha Rifles. Year 1901 ( MCMI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting Year 1906 ( MCMVI) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting One hundred thousand Gurkhas fought in the First World War. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All They served in the battlefields of France in the Loos, Givenchy, Neuve Chapelle and Ypres; in Mesopotamia, Persia, Suez Canal and Palestine against Turkish advance, Gallipoli and Salonika. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. The Battle of Loos was one of the major British offensives mounted on the Western Front in 1915 during World War I. Battle of Givenchy ( December 18 - December 22, 1914) was a battle fought during World War I that saw an initially advancing British The Battles of Neuve Chapelle and Artois was a battle in the First World War. Ypres ( French, generally used in English French ipʁ English ˈiːprə Ieper (official name in Dutch, pronounced /ˈiːpər/ or Ypern Mesopotamia (from the Greek meaning "land between the rivers" is an area geographically located between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers largely corresponding For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. The Suez Canal is a Canal in Egypt. Opened in 1869 it allows Water transportation between Europe and Asia without circumnavigation Palestine is a name which has been widely used since Roman times to refer to the region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River. Thessaloniki (Θεσσαλονίκη), Thessalonica, or Salonica is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of Macedonia One detachment served with Lawrence of Arabia.

During the Battle of Lalos the 8th Gurkhas fought to the last, and in the words of the Indian Corps Commander, "found its Valhalla". During the Gallipoli Campaign the 6th Gurkhas captured a feature later known as "Gurkha Bluff". At Sari Bair they were the only troops in the whole campaign to reach and hold the crest line and look down on the Straits which was the ultimate objective. Second Battalion of the 3rd Gurkha Rifles was involved in the conquest of Baghdad. Baghdad (بغداد) is the Capital of Iraq and of Baghdad Governorate, with which it is also coterminous

In the interwar years, Gurkhas fought in the Third Afghan War in 1919 followed by numerous campaigns on the North-West Frontier, particularly in Waziristan. The European influence in Afghanistan refers to political social and sometimes Imperialistic influence various European nations have had on this historical development of the Year 1919 ( MCMXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Waziristan ( Pashto: وزیرستان "land of the Wazir " is a mountainous region of northwest Pakistan, bordering Afghanistan

During World War II, the Gurkhas started with 8 one-battalion regiments and 2 two-battalion regiments; the Nepalese crown let the British recruit 40 extra battalions — 55 in total — and let them serve everywhere in the world. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Nepalese Gurkhas numbered 250,000 in total. [8] In addition to keeping peace in India, Gurkhas fought in Syria, North Africa, Italy, Greece and against the Japanese in Singapore and the jungles of Burma. Syria ( سوريّة or) officially the Syrian Arab Republic (Arabic ar الجمهورية العربية السورية North Africa or Northern Africa is the Northernmost Region of the African Continent, separated by the Sahara from Sub-Saharan Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest Greece (Ελλάδα transliterated: Elláda, historically, Ellás,) officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία Singapore The Burma Campaign in the South-East Asian Theatre of World War II was fought primarily between British Commonwealth, Chinese and United The 4th battalion of the 10th Gurkha Rifles became a nucleus for the Chindits. The Chindits (Officially in 1942 77th Indian Infantry Brigade and in 1943 Indian 3rd Infantry Division) were a British Indian Army "Special Force" that served They fought in the Battle of Imphal. The Battle of Imphal took place in the region around the city of Imphal, the capital of the state of Manipur in North-East India from March until July

Gurkha military rank system in the British Indian Army

The 2/5th Royal Gurkha Rifles marching through Kure soon after their arrival in Japan in May 1946 as part of the Allied forces of occupation.
The 2/5th Royal Gurkha Rifles marching through Kure soon after their arrival in Japan in May 1946 as part of the Allied forces of occupation.

British Indian Army and Current Indian Army /Current British Army Equivalence

British Gurkha Victoria Cross Recipients: [1]

Note:

Gurkha Rifle Regiments ca. 1800-1946

Post-independence

THE GURKHA SOLDIER Bravest of the brave, most generous of the generous, never had country more faithful friends than you. Professor Sir Ralph Turner MC
THE GURKHA
SOLDIER
Bravest of the brave,
most generous of the generous,
never had country
more faithful friends
than you. The 1 Gorkha Rifles is a Regiment of the Indian Army and was transferred from the British Indian Army at the The 2nd King Edward VII's Own Gurkha Rifles (The Sirmoor Rifles was a Regiment of the British Indian Army before being transferred to the British Army The 3 Gorkha Rifles was a Gurkha regiment of the British Indian Army formed in 1815 The 4 Gorkha Rifles is a regiment of the Indian Army and was transferred from the British Indian Army at the time of India's independence in 1947 The 5 Gorkha Rifles (Frontier Force is an Infantry Regiment of the Indian Army comprising of Gurkha soldiers of Nepalese origin The 6th Queen Elizabeth's Own Gurkha Rifles was a regiment of the British Indian Army, before being transferred to the British Army following India's independence The 6th Queen Elizabeth's Own Gurkha Rifles was a regiment of the British Indian Army, before being transferred to the British Army following India's independence The 7th (Duke of Edinburgh's Own Gurkha Rifles started as a Regiment of the British Indian Army, before being transferred to the British Army following The 7th (Duke of Edinburgh's Own Gurkha Rifles started as a Regiment of the British Indian Army, before being transferred to the British Army following The 8 Gorkha Rifles is a Gorkha regiment of the Indian Army. It was raised in 1824 and later transferred to the British Indian Army. The 9 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
Professor Sir Ralph Turner MC[9]

After Indian independence – and partition – in 1947 and under the Tripartite Agreement, six Gurkha regiments joined the post-independence Indian Army. Sir Ralph Lilley Turner MC ( 5 October 1888 &ndash 22 April 1983) was an English Indian languages Philologist Year 1947 ( MCMXLVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1947 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Tripartite Agreement between the United Kingdom, India and Nepal was a Treaty signed in 1947 concerning the rights of Gurkhas in Four Gurkha regiments were transferred to the British Army. To the disappointment of their British officers the majority of Gurkhas given a choice between British or Indian Army service opted for the latter. The reason appears to have been the pragmatic one that the Gurkha regiments of the Indian Army would continue to serve in their existing roles in familiar territory and under terms and conditions that were well established. The only substantial change was the substitution of Indian officers for British. By contrast the four regiments selected for British service faced an uncertain future in (initially) Malaya - a region where relatively few Gurkhas had previously served. The four regiments (or eight battalions) in British service have since been reduced to a single (two battalion) regiment while the Indian units have been expanded beyond their pre-Independence establishment of twelve battalions.

The principal aim of the Tri-Partite Agreement was to ensure that Gurkhas serving under the Crown would be paid on the same scale as those serving in the new Indian Army. This was significantly lower than the standard British rates of pay. While the difference is made up through cost of living and location allowances during a Gurkha's actual period of service, the pension payable on his return to Nepal is much lower than would be the case for his British counterparts.

With the abolition of the Nepalese Monarchy, the future recruitment of Gurkhas for British and Indian service has been put into doubt. A spokesperson for the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist), which is expected to play a major role in the new secular republic, has stated that recruitment as mercenaries is degrading to the Nepalese people and will be banned.

British Army Gurkhas

Main article Brigade of Gurkhas for details of British Gurkhas since 1948

Four Gurkha regiments joined the British Army on January 1 1948:

They formed the Brigade of Gurkhas and were initially stationed in Malaya. The Brigade of Gurkhas is the collective term for British Army units that are composed of Nepalese soldiers Year 1948 ( MCMXLVIII) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the 1948 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The 2nd King Edward VII's Own Gurkha Rifles (The Sirmoor Rifles was a Regiment of the British Indian Army before being transferred to the British Army The 6th Queen Elizabeth's Own Gurkha Rifles was a regiment of the British Indian Army, before being transferred to the British Army following India's independence The 7th (Duke of Edinburgh's Own Gurkha Rifles started as a Regiment of the British Indian Army, before being transferred to the British Army following The Federation of Malaya (Persekutuan Tanah Melayu was a federation of 11 states formed on January 31 1948 from the nine Malay states and the British There are also a number of additional Gurkha regiments including the 69th Gurkha Field Squadron and the 70th Gurkha Field Support Squadron, both of which are included in the 36th Engineer regiment.

Currently (Nov '06) "The Brigade of Gurkhas" in the British Army has the following regiments:

2 Infantry Battalions -

Queen's Gurkha Signals which includes -

Queen's own Gurkha Logistics Regiment

Queen's Gurkha Engineers -

In addition to these Regiments The Brigade of Gurkhas has its own Clerks and Chefs who are posted among the above mentioned units. The Royal Gurkha Rifles (RGR is a Regiment of the British Army, forming part of the Brigade of Gurkhas. The Royal Gurkha Rifles (RGR is a Regiment of the British Army, forming part of the Brigade of Gurkhas.

Gurkhas in Hong Kong -

Indian Army Gorkhas

Main article: Gorkha regiments (India) for details on Gorkha's in the Indian Army

Upon independence in 1947, the spelling was changed to Gorkha and six Gurkha regiments remained with the Indian Army:

Additionally, a further regiment, 11 Gorkha Rifles, was raised. Gorkha regiments have been serving in the Indian Army ever since independence in 1947 when the Tripartite Agreement was signed Year 1947 ( MCMXLVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1947 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Indian Army (Bharatiya Thalsena भारतीय थाल्सेना is one of the armed forces of India and has the responsibility for land-based The 1 Gorkha Rifles is a Regiment of the Indian Army and was transferred from the British Indian Army at the The 3 Gorkha Rifles was a Gurkha regiment of the British Indian Army formed in 1815 The 4 Gorkha Rifles is a regiment of the Indian Army and was transferred from the British Indian Army at the time of India's independence in 1947 The 5 Gorkha Rifles (Frontier Force is an Infantry Regiment of the Indian Army comprising of Gurkha soldiers of Nepalese origin The 8 Gorkha Rifles is a Gorkha regiment of the Indian Army. It was raised in 1824 and later transferred to the British Indian Army. The 9 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 All royal titles were dropped when India became a republic in 1950,. Year 1950 ( MCML) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

In 1999 5/8 Gorkha Rifles were sent as part of the Indian Army UN contingent of the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) to secure the diamond fields against the Revolutionary United Front. Year 1999 ( MCMXCIX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar) Sierra Leone, officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. The United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone ( UNAMSIL) was a United Nations Peacekeeping operation in Sierra Leone from 1999 to 2005 The Revolutionary United Front ( RUF) was a rebel army that fought a failed ten-year insurrection in Sierra Leone, starting in 1991 and ending in 2002

Singapore Gurkhas Contingent

Two Singapore Police Force's Gurkha Contingent troopers guarding a car park entrance to Raffles City where the 117th IOC Session was held in Singapore in July 2005. Dressed in their combat uniform, but with elements borrowed from the no. 3 dress, armed with a shotgun while the other handles a Heckler & Koch MP5.
Two Singapore Police Force's Gurkha Contingent troopers guarding a car park entrance to Raffles City where the 117th IOC Session was held in Singapore in July 2005. The Singapore Police Force ( Abbreviation: SPF; Chinese: 新加坡警察部队; Malay: Pasukan Polis Singapura Tamil The Gurkha Contingent ( Abbreviation: GC) or 辜加警察团,Nepali (गोरखालि is a line department of the Singapore Police Force. Raffles City ( Chinese: 莱佛士城 is a large complex located in the Civic District within the Downtown Core of the City-state of Singapore Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Dressed in their combat uniform, but with elements borrowed from the no. 3 dress, armed with a shotgun while the other handles a Heckler & Koch MP5. A shotgun (also known as a scattergun) is a Firearm that is usually designed to be fired from the shoulder which uses the energy of a fixed shell to fire a number The MP5 is a 9 mm Submachine gun of German design developed in the 1960s by a team of engineers from the West German arms manufacturer

The Gurkha Contingent (GC) of the Singapore Police Force was formed on 9th April 1949 from selected ex-British Army Gurkhas. The Gurkha Contingent ( Abbreviation: GC) or 辜加警察团,Nepali (गोरखालि is a line department of the Singapore Police Force. The Singapore Police Force ( Abbreviation: SPF; Chinese: 新加坡警察部队; Malay: Pasukan Polis Singapura Tamil Events 193 - Septimius Severus is proclaimed Roman Emperor by the army in Illyricum (in the Balkans) Year 1949 ( MCMXLIX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. It was raised to replace a Sikh unit which had existed prior to the Japanese occupation during the Second World War and is an integral part of the Police Force. Sikh (English or; ਸਿੱਖ sikkh, IPA) is the title and name given to an adherent of Sikhism. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including

The GC is a well trained, dedicated and disciplined body whose principal role is as a specialist guard force. In times of crisis it can be deployed as a reaction force. During the turbulent years before and after independence, the GC acquitted itself well a number of times during outbreaks of civil disorder. The Gurkhas displayed the courage, self restraint and professionalism for which they are famous and earned the respect of the society at large.

Recently the GC can be seen patrolling the streets and have replaced local policemen to guard key installations. Before the 9/11 attacks, they were seldom seen in public.

The most recent deployment of the GC was to provide additional security for the Singapore Airshow, Asia's largest airshow and the hunt for the escaped terrorist, Mas Selamat. Mas Selamat bin Kastari (born 23 January 1961) an Indonesian born Singaporean is Singapore's most-wanted terror Fugitive who

Brunei Gurkha Reserve Unit

The Gurkha Reserve Unit is a special guard force in the Sultanate of Brunei. The Gurkha Reserve Unit is a special guard force in the Sultanate of Brunei. Brunei Darussalam, (bruːˈnaɪ in English officially the State of Brunei Abode of Peace (Negara Brunei Darussalam Jawi: برني دارالسلام The 2,000 strong Gurkha unit is made up of British Army veterans. The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. The unit functioned guard unit that protected the sultan, the Royal Family and oil installations. The Sultan of Brunei is the Head of state of Brunei. The royal lineage can be traced back to the 15th century

Other

Gurkha soldiers have been awarded 13 Victoria Crosses, all but one (Rambahadur Limbu) were awarded when all Gurkha regiments were still part of the Indian Army. See below the section "Separate Commonwealth awards" Note that since Rambahadur Limbu, VC, MVO is a Nepalese recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be An additional 13 VCs have been awarded to British Officers in Gurkha regiments. Since Indian independence, Gurkhas have also been awarded 3 Param Vir Chakras. The Param Vir Chakra (PVC is India 's highest Military decoration awarded for the highest degree of valour or self-sacrifice in the presence of the enemy similar

Ethnically, Gurkhas who are presently serving in the British armed forces are Indo-Tibeto-Mongolians. Gurkhas serving in the Indian Armed Forces are of both groups, Indo-Tibeto-Mongolian and ethnic Rajput. Gurkhas of Indo-Tibeto-Mongolian origin mostly belong to the Gurung, Magar, Tamang, Khasa and Kiranti origin, many of whom are adherents of Tibetan Buddhism and Shamanism. Gurung (surnameThe Gurung is an ethnic group from the Central region of Nepal. Tamangs are mainly found in the districts of Rasuwa Sindhupalchok Kavrepalanchok Makwanpur Nuwakot Dhading Ramechhap Dolkha, Sindhuli Kathmandu Bhaktapur and Lalitpur The Khasas are an ancient people believed to be a section of the Indo-Iranians who originally belonged to Central Asia from where they had penetrated in remote Tibetan Buddhism is the body of Buddhist religious doctrine and institutions characteristic of Tibet and certain regions of the Himalayas, including [2]

All Gurkhas, regardless of ethnic origin, speak Nepali, an Indo-Aryan language. Nepali is an Indo-Aryan language spoken in Nepal, Bhutan, and some parts of India and Myanmar (Burma The Indo-Aryan languages (within the context of Indo-European studies also Indic) are a branch of the Indo-European language family They are also famous for their large knife called the khukuri. The kukri ( Devanāgarī: खुकुरी(also sometimes spelled khukri or khukuri) is a curved Nepalese Knife used as both

In the mid 1980s some Nepali speaking groups in West Bengal began to organize under the Gorkhaland National Liberation Front, calling for their own Gurkha state. The 1980s was the decade spanning from January 1 1980 to December 31 1989. West Bengal ( Bengali: পশ্চিমবঙ্গ Poshchim Bônggo poʃtʃim bɔŋgo is a state in eastern India. Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF is a Political party in northern West Bengal, India, formed in 1980. In 1988 they were given broader autonomy as the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council. Year 1988 ( MCMLXXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar) Gorkha Hill Council (GHC previously known as Darjeeling Gorkha Autonomous Hill Council (DGAHC and originally known as Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC is

The treatment of Gurkhas and their families has been the subject of controversy in the United Kingdom following revelations that Gurkhas received smaller pensions than their British equivalents. On the 8th March 2007, it was announced by the British Government that all Gurkhas who signed up after July 1st, 1997 would receive a pension equivalent to that of their British counterparts. Her Majesty's Government, or when the monarch is male His Majesty's Government, is the title used by the Government of the United Kingdom, based at In addition, Gurkhas would, for the first time, be able to transfer to another Army Unit after 5 years service to broaden their experience. It was also stated that, for the first time in the history of the Gurkhas, women would be allowed to join - although not in Infantry Units, in line with general British Army policy. [3] Despite this, many Gurkhas who had not served long enough to entitle them to a pension face hardship on their return to Nepal, and some critics have derided the Government's decision to only award the new pension to those joining after the 1st July, 1997, claiming that this leaves many ex-Gurkhas still facing a financially uncertain retirement. A charity, the Gurkha Welfare Trust, provides aid to alleviate hardship and distress among Gurkha ex-servicemen. The Gurkha Welfare Trust is a British charity, established in 1969

The nationality status of Gurkhas and their families was also previously an area of dispute, with claims that some ex-army Nepalese families were being denied residency and forced to leave Britain. The new policy on Gurkhas (announced by the British Government on 8th March, 2007) guarantees residency rights in Britain for retired Gurkhas and their families.

A considerable number of ex-Gurkhas and their families live in Hong Kong, where they are particularly well represented in the private security profession (G4S Gurkha Services Ltd, Pacific Crown Security Service, Sunkoshi Gurkha Security Limited) and among labourers. Hong Kong ( officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, is a territory located on China 's south coast on the Pearl River Delta, and borders Ex-Gurhas left barracks and moved into surrounding urban area. There are considerable Nepalese community in Yuen Long and Kwun Chung. Yuen Long ( Pinyin Yuanlang formerly Un Long) is an area and town located in the northwest of Hong Kong, on the Yuen Long Plain. Kwun Chung ( Chinese: 官涌 Jyutping: gun1 cung1 is an area southwest of Yau Ma Tei located the Yau Tsim Mong District of western Kowloon

In July 2006, British authorities granted the right to full British citizenship to all Nepalese and their dependants serving the British army during its stays in Britain's former colonial territories, among them Malaysia, Singapore and Hong Kong, which entitles them to stay and work in the United Kingdom. According to the press secretary there are approximately 140,000 eligible to apply. Similar rights were notably not granted to those Hong Kong citizens, with British Dependent Territory passports, serving in the Hong Kong Military Service Corps (although a limited number of those applying were granted residency) or to the Sikh detachment of the ASD guard, many of whom were left stateless in 1997, nor have they been granted to Commonwealth or Republic of Ireland citizens previously or currently serving in the British Army. Hong Kong Military Service Corps (HKMSC ( Chinese: 香港軍事服務團 was a British army unit and part of the British garrison in Hong Kong (see British Forces Overseas

The United States Navy employs Ghurka Guards as sentries at its base in NSA Bahrain. The Ghurkas work alongside Navy members in day to day operations.

See also

Further reading

References

  1. ^ Chauhan, Dr. Sumerendra Vir Singh (Direct Descendant of Maharaj-Dhiraja Prithvi Naraya Shahdev and Sri Teen Maharaja Jung Bahadur), The Way of Sacrifice: The Rajputs, Pages 28-30, Graduate Thesis, South Asian Studies Department, Dr. Joseph T. O'Connell, Professor Emeritus, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario Canada, 1996.
  2. ^ Chauhan, Dr. Sumerendra Vir Singh (Direct Descendant of Maharaj-Dhiraja Prithvi Narayan Shahdev and Sri Teen Maharaja Jung Bahadur), The Way of Sacrifice: The Rajputs, Pages 28-30, Graduate Thesis, South Asian Studies Department, Dr. Joseph T. O'Connell, Professor Emeritus, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario Canada, 1996.
  3. ^ Glossary of the tribes and castes of the Punjab and NWFP, H A Rose
  4. ^ Chauhan, Dr. The North-West Frontier Province (NWFP ( Urdu: śimāl maġribī sarhadī sūba) is the smallest of the four main provinces of Pakistan. Sumerendra Vir Singh (Direct Descendant of Maharaj-Dhiraja Prithvi Narayan Shahdev and Sri Teen Maharaja Jung Bahadur), The Way of Sacrifice: The Rajputs, Pages 28-30, Graduate Thesis, South Asian Studies Department, Dr. Joseph T. O'Connell, Professor Emeritus, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario Canada, 1996.
  5. ^ Tod, Lieut. -Col. James, edited by William Crooke, C.I.E., Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan, 3 volumes, Motilal Banarsidass Publishers Pvt. William Crooke (1848-1923 was an English Orientalist Born in an family long settled in Ireland, he was educated at Tipperary Grammar School before winning a scholarship The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire is an order of Chivalry founded by Victoria in 1878 Ltd. , Delhi, reprint 1994
  6. ^ Chauhan, Dr. Sumerendra Vir Singh (Direct Descendant of Maharaj-Dhiraja Prithvi Narayan Shahdev and Sri Teen Maharaja Jung Bahadur), The Way of Sacrifice: The Rajputs, Pages 28-30, Graduate Thesis, South Asian Studies Department, Dr. Joseph T. O'Connell, Professor Emeritus, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario Canada, 1996.
  7. ^ Purushottam Sham Shere J B Rana, Nepalese Historian, Jung Bahadur Rana-The Story of His Rise and Glory, ISBN 81-7303-087-1
  8. ^ Participants from the Indian subcontinent in the Second World War. Retrieved on 2007-02-27. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1560 - The Treaty of Berwick, which would expel the French from Scotland, is signed by England and the Congregation
  9. ^ The inscription on a monument to Gurkha soldiers which was unveiled in 1997 in Whitehall, London (Staff. Whitehall is a road in Westminster in London, England. It is the main artery running north from Parliament Square, towards traditional London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. The Gurkhas - Britain's oldest allies BBC, 4 December, 1997). "December 4th" redirects here For the song by Jay-Z, see December 4th (song.

External links

Dictionary

Gurkha

-proper noun

  1. an ethnic group from Nepal
  2. a member of this people serving in the British and Indian army
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