J & K Rifles

The Jammu and Kashmir Rifles is the only Indian Army regiment that was formerly an army of a princely state.
It became part of the Indian Army as a distinct regiment after independence. It was re-designated Jammu and Kashmir Rifles in 1963. Before this, the regiment was known as Jammu and Kashmir State Force. It is an infantry regiment of the Indian Army. The roots of the regiment lie in the army of Raja Gulab Singh of Jammu, who was the most powerful chief of the Sikh Empire till his death in 1857.

Regimental Centre: Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh
Motto: Prashata Ranvirta (“Valour in Battle is Praiseworthy”)
War Cry: Durga Mata Ki Jai (“Victory to Goddess Durga”)
Regimental Insignia: An oval embracing the sun, the State emblem. The Sanskrit inscription around the sun, which cannot be read on the regimental insignia above, translates as, “Ever Victorious in War

Gulab Singh raised a small army of Dogra troops consisting of 3 infantry regiments, 15 light artillery guns, and 40 garrison guns.
These would go on expanding into a larger fighting force till the fall of the Sikh Empire in 1849. Then they became the army of the Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir under British suzerainty till 1947 when Maharaja Hari Singh signed the Instrument of Accession making J&K a part of India.
Before 1947, the battle honors earned by the State Force included Chitral, Palestine 1918, Kilimanjaro, Beho Beho, East Africa 1914–17, Meiktila, and Burma 1942–45.

Brigadier Rajendra Singh, the Chief of Staff of the State Forces, was the first recipient of the Maha Vir Chakra.
He was honored posthumously for his bravery at Uri. When many Muslim soldiers of the State Forces deserted and joined the Pakistani raiders, the Brigadier himself led 150 men to Uri and fought to the last breath for two days against the enemy. It was his gallantry that gave time to Maharaja Hari Singh to sign the Instrument of Accession with India.

The Ladakh Scouts was a part of the Regiment till 2002 when it became a separate regiment.

Kashmir War of 1947: The regiment’s grimmest hour came during the Pakistani invasion of Kashmir in 1947. It was their heroic stand that gained time for the entry of the Indian Army and thus saved the Kashmir Valley. It may not be out of place to mention that the Indian people largely owe the State of Jammu & Kashmir to the heroic defensive stand made by the outnumbered and ill-equipped, but highly motivated, J&K State Force. They paid a steep price in blood and sacrificed over 76 officers, 31 JCOs, and 1085 Other Ranks. For their gallant stand, they earned three Maha Vir Chakra, 20 Vir Chakras, and 52 Mentioned in Despatches. Later the Jammu and Kashmir State Force was absorbed en-bloc into the Indian Army as a separate regiment.

The Regimental insignia carries the image of the Sun on an oval shield with the motto carved on it.
The war cry of the soldiers of this Regiment is Durga Mata Ki Jai, “Victory to Goddess Durga”. The Regiment has is one of the four regiments which have the distinction of being honored with two Param Vir Chakras.
The other three are the Kumaon Regiment, Poona Horse, and Sikh Regiment. The Grenadiers have the highest number of PVC at 3.
Rifleman Sanjay Kumar (now Subedar) of 13 Jammu and Kashmir Rifles is one of the three living recipients of Param Vir Chakra.
He fought valiantly in the capture of Flat Top of Point 4875 in the 1999 Kargil War.

Captain Vikram Batra, who was one of the greatest heroes of the 1999 Kargil War and was honored with PVC, was from 13 J&K Rifles.
There are not enough words to describe the valor and sacrifice of the legendary soldier who was feared by the Pakistanis as “Sher Shah”.

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