Indian Parachute Regiment
| Parachute Regiment | |
|---|---|
Parachute Regiment Insignia
|
|
| Active | 1945 - Present |
| Country |
 India
|
| Allegiance |
 Indian Army
|
| Branch | Army |
| Type | Airborne infantry & special forces |
| Role | Airborne/special forces |
| Size | 17 battalions (9 special forces, 5 airborne, 2 Territorial Army and 1 Rashtriya Rifles) |
| Regimental Centre | Bangalore, Karnataka |
| Nickname(s) | The Paras (red devil) |
| Motto(s) | Shatrujeet (The Conqueror) |
| Colors | Maroon and sky blue |
| Equipment | IMI Tavor TAR-21 (equipment differs according to the roles of battalions) |
| Decorations | |
| Battle honours |
Post Independence Shelatang, Naushera, Poonch, Jhanger, Hajipir, Poongli Bridge, Mandhol, and Chachro |
| Website | http://www.indianparachuteregiment.kar.nic.in |
| Commanders | |
| Colonel of the Regiment |
Lt Gen NKS Ghei, PVSM, AVSM** |
| Notable commanders |
Lt Gen IS Gill, PVSM, AVSM, MC Lt Gen RS Dayal, PVSM, MVC, ADC Lt Gen Sagat Singh, Padma Bhushan, PVSM Lt Gen Nirbhay SharmaPVSM, UYSM, AVSM, VSM Lt Gen PC Katoch, UYSM, AVSM, SC Lt Gen PC Bhardwaj, PVSM, AVSM, VrC, SC, VSM, Lt Gen Vinod Bhatia, AVSM, SM. |
| Insignia | |
| Regimental Insignia | An open parachute with wings spread out and a dagger placed upright, between the wings. |
Post Independence
The Parachute Regiment is the airborne infantry regiment of the Indian Army.
The first Indian airborne formation was the 50th Parachute Brigade raised on 29 October 1941, consisting of 151 British, 152 Indian, and 153 Gurkha parachute battalions alongside other support units.
Lt. (later Col.) AG Rangaraj, MVC, of the Indian Medical Service and RMO of the 152 Indian Para battalion, became the first Indian along with Havildar Major Mathura Singh to make a parachute descent. In 1942-43, the formation saw limited action at Nara against Pathan tribals in the North-West Frontier Province and conducted some intelligence-gathering missions in Burma, utilizing their somewhat limited airborne capabilities. Later, in March 1944, less the British battalion (which was transferred to Britain and renamed the 156th Para battalion and formed part of the 4th Parachute Brigade of the 1st Airborne Division), the brigade, less 154 Gurkha Para battalion, saw extensive action at Sangshak and later in the Imphal Plains on the Burmese border against two reinforced Japanese divisions. 154 Gurkha Para battalion had not completed its air training, so stayed back to attain the airborne status.
During the Battle of Sangshak (21–26 March 1944), which lasted six days, the brigade suffered extremely heavy casualties, totaling 40 officers and VCOs and 545 other ranks, winning the appreciation of Lt Gen William Slim, the commander of the British Fourteenth Army. The breakout on the night of 26 March 1944 saw the remnants of the once-proud parachute brigade fight its way south and then west through the Japanese-infested jungles to Imphal. It achieved its task of preventing the flanking Japanese forces from surrounding Imphal and destroying IV Corps. Despite the losses it suffered in Sangshak, the paratroopers formed ad hoc units and continued to participate in actions to destroy Japanese forces near and around Imphal until its withdrawal at the end of July.
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Wikipedia