Jat Regiment
| The Jat Regiment | |
|---|---|
The Jat Regiment
|
|
| Active | 1795 – Present |
| Country |
 India
|
| Branch | Army |
| Type | Line Infantry |
| Size | 21 Battalions |
| Regimental Centre | Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh |
| Motto(s) | Sangathan Va Veerta (Unity And Valour) |
| War Cry | Jat Balwan, Jai Bhagwan (The Jat is powerful, Victory to god!) |
| Anniversaries | and East Pakistan - 1971 |
| Commanders | |
| Colonel of the Regiment |
Lt Gen SK Saini, YSM, VSM |
| Insignia | |
| Regimental Insignia | The Roman numeral nine representing its ninth position in the regimental hierarchy of the Indian Army of the 1920s. The insignia also has a bugle indicating the Light Infantry antecedents of two of its battalions. |
The Jat Regiment is an infantry regiment of the Indian Army. It is one of the longest serving and most decorated regiments of the Indian Army. The regiment has won 41 battle honours between 1839 and 1947 and post independence 9 battle honours,10 Unit Citations, 2 Victoria Crosses,4 Indian Order of Merits,2 George Crosses, 3 Ashok Chakras, 10 Mahavir Chakras, 8 Kirti Chakras, 35 Shaurya Chakras, 40 Vir Chakras and 170 Sena Medals.
During its service of over 200 years, the regiment has participated in various actions and operations both in the pre- and post-independence India and abroad, including the First and the Second World Wars. Numerous battalions of the Jat Regiment fought in the First World War including the 14th Murray's Jat Lancers.
The Jat is the agriculturist par excellence and the quintessential soldier who dominates the area comprising the Punjab States, Sindh, Haryana, Jammu, Rajasthan, and Western Uttar Pradesh. Whether Hindu, Sikh, or Muslim he constitutes the most important peasantry in both India and Pakistan. But it is the Hindu Jat of Haryana, Western Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan who concerns us since it is he who forms the bulk of the composition of the Jat Regiment, renowned for its valour and dour steadfastness in battle. Although so near to the seat of Mughal power in Delhi, the Jats managed to preserve a semblance of independence. Primarily tillers, they are rustic par excellence and as fighting men have established for themselves a reputation of being determined, sturdy, fierce and desperate fighters. Their background makes them simple, hard working, honest and loyal - the essential qualities of good soldiers.
Primarily farmers throughout history,the first opposition to Aurangzeb's autocratic rule came from the Jats of Mathura. In 1669, the sturdy and hard working peasantry of Jats under the leadership of Gokla, zamindar of Tilpat, rose against and killed the Imperial Faujdar Abdun-Nabi. It took more than one year for the powerful Mogul forces to subdue the Jats. Gokul was killed and his family forcibly converted to Islam. But this did not deter the Jats and they once again rose in rebellion in 1685 under the leadership of Raja Ram. Akbar's tomb in Sikandra was plundered by them in 1688. Finally the Jats were defeated and Raja Ram slain in 1691. But the brave Jats again got organized under the leadership of Churamal and revolted. They continued a strong armed resistance against the Mughals after Aurangzeb's death.
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Wikipedia