Regimental Insignia of the Garhwal Rifles and Garhwal Scouts
Active
1887 – present
Country
India
Branch
Indian Army
Type
Infantry
Size
26 battalions
Regimental Centre
Lansdowne, Pauri Garhwal, Uttarakhand
Nickname(s)
Snow Leopards
The Royal Garhwalis
The Veer Garhwalis
Gallant Bhullas
Motto(s)
Yudhaya Krit Nishchaya(Fight With Determination)
War Cry
Badri Vishal Lal Ki Jai(Victory to the Sons of Lord Badrinath)
March
Badhe Chalo Garhwaliyon
Anniversaries
5 May 1887
Decorations
3 Victoria Crosses 1 Ashoka Chakra 7 Param Vishisht Seva Medals 1 Uttam Yudh Seva Medal 25 Ati Vishisht Seva Medals (including 1 Bar) 4 Maha Vir Chakras 10 Kirti Chakras 43 Vir Chakras 49 Shaurya Chakras 13 Yudh Seva Medals 122 Sena Medals (including 2 Bars) 30 Vishisht Seva Medals (including 2 Bars) 1 Jeevan Raksha Padak
Battle honours
Post-Independence
Tithwal, Jammu and Kashmir, Nuranang, Buttur Dograndi, Punjab, Gadra Road, Rajasthan, Hilli, East Pakistan, Operation Pawan, Batalik, Dras, Kargil
Commanders
Colonel of the Regiment
Lieutenant General N. S. Raja Subramani[1]
Insignia
Insignia
A Maltese cross with Lion Capital of Ashoka
Military unit
The Garhwal Rifles, formerly known as the Royal Garhwal Rifles, are an infantry regiment of the Indian Army. It was originally raised in 1887 as the 39th (Garhwal) Regiment of the Bengal Army. It then became part of the British Indian Army, and after the Independence of India, it was incorporated into the Indian Army.[2]
It served during the frontier campaigns of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, as well in both World Wars and the wars fought after independence.[2] It is mainly made up of Garhwali people from seven districts of Uttarakhand's Garhwal division: Uttarkashi, Chamoli, Rudraprayag, Tehri Garhwal, Dehradun, Pauri Garhwal and Haridwar.[3][4]
Today it has more than 25,000 soldiers, organized into twenty one regular battalions (2nd to 22nd), two battalions of the Territorial Army (121 Inf Bn TA and 127 Inf Bn TA (Eco)) and three Rashtriya Rifles Battalions (14 RR, 36 RR, 48 RR).[3] The 1st Battalion has since been converted to mechanized infantry and forms part of the Mechanised Infantry Regiment as its 6th battalion.[2] The regiment has a specialized scout battalion of Garhwal Scouts, it is an elite infantry battalion specializing in long range reconnaissance and high-altitude warfare. Garhwal Scouts are stationed permanently at Joshimath. The soldiers from Garhwal Scouts wear red scout badges on shoulders on both combat and ceremonial uniform.[citation needed]
The regimental insignia incorporates a Maltese cross and is based on the defunct Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own) as they are a designated rifle regiment.[citation needed] Unlike regular rifle regiments, they are one of ten such units marching in the regular paces used in the Indian Army's ceremonies.[citation needed]
^"Lt Gen Cherish Mathson appointed Colonel of Regiment of Garhwal Rifles".
^ abcPandya, Prashant (November 2016). "Commemorative Stamp on Third Battalion The Garhwal Rifles released on 19th November 2016". Indian Philately Digest. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
^ abPike, John (2018). "Military: Garhwal Riffles". GlobalSecurity.org. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
^said, Mangal Singh Chauhan on. "The Garhwali Soldier". Indian Defence Review. Retrieved 21 October 2022.
The GarhwalRifles, formerly known as the Royal GarhwalRifles, are an infantry regiment of the Indian Army. It was originally raised in 1887 as the 39th...
The 39th GarhwalRifles was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. The regiment was first raised in 1887 as the Aligarh Levy but was disbanded...
1941 – 17 November 1962) was an Indian Army soldier serving in the GarhwalRifles who was awarded the prestigious Maha Vir Chakra posthumously as a result...
The 18th Royal GarhwalRifles was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was formed in 1922, after the Indian government decided to reform...
population was 429,900. Two battalions of the Indian army (the 39th GarhwalRifles) were recruited in the district, which contained the military cantonment...
the Bengal light Infantry and re designated as 2nd battalion of 39th GarhwalRifles. Sharma, Gautam (1990). Valour and sacrifice: famous regiments of the...
village in the Garhwal District of the North-Western Provinces in India. In 1902, at the age of 19, he joined the 39th GarhwalRifles, Indian Army. When...
two more companies of the 7th GarhwalRifles under the command of General Kuldip Singh Brar. However, the Madras and Garhwal troops under Brigadier A. K...
made rapid development. Two battalions of the Indian army (the 39th GarhwalRifles) were deployed in the area, stationed at the military cantonment of...
rifle regiments (the Jammu and Kashmir Rifles, the GarhwalRifles, all Gorkha Rifles, and the Rajputana Rifles), as well as the Jammu and Kashmir Light...
(TA) and Rashtriya Rifles (RR), motto and war cry are as follows - Regular and airborne infantry ¶ The Dogra Regiment, GarhwalRifles, Kumaon Regiment have...
officer of the 4th Battalion, The GarhwalRifles. He was commissioned in the British Indian Army in the 1st Royal GarhwalRifles in 1941. He obtained his Master...
original Garhwal Kingdom, Uttarakhand. He joined the 2nd Battalion of the GarhwalRifles, a regiment of the British Indian Army, in October 1913; the personnel...
studying in the Indian Military Academy, he was commissioned in the GarhwalRifles as a second lieutenant. Within a few days the regiment moved to Burma...
November 1970 – 30 June 1999), VrC was an Indian Army officer of 17 GarhwalRifles. He was posthumously awarded the Vir Chakra, India's third highest wartime...
automatic fire. He inflicted two casualties on the attackers, captured their rifles and led his section up to the right Guide Bund and secured his objective...
Infantry, 34th Sikh Pioneers, 39th GarhwalRifles, 59th Scinde Rifles (Frontier Force), 117th Mahrattas, and 5th Gurkha Rifles. The land was owned by contractor...
graduation, he cleared the CDS exam and joined the Fourth Battalion of GarhwalRifles Regiment as Second Lieutenant in 1992. In 1994, Colonel Kothiyal started...
("victory to Goddess Temlai"); Har Har Mahadev ("Hail to Shiva") The GarhwalRifles 1887 Lansdowne, Uttarakhand "Yudhaya krit nischya" ("fight with determination")...
College, New Delhi. Chand was commissioned into 11th Battalion the GarhwalRifles in June 1979. He has vast experience spanning over 38 years and has...
April 1915, the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the 39th GarhwalRifles were amalgamated as 39th GarhwalRifles. The Alwar Infantry (I.S.) was redesignated as the...
of London. Syed Ata Hasnain was commissioned into the 4th Battalion, GarhwalRifles, from the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun, on 16 June 1974. It is...
Global Information
India
Indian Army
Victoria Crosses
Ashoka Chakra
Param Vishisht Seva Medals
Uttam Yudh Seva Medal 
Ati Vishisht Seva Medals (including 1 Bar)
Maha Vir Chakras
Kirti Chakras
Vir Chakras
Shaurya Chakras
Yudh Seva Medals
Sena Medals (including 2 Bars) 
Vishisht Seva Medals (including 2 Bars)
Jeevan Raksha Padak