Dogra Regiment: A Fact-File On Indian Army's 'Gentleman Warriors' Who Hail From Shivaliks Foothills

The Dogras soldiers stand out among other infantrymen on account of their kind, benevolent and rather introvert nature which has rightfully given them the title of 'Gentleman Soldiers' within the Indian Army fold.

Troops of the Dogra Regiment, Indian Army with special mustaches gather for a full dress rehearsal for the Indian Republic Day parade in Secunderabad, AFP via Getty Images)

The Dogra Regiment is one of the highly decorated infantry regiments of the Indian Army which predominantly recruits troops from Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and the hill districts of Punjab. 

The Dogra Regiment has proved their mettle as one of the most battle hardened regiments of the Indian Army as the officers and troops have exemplified their bravery and indomitable courage in numerous wars, with their battalions winning many battle and theatre honours during both pre and post independence military campaigns.

The battalions of the Dogra regiment were instrumental in exemplary gallant acts of offensive assaults and defence stands in various key battles during the 1965 and 1971 Indo-Pak Wars, 1962 Sino-India War at Skardu, Walong, Dera Baba Nanak, Asal Utar, Dograi, Saudih and even the Tiger Hill assault in the 1999 Kargil military conflict.

For centuries, the valiant Dogras have proved to be one of the finest fighting forces for the erstwhile Sikh empire and Dogra kingdom, the British Indian Army and the Indian Army post independence. The fair and handsome Dogras soldiers of the Indo-Aryan stock are highly disciplined and courageous lot, bearing tremendous physical endurance to be skilled at mountain warfare much like the Garhwali, Kumauni, Gurkha and Ladakhi troops from other 'Pahari' regiments of the Indian Army ..

The Dogras soldiers stand out among other infantrymen on account of their kind, benevolent and rather introvert nature which has rightfully given them the title of 'Gentleman Soldiers' within the Indian Army fold.

A Brief History About the Dogras The 'Shiwaliks' or outer / lesser range of the mighty Himalayas that are headlined by the lofty peaks of the Pir Panjal and snow capped Dhauladhar ranges serves as home to some very picturesque valleys right from Batote, Bhaderwah, Kangra and Chamba in both the foothills of Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh. The gentle slopes and scenic hamlets nestled in the Shivalik foothills and lush green valleys fertilized by many fast flowing rivulets of the Ravi, Tawi and Chenab rivers are inhabited by an age old martial race which has etched its name as one of the bravest warrior clans in the military history - 'The Dogras'...

Many historians claim the term Dogra who resided in the 'Duggar or Dograta' region has been derived from 'Durgara', the name of a kingdom mentioned in an eleventh century copper-plate inscription in Chamba. The Indo-Aryan ethnic Dogri speaking Dogras historically inhabited the slopes of the Shivalik range lying between the sacred lakes of Saroien Sar and Mansar but later spread over the whole of Jammu region and largely to the Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh. DOGRA DYNASTY

The Dogras Dynasty ruled the erstwhile princely state of Jammu and Kashmir from 1846 uptill 1952 under the Jamwal clan which claims to be an offs-hoot of Chattari Rajputs under the Suryavanshi (Sun God lineage) order. The rugged terrain, challenging yet eye pleasing topography and the salubrious climatic conditions form the perfect breeding ground for the Dogras to be born and bred as natural warriors who for centuries have displayed their conspicuous bravery and unparalleled loyalty serving under the flag and rule of many kingdoms and empires in Indian history.

History suggests that the daredevil Dogra General Zorawar Singh led many successful military campaigns under the great Sikh Maharaja Ranjit Singh and played a pivotal role in the expansion of the Sikh Empire right upto Ladakh, Gilgit Baltistan and even Tibet. DOGRA REGIMENT History of the Dogra Regiment The Dogra regiment of the Indian Army owes its legacy to the erstwhile Agra Levy which was raised by the Britishers in 1858 as part of the Bengal Army. The 'Agra' Levy was later renamed the 38th Dogras. In 1887, the 37th (Dogra) Bengal Infantry was raised and later renamed the 37th (Prince of Wales's Own) Dogras. The British under the strong recommendation of Sir Fredrick Roberts started recruiting the Dogras much like their famed counterparts Gorkhas, after taking a note of their martial qualities of bravery and valour and above all their unquestionable loyalty. In 1922, the 37th, 38th and 41 Dogras were amalgamated into one regiment forming the 17th Dogra regiment. '17th' was dropped from the regiment title in 1945 and the regiment was allocated to the Indian Army upon the nation's independence in 1947. BASIC FACT-FILE OF THE DOGRA REGIMENT Raising: 1877 Type / Arm: Infantry

Role: Combat Operations, Counter Insurgency Operations No. Of Battalions: 20 Regular Units, 1 Mech Infantry Regiment, Scout Battalions and 4 Territorial Army Battalions

Regimental Motto: Kartavyam Anvatma (Duty Before Death)

 

Regimental Centre: The Dogra regimental Centre is based at Faizabad in Uttar Pradesh.

Regimental Motto: Tiger, the mounted vehicle of Goddess Durga as per Hindu mythology serves as the regimental Motto of the regiment

Battle Cry: God fearing people and staunch devotees of Goddess Durga or Jagdamba, the Dogras go out into the battle their famous war cry 'Jwaala Maata Ki Jai' or 'Victory to the Goddess Durga'...

Area of Recruitment: The Dogra regiment recruits 50% of the troops from Himachal Pradesh and the remaining 50% from Jammu and Kashmir (25%) and the hill districts of Punjab Gurdaspur, Hoshiarpur, Nawanshahr and Rupnagar.

Chief of Army Staff: The Dogra Regiment has the proud distinction of producing one of the Chief of Army Staff in General Nirmal Chandra Vij Sporting Laurels: The Dogra regiment has also excelled in the field of sports, notably with ace shooter Subedar Vijay Kumar (Retd Hony Captain) winning a Silver Medal in the 25 m Rapid Pistol event at the 2012 London Olympics.