Valour and Sacrifice, the two signs of Rajputana Rifles of the Indian Army

New Delhi: The Rajputana Rifles is the senior most Rifle Regiment of the Indian Army. Its first battalion was raised as far back as in January 1775. The Regiment, as it stands today was formed in 1921-22 during general re-organisation of the Indian Army. Battalions from the Bombay and Bengal Armies were also added in the Regiment. Each of the battalions, from the Bombay and Bengal Armies, have a long and glorious past. They have taken part in some of the bloodiest battles in many theatres of the world. During World War II, the battalions of this Regiment fought in every theatre in which the Indian Army was involved. Three of them, the 1st, 4th, and medium Machine Gun Battalions fought in Eritrea in North Africa and Italy as part of the famous 4th Indian Division, whose fighting record was the finest in World War II. The name Rajputana Rifles is derived from the Rajput and Hindi word Rajputana which was the old name of Rajasthan. The name means "land of the Rajputs." Rajput tribal power rose here between the 7th and 13th centuries, and the princes resisted the early Muslim incursions, which began in the 11th century. Under the British, Rajputana included more than 20 princely states, notably Bikaner, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Udaipur, and Ajmer. The internal autonomy of many of the states was guaranteed. Most of these states were incorporated into Rajasthan after India gained independence in 1947. The regiment's origins lie in the 18th century when the East India Company recruited Rajputs to protect its operations. In January 1775, it raised its first local infantry units which included the 5th Battalion, Bombay Sepoys, which is considered to be the oldest rifle regiment of the Indian Army. The 5th Battalion was successively redesignated as 9th Battalion Bombay Sepoys in 1778; 2nd Battalion, 2nd Regiment of Bombay Native Infantry in 1796; 4th Regiment of Bombay Native Infantry in 1824, and then 4th Regiment Native Infantry (Rifle Corps) in 1881. In 1899 the battalion was once more renamed as 4th Regiment (1st Battalion Rifle Corps) Bombay Infantry and again in 1901 as 4th Bombay Rifles.In Kitchener's 1903 reorganisation of the Indian Army, 4th Bombay Rifles became 104th Wellesley's Rifles, to commemorate the fact that the regiment had been commanded in 1800 by Arthur Wellesley. In the further re-organisation in 1921, six regiments were brought together to form six battalions of the 6th Rajputana Rifles Regiment. In 1878–1880, during the Second Afghan War, the 1st Battalion marched 145 miles in 5 days from Quetta to Kandahar and laid siege to the city. In 1900–1902, the 3rd Battalion was part of a force used to contain the Boxer rebellion in China. The First World War saw the regiment fight in battlefields from France to Palestine. The 5th Battalion was in all theatres of the war and participated in General Allenby's march to recapture Jerusalem. In this march the units got the better of their German and Turkish opponents. During World War II the regiment was expanded to thirteen battalions and served in the Middle East, Burma and Malaya. The 4th Battalion had the distinction of earning two Victoria Crosses during this conflict. Over the course of its existence, members of the regiment have received 6 Victoria Crosses,1 Param vir chakra, 1 Ashok Chakra, 1 Padma Bushan, 11 Param Vishisht Seva Medals, 10 Maha Vir Chakras, 8 Kirti Chakras, 11 Ati Vishisht Seva Medals, 1 Uttam Yudh Seva Medal, 41 Vir Chakras, 25 Shaurya Chakras, 112 Sena Medals (including Bar), 36 Vishisht Seva Medals, 2 Yudh Seva Medals, 85 Mention-in-Despatches and 55 Arjun Awards.