72nd Armoured Regiment (India) explained
| Unit Name: | 72 Armoured Regiment |
| Dates: | 1971 – present |
| Country: | India |
| Allegiance: | India |
| Branch: | Indian Army |
| Type: | Armoured Corps |
| Size: | Regiment |
| Equipment: | T-90 tanks |
| Notable Commanders: | Lt Gen PPS Bhandari, PVSM, AVSM[1] |
| Identification Symbol: | 72 Armd Regt |
| Identification Symbol Label: | Abbreviation |
| Nickname: | The Chhamb Knights
The Little Giants |
| Motto: | विवेक, वीरता, विजय
’Vivek, Veerta, Vijay’ (Wisdom, Bravery and Victory)[2] |
| Battle Honours: | Chhamb, Jammu and Kashmir 1971[3] |
72 Armoured Regiment is an armoured regiment of the Indian Army.
Formation
The regiment was raised on 1 July 1971 at Ahmednagar by Lieutenant Colonel (later Brigadier) IJ Chopra. It has a squadron each of Jats, Dogras and Rajputs.[4]
Equipment
The regiment was equipped with the T-55 tanks at raising.[5] It is presently equipped with the T-90 main battle tanks.
Operations
- Indo-Pakistani War of 1971
The regiment took part in the 1971 Indo-Pak war on the western front in the Chhamb sector of Jammu and Kashmir under 3 Independent Armoured Brigade of 10 Infantry Division.[5] [6] Between 4 and 11 December 1971, the regiment was involved in the fierce battle of Chhamb at Phagla, Mandiala Heights, Gurah, Goghi and Darh crossing.[7] [8] It destroyed 32 enemy tanks and lost 8 of its.[9] The regiment lost two officers (Major Amarjit Singh and Captain Mohan Lal Safaya) and six other ranks during the battle. It was awarded the battle honour Chhamb and the theatre honour Jammu and Kashmir 1971.
- Operation Parakram
The regiment participated in Operation Parakram and showed exemplary professionalism.
Achievements
Lance Dafadar Kartar Singh was awarded Vir Chakra, while Capt Amarjit Singh Mann, Lance Dafadar Bhagwan Dass Sharma and Lance Dafadar Dharmabir Singh were mentioned in despatches for their acts of gallantry during the 1971 war.[10] [11] [12]
The Regiment was presented the ‘President’s Standards’ on 16 December 1994 at Suratgarh by the then President of India Dr Shankar Dayal Sharma.[13]
Regimental Insignia
The Regimental badge comprises two crossed lances with pennons, the numeral '72' placed at the crossing of the lances and a scroll at the base with the Regimental Motto in Devanagari script.
The motto of the Regiment is 'विवेक, वीरता, विजय' (Vivek, Veerta, Vijay), which translates to 'Wisdom, Bravery and Victory'.
External links
Notes and References
- Web site: Lt General PPS Bhandari Takes Over A Corps. 2002-08-31. 2021-01-01.
- Book: Sharma, SD. Selected Speeches, Volume 1. Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India. 978-8123005102. 342.
- Web site: Chhamb Battle Honour Day. 2014-03-01. 2021-01-01.
- Book: Gautam, PK. Indigenous Historical Knowledge: Kautilya and His Vocabulary, Volume III. 2016. IDSA/Pentagon Press . 978-81-8274-909-2. 154.
- Book: Gill, JH. An Atlas Of 1971 India Pakistan War - Creation of Bangladesh. 2003. National Defense University, Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies. 87-88.
- Book: Singh, Jagjit . Indian Gunners at War: The Western Front 1971. 1994. Spantech & Lancer. 978-1897829554. 104.
- Book: Singh, Jagjit . Indian Gunners at War: The Western Front 1971. 1994. Spantech & Lancer. 978-1897829554. 84-92.
- Book: Praval, KC. Indian Army After Independence. 2009. Lancer Publishers. 978-1935501107.
- Book: Sharma, SD. Selected Speeches, Volume 1. Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India. 978-8123005102. 342.
- Web site: Chhamb Battle Honour Day. 2014-03-01. 2021-01-01.
- Web site: Gazette of India, No 34. 1972-08-19. 2021-01-01.
- Web site: Gazette of India, No 19. 1974-05-11. 2021-01-01.
- Book: Sharma, SD. Selected Speeches, Volume 1. Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India. 978-8123005102. 342.
