Ola22W86488 at 10:41, 27 August 2025

2025-08-27T10:41:32Z

New page

{{Infobox military unit
|unit_name=151 Air Defence Regiment (Self Propelled)
|image=
|caption=
|dates= 1966 – present
|country={{flag icon|India}} [[India]]
|allegiance=India
|branch= [[File:Flag of Indian Army.svg|24px]] [[Indian Army]]
|type= [[Corps of Army Air Defence]]
|role=
|size= Regiment
|command_structure=
|equipment=

|Past Commanders=
|ceremonial_chief=
|colonel_of_the_regiment=
|notable_commanders=

|identification_symbol=151 AD Regt (SP)
|identification_symbol_label=Abbreviation

|nickname=''Chhamb Warriors''<ref>{{cite web|url=https://dvnews.skyrock.com/3283058522-CYCLE-EXPEDITION-TO-COMMEMORATE-GOLDEN-JUBILEE-CELEBRATION-OF-151-AIR.html|title=Cycle Expedition To Commemorate Golden Jubilee Celebration Of 151 Air Defence Regiment (SP) (Chhamb) From Manali To Nako|work=Skyrock |date=2016-09-02|access-date=2023-06-29 |author1=Dvnews }}</ref>
|patron=
|motto= [[Sanskrit]]: {{lang|sa|आकाशे शत्रुन् जहि}} <br/>[[English language|English]]: {{lang|en|Defeat the Enemy in the Sky}}
|colors= {{color box|#81BFFD}} {{color box|#DB0606}}<br/> Sky Blue and Red
|march=
|mascot=
|battles=
|anniversaries=1 July (Raising Day)<br/>5 December (Chhamb Day)<ref>{{cite book|last=Sharma|first=Gautam|title= Indian Army, a Reference Manual|page=65|publisher= Reliance Publishing House|year=2000|isbn= 978-8175101142}}</ref>
|decorations=
|battle_honours=[[Battle of Chumb|Chhamb]]<ref>{{cite book|last=Das|first= Chand N|title=Hours of Glory: famous battles of the Indian army, 1801-1971|publisher=Vision Books|year=1997|page=162|isbn= 978-8170940692}}</ref>
}}
'''151 Air Defence Regiment (Self Propelled)''' is part of the [[Corps of Army Air Defence]] of the [[Indian Army]]. It consists of 1511, 1512 and 1513 air defence batteries.
== Formation==
151 Air Defence Regiment was raised on 1 July 1966 at [[Army Ordnance Corps (India)|Army Ordnance Corps]] Centre at [[Secunderabad]].<ref name="151APO">{{cite web|url= https://samsshopping.com/product/151-air-defence-regiment-self-propelled-chhamb/|title=151 AD-Golden Jubilee -Indian Army Postal Cover|date=2016-12-05|access-date=2023-06-29}}</ref>
==Equipment==
At raising, the regiment was equipped with [[Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun]]s. The unit was re-organised as a Composite Air Defence Regiment in November 1977, when it was equipped with one battery of the [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] [[ZSU-23-4 Shilka]] self-propelled, radar-guided anti-aircraft weapon system and two batteries of Soviet [[ZU-23-2|ZU-23]] towed 23×152 mm anti-aircraft twin-barrelled auto-cannons. On 1 December 1983, the regiment was re-organised as 151 Air Defence Regiment (Self Propelled) with three batteries of Schilkas. The unit became the first one to be equipped with the upgraded Schilka systems in 2014.<ref name="151APO"/>
==Operations==
The regiment has taken part in the following operations:<ref name="151APO"/>
;[[Indo-Pakistani War of 1971]]
The unit equipped with L/60 guns took part in Operation Cactus Lily in [[Jammu and Kashmir (state)|Jammu and Kashmir]] in December 1971. 1511 battery played an important role in the defence of [[Srinagar Airport|Srinagar airfield]]. The airfield was subject to daily Pakistani air attacks between 3 and 6 December, 1971. There were sporadic raids after that till 10 December. The AD gunners, to their credit, foiled every attack to this vital airfield and claimed three hits, including one downing of a Pakistani [[North American F-86 Sabre|Sabre]] jet.<ref name="Jagjit1">{{cite book|last=Singh|first=Jagjit|title=Indian Gunners at War: The Western Front 1971|date=1994|publisher= Spantech & Lancer|isbn=978-1897829554|page=131}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Das|first= Chand N|title=Hours of Glory: famous battles of the Indian army, 1801-1971|publisher=Vision Books|year=1997|page=161|isbn= 978-8170940692}}</ref>

1512 battery did well in defending field artillery guns, wagon lines, [[Akhnoor]] ferry, Mandiala bridge and the divisional headquarters of [[10th Indian Infantry Division|10 Infantry Division]].<ref name="Jagjit1"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/203255/5/chapter%203.pdf|title=Anjan Mukherjee in Evolution of Indian Artillery and its Impact on India's Comprehensive Military Power, chapter II|access-date=2023-06-30}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|magazine=USI Journal, July – September 1990|last=Singh|first=Lt Gen RK Jasbir|publisher=United Service Institution of India|title=USI Journal|page=317}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.indiandefencereview.com/review-of-battle-of-chamb-1971/|title=Review of Battle of Chamb 1971|date=2021-04-04|access-date=2023-06-29}}</ref> Two troops were part of the 26 Artillery Brigade under 26 Infantry Division.<ref>{{cite book|last=Singh|first=Jagjit|title=While Memory is Fresh|date=2006|publisher=Lancer Publishers, New Delhi|isbn= 978-8170622154|pages=230}}</ref>

For its effective deterrence during the battle, the unit was awarded the honour title 'Chhamb'.<ref name="Jagjit1"/>

The unit won the following gallantry awards-
*[[Vir Chakra]] – Gunner Arumugam P (posthumous) for operations in Srinagar airfield, where he downed a Sabre jet, but was killed in strafing by a follow up jet.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://egazette.gov.in/WriteReadData/1972/O-1320-1972-0025-58795.pdf|title=Gazette of India, No 25, page 669|date=1972-06-17|access-date=2023-06-30}}</ref> Havildar Uttam Jawalge won the award for shooting down a Sabre which was involved in the air attack to the divisional headquarters.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://egazette.gov.in/WriteReadData/1972/O-1321-1972-0034-58847.pdf| title=Gazette of India, No 34, page 935|date=1972-08-19|access-date=2023-06-30}}</ref>
*[[Mentioned in dispatches]] – Naik Dattatray Pawar, Gunner Joseph Dunna<ref>{{cite web|url=https://egazette.gov.in/WriteReadData/1974/O-1253-1974-0019-55503.pdf|title=Gazette of India, No 19, page 540|date=1974-05-11|access-date=2023-06-30}}</ref>
;[[Operation Brasstacks|Operation Trident]]
December 1986-March 1987.
;Operation Rakshak
Counter terrorism operations in [[Punjab, India|Punjab]] (November 1982-February 1983) and [[Jammu and Kashmir (state)|Jammu and Kashmir]] (August 1988-June 1999). The unit won the following gallantry awards –
*[[Sena Medal]] – Captain Suranjan Banerjee (posthumous, 1997)<ref>{{cite web|url= https://egazette.gov.in/WriteReadData/1998/O-0151-1998-0048-5042.pdf|title=Gazette of India, No 48, page 654|date=1998-11-28|access-date=2023-06-30}}</ref> and Major JR Sharma (1999).
;[[Kargil War|Operation Vijay]]
Lieutenant Colonel R Shrivasvat was awarded the COAS Commendation Card for his commendable performance as a Brigade Major of an Infantry Brigade during the operations.
;[[2001–2002 India–Pakistan standoff|Operation Parakram]]
December 2001-March 2003. The unit lost Havildar KBMB Tadavi and Gunner Gopa Kumar P during the operations.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://nationalwarmemorial.gov.in/roll-of-honours/details/15973|title=HAV TADAVI K B M B|access-date=2023-06-30}}</ref>

==Achievements==
*The Regiment was awarded Director General Army Air Defence ''Unit Appreciation award'' twice.<ref name="151APO"/>
*The regiment had the honour to participate in the [[Delhi Republic Day parade|Republic Day Parade]] in 1984 with its Shilka weapon systems.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APTzgRcn254 |title=Republic day parade 1984|website=[[YouTube]] |date=19 January 2021|access-date=2023-06-30}}</ref>
*Major Sachin Nugyal was awarded [[Commendation Cards (Indian Army)|COAS Commendation Card]] in August 2025 for [[2025 India–Pakistan conflict|Operation Sindoor]].<ref>{{cite web|url= https://static.pib.gov.in/WriteReadData/specificdocs/documents/2025/aug/doc2025814609101.pdf|title=List of personnel being conferred with COAS Commendation Card on the occasion of Independence Day 2025 (Op Sindoor)|date=2025-08-14|access-date=2025-08-22}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Military units and formations established in 1966]]
[[Category:Air defence regiments of the Indian Army]]

151 Air Defence Regiment India - Revision history

Ola22W86488 at 10:41, 27 August 2025