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{{Short description|Indian Army artillery unit}}
{{Infobox military unit
|unit_name=162 Medium Regiment
|image=
|caption=
|dates= 1963 – present
|country={{flag icon|India}} [[India]]
|allegiance=India
|branch= [[File:Flag of Indian Army.svg|24px]] [[Indian Army]]
|type= [[File:Regiment of Artillery Insignia (India).svg|20px]] [[Artillery]]
|role=
|size= Regiment
|command_structure=
|equipment= M-46 130 mm Field Gun

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

|identification_symbol=162 Med Regt
|identification_symbol_label=Abbreviation

|nickname=''Dograi Destroyers''
|patron=
|motto= Sarvatra, Izzat-O-Iqbal (Everywhere with Honour and Glory)
|colors= Red & Navy Blue
|march=
|mascot=
|battles=
|anniversaries=1 October – Raising Day
|decorations=
|battle_honours=
}}
'''162 Medium Regiment''' is part of the [[Regiment of Artillery (India)|Regiment of Artillery]] of the [[Indian Army]].

== Formation and history ==
The regiment was raised as '''162 Field Regiment''' on 1 October 1963 under the aegis of [[Regiment of Artillery (India)# School and Centre|School of Artillery, Deolali]] by amalgamating three ‘S batteries’ from the following units –
*7 Field Regiment (Gazala)
*[[9 (Parachute) Field Regiment (India)|9 (Parachute) Field Regiment]]
*[[61 Medium Regiment (India)|61 Field Regiment]]
The first commanding officer was [[Lieutenant Colonel]] GS Bajwa. The regiment was converted to a medium regiment in 2013.<ref name="162MedAPOcover">{{cite web|url=https://samsshopping.com/product/162-medium-regiment/|title=162 Medium Regiment Golden Jubilee APO postal cover|date=2014-10-01|access-date=2022-11-04}}</ref>

== Equipment ==
The regiment has had the following guns in chronological order<ref name="162MedAPOcover"/> -
*[[Ordnance QF 25-pounder|25 Pounder guns]] – 1963-1986
*[[75/24 Pack Howitzer]] – 1986-1999
*[[Indian Field Gun|105 mm Indian Field Gun]] – 1999-2013
*[[130 mm towed field gun M1954 (M-46)|M-46 130 mm Field Gun]] – 2013 onwards

==Operations==
The regiment has taken part in the following operations<ref name="162MedAPOcover"/> –
;[[ Indo-Pakistani War of 1965]]
The regiment took part in Operation Riddle and was part of 15 Artillery Brigade under [[15th Infantry Division (India)|15 Infantry Division]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Singh|first=Jogindar|title=Behind the Scene: An Analysis of India's Military Operations, 1947-1971|year=1993|publisher=Lancer Publishers|isbn=978-1897829202|page=137}}</ref> It was in direct support of an Infantry Brigade, which was tasked in the capture of Dograi in September 1965. The unit fired 21,448 rounds during the [[Battle of Dograi]], the highest in this sector, helping raze the village of Dograi to the ground. It lost two officers (2nd Lieutenants P Arakaiath and DK Dakkar) and ten [[Other ranks (UK)|other ranks]] during the war.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.otaaachennai.com/martyrs/|title=Martyrs|access-date=2022-11-07}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.bharat-rakshak.com/amarjawan/index.php?qname=&qnum=&qdate=&qunit=162+Field+Regiment&qwar=1965+India+Pakistan+War&qregt=Regiment+O&cur=0|title= Amar-Jawan - A database of Indian Armed Forces Martyrs 1947-1997|date=|access-date=2022-11-04}}</ref>
;[[Nathu La and Cho La clashes]]
The regiment was deployed in [[Sikkim]] during the 1967 clashes with the [[People's Liberation Army]] (PLA) of [[China]]. Gunner (Operator) S Pakkir Mohammed was awarded the [[Vir Chakra]] for gallantry.<ref name="Gazette">{{cite web|url=https://egazette.gov.in/WriteReadData/1969/O-1469-1969-0001-66051.pdf|title=Gazette of India, No 1, page 23|date=1969-01-04|access-date=2022-11-07}}</ref>
;[[Indo-Pakistani War of 1971]]
The regiment was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel AK Bhandari.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.awazthevoice.in/india-news/a-memento-in-bhandari-s-hyderabad-home-revives-memories-of-war-8103.html|title= A memento in Bhandari's Hyderabad home revives memories of '71 war|date=2022-05-02|access-date=2022-11-04}}</ref> The unit was part of 54 Artillery Brigade and was in direct support of 91 Infantry Brigade. It took part in the [[Battle of Basantar]] during Operation Cactus Lily and fired 7,482 rounds during this decisive battle. Four officers and two other ranks were [[mentioned in dispatches]].<ref name="Gazette2">{{cite web|url=https://egazette.gov.in/WriteReadData/1974/O-1253-1974-0019-55503.pdf|title=Gazette of India, No 19|date=1974-05-11|access-date=2022-11-07}}</ref>
The regiment lost one officer (Captain RS Babu) and two men during the war.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bharat-rakshak.com/amarjawan/index.php?qname=&qnum=&qdate=&qunit=162+Fd+Regt&qwar=1971+Bangladesh+War&qregt=Regiment+O&cur=0|title= Amar-Jawan - A database of Indian Armed Forces Martyrs 1947-1997 (1971 war)|access-date=2022-11-07}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/mother-slain-hyd-soldier-made-run-pillar-post-300-sq-yards-land-83262|title= Mother of slain Hyd soldier made to run from pillar to post for 300 sq yards of land|date=2018-06-18|access-date=2022-11-07}}</ref>
;Other operations –
*Operation Sahayta – 2001
*[[2001–2002 India–Pakistan standoff|Operation Parakram]] – 2001-2002
*Operation Falcon and Operation Rhino – 2003-2005
*Operation Fort William – 2004
*Operation Rakshak (counter terrorism operations) – 1992 and 2010-2013

==Gallantry awards==
*[[Vir Chakra]] - Gunner (Operator) S Pakkir Mohammed – who was awarded for gallantry against heavy Chinese fire during the Cho La clashes on 1 October 1967.<ref name="Gazette"/>
*[[Shaurya Chakra]] – Major Raju Thundiathu George of the regiment was posthumously awarded for his gallant actions during his tenure with 2nd Battalion, [[Rashtriya Rifles]]. He was lost his life on 23 January 1993, during counter terrorist operations in [[Bijbehara]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/1994/O-0358-1994-0015-14239.pdf|title=Gazette of India, No 15, page 347|date=1994-04-09|access-date=2022-11-06}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://asianmail.in/2021/06/17/swarnim-vijay-varsh-painting-competition/|title=Swarnim Vijay Varsh Painting Competition|date=2021-06-17|access-date=2022-11-07}}</ref>
*[[Mentioned in dispatches]] – Lieutenant Colonel Avtar Kishan Bhandari, Major Manohar Lal, Lance Naik Subramaniam, Gunner Kaithamana Kurian George (all during the 1971 war)<ref name="Gazette2"/>
*[[Commendation Cards (Indian Army)|Chief of Army Staff Commendation cards]] – 2<ref>{{cite web|url=https://indianarmy.nic.in/Site/FormTemplete/frmTempSimple.aspx?MnId=Tf8Tl/Zxmlu0btE0K8zXbw==&ParentID=fAYHmIEQIk0mvMvt5Ek/4w==|title=COAS Commendation Card, Army Day 2006|date=2006-01-15|access-date=2022-11-07}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://indianarmy.nic.in/Site/FormTemplete/frmTempSimple.aspx?MnId=YfpooJQr6OM5zefLg9PuQNFsZrqpCQzCkZ/ER+bLReo=&ParentID=29HpRYuf4Uy+tMglDfLH1Q==|title=COAS Commendation Card, 2019|date=2019-08-15|access-date=2022-11-07}}</ref>

==War cry==
''Veeravel Vetrivel'' (a war cry used in ancient [[Tamilakam]] and means ''Victorious Vel, Courageous Vel.'' [[Vel]] is the holy spear of [[Murugan]], the Hindu war deity).<ref name="162MedAPOcover"/>
==See also==
*[[List of regiments of the Indian Army#Artillery|List of artillery regiments of Indian Army]]

==References==
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Military units and formations established in 1963]]
[[Category:Artillery regiments of the Indian Army after 1947]]
[[Category:Indian Army]]

162 Medium Regiment India - Revision history

Veirdo at 17:22, 2 June 2024