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{{Short description|Indian Army unit}}
{{Infobox military unit
|unit_name=52 Medium Regiment
|image=
|caption=
|dates= 1961 – 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=

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

|identification_symbol=52 Med Regt
|identification_symbol_label=Abbreviation

|nickname=
|patron=
|motto= Sarvatra, Izzat-O-Iqbal (Everywhere with Honour and Glory)
|colors= Red & Navy Blue
|march=
|mascot=
|battles=
|anniversaries=1 March – Raising Day<br />3 September – Battle honour day
|decorations=
|battle_honours= Sanjoi Mirpur
}}
'''52 Medium Regiment (Sanjoi Mirpur)''' is part of the [[Regiment of Artillery (India)|Regiment of Artillery]] of the [[Indian Army]].

== Formation and history==
The regiment was raised as '''52 Mountain Regiment''' on 1 March 1961 at [[Bareilly Cantonment]]. The first commanding officer was Lieutenant Colonel (later Brigadier) NR Subramaniam and the unit was equipped with [[QF 3.7-inch mountain howitzer|3.7 inch howitzers]].<ref name="52MedAPOcover">{{cite web|url= https://samsshopping.com/product/52-medium-regiment-sanjoi-mirpur/ |title=52 Medium Regiment Golden Jubilee APO postal cover|date=2015-09-03|access-date=2022-10-19}}</ref> 145 Mountain Battery of the regiment moved to [[56 Field Regiment (India)|56 Mountain Composite Regiment (Pack)]], when the latter was raised in April 1964.<ref name="56FdAPOcover">{{cite web|url=https://samsshopping.com/product/56-fd-regt-jitra/|title=56 Field Regiment Golden Jubilee APO postal cover|date=2014-04-15|access-date=2022-10-20}}</ref> The regiment was subsequently converted to a field regiment and is presently a medium regiment.

==Operations==
The regiment has taken part in the following operations –
;[[Indo-Pakistani War of 1965]]
52 Mountain Composite Regiment (Pack) was part of [[XV Corps (India)|15 Corps]] artillery.<ref>{{cite book|last=Singh|first=Harbaksh |title=War Despatches: Indo-Pak Conflict 1965|date=2012|publisher= Lancer Publishers LLC|isbn=978-8170621171|page=}}</ref> The regiment took part in '''Operation Riddle''' and was awarded the honour title ''Sanjoi Mirpur'' for its determined and devastating actions in battles at Sanjoi Top and Mirpur Bridge.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://indianarmy.nic.in/writereaddata/documents/hist_of_arty.PDF|title=History of Artillery|date=|access-date=2022-10-20}}</ref>{{refn|group=nb|4 Kumaon and 3/8 Gorkha Rifles were also awarded the battle honour of Sanjoi Mirpur.}}

138 (Dehradun) Mountain Battery (Pack) of the regiment took part in operations in the [[Teetwal|Tithwal]] sector in [[Kupwara district]] of [[Jammu and Kashmir (state)|Jammu and Kashmir]]. The battery was commanded by Major Shyam Sunder Wadhwa. It fought intensely in the heroic battles of Sanjoi, Mirpur, Point 9013 (Kumaon Hill), Bugina Bulge and Jura Bridge. The battery equipped with howitzers along with [[Ordnance QF 25-pounder|25-pounder guns]] of 17 Field Battery from 7 Field Regiment ably supported [[Sikh Regiment|1 Sikh]] less two companies during the attack and capture of the Pakistani post on Richhmar Ridge on 24 August 1965. The battery used direct fire from temporary positions to destroy bunkers at Upper and Lower Sanjoi. It then supported [[8th Gorkha Rifles|3/8 Gorkha Rifles]] during the capture of Sanjoi on the night of 3 September and helped deflect the two furious counter-attacks on nights of 4/5 September and 6/7 September. The battery helped support the capture of Mirpur heights. It supported [[Kumaon Regiment|4 Kumaon]] during the capture of Point 9013 on the night of 20 September. The capture of Point 9013 gave Indian troops complete domination of the Mirpur area up to Jura Bridge on the [[Neelum River|River Kishanganga]]. The battery then provided fire support to 4 Kumaon during the infiltration and destruction of Jura bridge.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Gokhale |first1=Nitin A |title=1965 Turning the Tide, How India won the war |date=2015 |publisher=Bloomsbury publishing India Pvt Ltd |isbn=978-93-85436-84-0 |pages=}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Singh|first=Brigadier Jasbir|title=Roar of the Tiger: Illustrated History of Operations in Kashmir by 4th Battalion the Kumaon Regt in 1965 War|date=2013|publisher=VIJ Books (India) Pty Ltd|isbn=978-9382652038|pages=145–147}}</ref>

The regiment lost two officers, one [[Junior Commissioned Officer]] and 19 soldiers during the operations.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bharat-rakshak.com/amarjawan/index.php?qname=&qwar=1965%20India%20Pakistan%20War&cur=0&qunit=52%20Mountain%20Regime&qnum=&qregt=Regiment%20Of%20Artillery&qdate=|title=Amar-Jawan - A database of Indian Armed Forces Martyrs 1947-1997|date=|access-date=2022-10-20}}</ref> In addition to the honour title, it was awarded one [[Sena Medal]] (Captain Prakash Gadre),<ref>{{cite web|url= https://egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/1967/O-1608-1967-0001-72526.pdf|title=Gazette of India, No 1, page 49|date=1967-01-07|access-date=2022-10-20}}</ref> two [[Mentioned in dispatches]] and six commendation cards.<ref name="52MedAPOcover"/>
;[[Indo-Pakistani War of 1971]]
[[File:Banoob71.PNG|thumb|right|Deployment of troops in the eastern sector during the 1971 war]]
The regiment saw action during '''Operation Cactus Lily''' between 9 November and 28 December 1971 in the Eastern Sector. It saw actions in the battles at [[Bhurungamari Upazila|Bhurungamari]] and [[Lalmonirhat District|Lalmonirhat]]. During the Bhurungamari operations, it was part of the [[6th Infantry Division (India)|6 Mountain Division]] operations and under 9 Mountain Brigade.<ref name="Khullar 2017">{{cite book|last=Khullar|first=Darshan |title= Themes of Glory: Indian Artillery in War|date=2017|publisher= VIJ Books (India) Pty Ltd|isbn=978-9385563973|page=}}</ref> During this operation, Captain Tirath Singh was awarded a [[Vir Chakra]] for bravery.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.gallantryawards.gov.in/awardee/1678|title=Captain Tirath Singh|date=|access-date=2022-10-20}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= https://egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/1972/O-1321-1972-0034-58847.pdf|title=Gazette of India, No 34, page 927|date=1972-08-19|access-date=2022-10-20}}</ref> The regiment also won a Sena Medal.<ref name="52MedAPOcover"/>

;Disaster management
The regiment was involved in firefighting operations at [[Keoladeo National Park|Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary]] in 1986. It was awarded eight Chief of Army Staff Commendation Cards and one GOC-in-C Commendation Card for its resourceful efforts.<ref name="52MedAPOcover"/>
; Counterterrorism operations
The regiment was involved in [[counterterrorism]] operations in [[Punjab, India|Punjab]] and [[Jammu and Kashmir (state)|Jammu and Kashmir]] as part of '''Operation Rakshak'''<ref name="52MedAPOcover"/> -
*20 August 1990 to 26 August 1991 – [[Moga district|Moga sector]] followed by [[Khemkaran]] in Punjab.
*1996 - [[Pouni, Jammu and Kashmir]] – During this tenure, the regiment was awarded one GOC-in-C Commendation Card for arresting a terrorist on the night of 18/19 March 1996.
*2009-2012 – [[Baramulla district|Baramulla]] - one GOC-in-C Commendation Card was awarded during this tenure.
;[[Kargil War|Operation Vijay]]
The regiment was posted in the desert sector during the Kargil war and did not see active action.<ref name="52MedAPOcover"/>
;Operation Rhino
The regiment was posted for anti-terrorist operation in the plains of [[Assam]] between December 2003 and January 2005. It was awarded two GOC-in-C Commendation Cards for arresting a terrorist.<ref name="52MedAPOcover"/>

==Gallantry awards==
The regiment has won the following gallantry awards<ref name="52MedAPOcover"/> –
*Vir Chakra – 1
*Sena Medal – 4
*Mentioned in despatches – 2
*Commendation cards – 24<ref>{{cite web|url=https://indianarmy.nic.in/Site/FormTemplete/frmTempSimple.aspx?MnId=yQjzY/YVhH+VFY8ID5mGgw==&ParentID=MtRQ9n7yA1eSHy0ZNR7GWA==|title=COAS Commendation Card|date=2016-08-15|access-date=2022-10-20}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://indianarmy.nic.in/Site/FormTemplete/frmTempSimple.aspx?MnId=/RBW5No7XlktgB2SiFCI62ZSvYqvswywwiVpXlN10xM=&ParentID=gAOkdYXmrSeXl0nr94LoadKzsAFu4hCXqiBFCJbIeuo=|title=COAS Commendation Card|date=2019-01-15|access-date=2022-10-20}}</ref>

==Notable Officers==
*[[Kailas Prasad Pandey|Brigadier Kailash Prasad Pande, MVC]] - raised 145 Mountain Battery (Pack)
*[[G. R. Gopinath|Captain GR Gopinath]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/blogs/captains-musings/chinese-capers-in-ladakh-how-to-stand-upto-a-bully-part-1/|title=Chinese capers in Ladakh – How to stand upto a bully: Part 1|date=2020-06-16|access-date=2022-10-19}}</ref>

==See also==
[[List of regiments of the Indian Army#Artillery|List of artillery regiments of Indian Army]]

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=nb}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Military units and formations established in 1961]]
[[Category:Artillery regiments of the Indian Army after 1947]]

52 Medium Regiment - Revision history

Bot at 19:16, 22 December 2022