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{{Infobox military unit
| unit_name = 63rd Cavalry
| image =
| caption =
| dates = 1957–present
| country = {{flag|India}}
| allegiance = India
| branch = [[File:Flag of Indian Army.svg|24px]] [[Indian Army]]
| type = [[Cavalry]]
| role =
| size = Regiment
| command_structure =
| nickname = ''Tresath''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sainiksamachar.nic.in/englisharchives/2016/apr01-16/h9.htm|title=The Ghost Regiment Comes Alive|date=2016-04-01| access-date=2020-11-30}}</ref>
| patron =
| motto = पराक्रम ही धर्म है Parakram Hi Dharam Hai (Valour is but Duty)
| colors =
| march =
| mascot =
| equipment = 
| battles =
| anniversaries =
| decorations =
| battle_honours = Battle Honour ''Bogra'' Theatre Honour ''East Pakistan''
| notable_commanders = [[Prakash Mani Tripathi|Lt Gen SPM Tripathi]] PVSM, AVSM<ref>{{cite web|url=http://loksabhaph.nic.in/Members/memberbioprofile.aspx?mpsno=493&lastls=13|title=Members Bioprofile-SPM Tripathi|access-date=2020-11-30}}</ref> [[Lieutenant General|Lt Gen]] Shamsher Singh Mehta, PVSM, AVSM & Bar, VSM Lt Gen JS Varma, PVSM, AVSM, ADC<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sainiksamachar.nic.in/englisharchives/2016/apr01-16/h9.htm|title=The Ghost Regiment Comes Alive|date=2016-04-01| access-date=2020-11-30}}</ref> Lt Gen [[Kamal Jit Singh]], PVSM, AVSM & Bar<ref>{{cite web|url=https://bharatshakti.in/author/singhkayjay3363/|title=Lt Gen KJ Singh| access-date=2020-11-30}}</ref>

| identification_symbol = 63 Cav
| identification_symbol_label = Abbreviation

| Past Commanders =
| ceremonial_chief =
| colonel_of_the_regiment = Maj Gen ARS Kahlon, VSM<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/2020/223002.pdf|title=Gazette of India No 45|date=2020-11-07|access-date=2020-11-24}}</ref>
}}

'''63rd Cavalry''' is an [[armoured regiment]] of the [[Indian Army]].

==Raising==
It was raised on 2 January 1957 at [[Alwar]], [[Rajasthan]]. Lt Col Harmandar Singh (later Brigadier) was the first commanding officer.<ref name="1India">{{cite web |url=http://news.oneindia.in/2007/01/02/63-cavalry-celebrates-golden-jubilee-1167732375.html |title=63 Cavalry celebrates golden jubilee |date=2 January 2007 |work=OneIndia News |publisher= Greynium Information Technologies |access-date=30 March 2014}}</ref> The third armoured regiment to be raised under the government sanctions of 1956, the regiment was initially equipped with two squadrons of [[Stuart tank|Stuart Mk VI]] tanks and a squadron of [[Humber Armoured Car|Humber Mk 4]] armoured cars.<ref name="Sandhu1987">{{cite book|last=Sandhu|first=Gurcharn Singh|title=The Indian Armour: History of the Indian Armoured Corps, 1941-1971|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hT4sAAAAIAAJ|year=1987|publisher=Vision Books|isbn=978-81-7094-004-3|page=312}}</ref> The ranks were raised from various armoured regiments and consists of [[Rajput]]s, [[Jat people|Jats]], [[Sikh|Sikhs]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Gautam|first=PK|title= Indigenous Historical Knowledge: Kautilya and His Vocabulary, Volume III|date=2016|publisher= IDSA/Pentagon Press |isbn= 978-81-8274-909-2|page=153}}</ref>

==Independent squadron==
In April 1958, the Humber squadron proceeded to [[Khanabal]] in Kashmir for a tour of duty till July 1959. The Humber squadron was later hived off as an independent reconnaissance squadron.<ref name="Sandhu1987"/> This ‘5 Independent Squadron’ of 63rd Cavalry served in 1960-61 in the [[Congo Crisis]] as part of [[99th Indian Infantry Brigade]] under the [[United Nations Operation in the Congo|ONUC]] peacekeeping mission of the [[United Nations]]. An integral squadron was re-raised with [[Daimler Armoured Car]]s in August 1961<ref name="Bharat Rakshak">{{cite web |url=http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/LAND-FORCES/Army/Galleries/Wars/UN/Congo/ |title=The Indian Army in Congo, 1961-64 |author=Chowdhuri, Sudeep |publisher=Bharat Rakshak |access-date=30 March 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407094525/http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/LAND-FORCES/Army/Galleries/Wars/UN/Congo/ |archive-date=7 April 2014 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref>

==Operations==
;[[United Nations Operation in the Congo]]
In 1961, one squadron under Major MS Padda, AVSM was sent to Congo as part of the United Nation forces. In 1962, the squadron was replaced by another under Major Moti Singh. Both squadrons won a total of 13 gallantry awards.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.philamart.com/Listing/Details/2998849/63-CavalryIndian-Army-Postal-Cover-APO|title=63 Cav Golden Jubilee - Indian Army Postal Cover|access-date=2020-11-30}}</ref>

;[[Sino-Indian War]]
The regiment operated under [[IV Corps (India)|IV Corps]] in October 1962 during the war and remained in the sector till October 1963. One troop with Humber Armoured Cars was inducted in [[Chushul]] sector in [[Ladakh]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.philamart.com/Listing/Details/2998849/63-CavalryIndian-Army-Postal-Cover-APO|title=63 Cav Golden Jubilee - Indian Army Postal Cover|access-date=2020-11-30}}</ref>

;Indo-Pakistani War of 1971
In 1971 the regiment was re-equipped with [[T-55]] tanks and [[PT-76]] amphibious tanks, participating in combat operations in the [[Bangladesh]] front of the [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1971]], entering [[Dacca]] in the final stages of the campaign.<ref name="Sandhu1987"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/features/march-to-free-dhaka-267645|title=March to free Dhaka|date=2021-06-17|access-date=2022-03-06}}</ref> The tendency of 63rd Cavalry's tanks to appear from any of the four [[cardinal direction|cardinal]] directions led to the enemy giving it the epithet of the "ghost" regiment.<ref name="Sainik Samachar">{{cite web |url=http://sainiksamachar.nic.in/englisharchives/2007/feb01-07/h13.htm |title=The Golden Ghost |date=1 February 2007 |work=Sainik Samachar |publisher=Indian Army |access-date=30 March 2014}}</ref><ref name="Tribune">{{cite web |url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/2013/20131217/nation.htm#10 |title=63 Cavalry celebrates 1971 victory |date=16 December 2013 |place=Chandigarh|publisher=The Tribune (Online edition) |access-date=30 March 2014}}</ref>

[[Bogra]] was an important road and rail hub in the northwest of erstwhile [[East Pakistan]] defended by troops of Pakistani 16 Infantry Division. Bogra was assaulted by formations of 20 Infantry Division of the Indian Army. A squadron of 63rd Cavalry supported the successful assault of the 2nd battalion, [[5th Gorkha Rifles]] in the cantonment area on 14 and 15 December 1971, for which the regiment was awarded the [[battle honour]] "Bogra" and the theatre honour "East Pakistan 1971".<ref name='Sarbans'>{{cite book |title=Battle Honours of the Indian Army 1757 - 1971 |last=Singh |first=Sarbans |year=1993 |publisher=Vision Books |location=New Delhi |isbn=8170941156 |pages=261, 262, 309 }}</ref> It won 8 gallantry awards for the 1971 operations. To date, troops of 63rd Cavalry have earned more than 50 awards including the [[Vir Chakra]] and [[Sena medal]] for gallantry under fire and the [[Param Vishisht Seva Medal]] for distinguished service.<ref name="Sainik Samachar"/><ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.coloursofglory.org/valour-is-but-duty/|title=Valour Is But Duty|date=2017-01-04|access-date=2020-11-30}}</ref>

;Counter insurgency operations
5 Independent Squadron, equipped with [[Ferret armoured car|Ferret scout car]]s was deployed in a counter insurgency role between 1963 and 1971 in [[Lushai Hills|Mizo Hills]], [[Naga Hills]], [[Manipur]] and [[Tripura]].<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.coloursofglory.org/valour-is-but-duty/|title=Valour Is But Duty|date=2017-01-04|access-date=2020-11-30}}</ref>

The regiment took part in anti-terrorist operations in [[Punjab, India|Punjab]] between January 1993 and April 1996. It took part in [[Indian Army operations in Jammu and Kashmir|Operation Rakshak]] between May 2002 and December 2005.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.philamart.com/Listing/Details/2998849/63-CavalryIndian-Army-Postal-Cover-APO|title=63 Cav Golden Jubilee - Indian Army Postal Cover|access-date=2020-11-30}}</ref>

;Other operations
It took part in [[Operation Brasstacks|Operation Trident]] as part of [[1st Armoured Division (India)|1 Armoured Division]] in the Western sector. It took part in [[2001–2002 India–Pakistan standoff|Operation Parakram]] in [[Jammu and Kashmir (state)|Jammu and Kashmir]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.philamart.com/Listing/Details/2998849/63-CavalryIndian-Army-Postal-Cover-APO|title=63 Cav Golden Jubilee - Indian Army Postal Cover|access-date=2020-11-30}}</ref>

==Presentation of Guidon==
The regiment celebrated its Silver Jubilee on 2 January 1982 on which occasion it was presented with a [[guidon (heraldic flag)|guidon]] by the then [[President of India]], [[Neelam Sanjiva Reddy]]. A first day cover was released during the Golden Jubilee celebrations in [[Roorkee]].<ref name="Sainik Samachar"/>

==Regimental insignia==
The Regimental cap badge consists of a tank with a scroll below with the words '63 Cavalry'.

The motto of the regiment is पराक्रम ही धर्म है (Parakram Hi Dharam Hai), which translates to ''Valour is but Duty''.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.coloursofglory.org/valour-is-but-duty/|title=Valour Is But Duty|date=2017-01-04|access-date=2020-11-30}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
* [https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x5exkmy ''Diamond Jubilee Celebrations'']

{{Indian Army Armoured Corps |state=expanded}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2017}}

[[Category:Armoured and cavalry regiments of the Indian Army from 1947]]
[[Category:Military units and formations established in 1957]]

63rd Cavalry India - Revision history

UpdateBot at 14:31, 6 March 2022