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{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}
{{Infobox military unit
| unit_name = 68th Armoured Regiment
| image =
| caption =
| dates = 1968 – present
| country = {{flag icon|India}} [[India]]
| allegiance = India
| branch = [[File:Flag of Indian Army.svg|24px]] [[Indian Army]]
| type = [[Armour]]
| role =
| size = Regiment
| command_structure =
| equipment = [[T-72|T-72 M1]]<ref name="tribuneindia.com">{{cite web|url= https://www.tribuneindia.com/2005/20050517/main9.htm|title= Equip tanks with electronic systems: Kalam|date=2005-05-17|access-date=2020-11-26}}</ref>

| Past Commanders =
| ceremonial_chief =
| colonel_of_the_regiment =
| notable_commanders = [[Alok Singh Kler|Lieutenant General Alok Singh Kler, PVSM, VSM]]

| identification_symbol = 68 Armd Regt
| identification_symbol_label = Abbreviation

| nickname = The Gladiators
| patron =
| motto = विजय और सम्मान <br/> ''Vijay aur Samman'' (Victory and Honour)
| colors = Grey, Red and Blue
| march = Entry of the Gladiators
| mascot =
| battles =
| anniversaries =
| decorations =
| battle_honours =
}}

'''68th Armoured Regiment''' is an armoured regiment which is part of the [[Indian Army Armoured Corps|Armoured Corps]] of the '''[[Indian Army]]'''.<ref name="Nath2009">{{cite book|last=Nath|first=Ashok|title=Izzat: historical records and iconography of Indian cavalry regiments, 1750-2007|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sGQeQwAACAAJ|year=2009|publisher=Centre for Armed Forces Historical Research, United Service Institution of India|isbn=978-81-902097-7-9|pages=649–650}}</ref>
[[File:The President of India, Dr A P J Abdul Kalam at the Presentation of Standard to 68 Armoured Regiment a.jpg|thumb|right|The President of India, Dr APJ Abdul Kalam presenting the Standard to 68 Armoured Regiment]]
[[File:The President of India, Dr A P J Abdul Kalam at the Presentation of Standard to 68 Armoured Regiment b.jpg|thumb|right|Release of the 'First day cover' on the occasion of Standard Presentation]]

== Formation ==

The regiment was raised on 1 March 1968 by Lieutenant Colonel (later Brigadier) R.N. Thumby at [[Ahmednagar]].<ref name="Nath2009"/> It was raised with [[Vijayanta]] tanks.
Unlike most armoured regiments raised after Independence with a mixed class composition, 68 Armoured Regiment was raised from four different ethnic classes. It drew troops from [[Rajput]] troops from the [[Indian Army Armoured Corps|Armoured Corps]], [[Maratha]]s from the [[Bombay Engineer Group|Bombay Sappers]] and the [[Maratha Light Infantry]], [[Ahir]]s from the Armoured Corps, [[Regiment of Artillery (India)|Regiment of Artillery]] and the [[Kumaon Regiment]] and [[Gujjar]]s from the [[The Grenadiers|Grenadier]] and [[Rajput Regiment]]s. Most of the Armoured troops came from the [[66th Armoured Regiment (India)|66th Armoured Regiment]].<ref name="Nath2009"/><ref>{{cite web|url= https://zeenews.india.com/news/nation/president-to-award-standard-to-68-armoured-regiment_216850.html|title= President to award standard to 68 armoured regiment|date=2005-05-12| access-date=2020-11-26}}</ref> Lieutenant Colonel (later Major General) Salim Caleb, MVC was appointed the first Colonel Commandant of the Regiment.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/1968/O-1538-1968-0052-68977.pdf |title=Gazette of India, No 68|date=1968-12-28| access-date=2020-11-26}}</ref>

== History ==
The regiment was made part of the [[1st Armoured Division (India)|1st Armoured Division]] on 30 March 1970. The regiment could not participate in the [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1971]] as the armoured division was not committed to battle. In 1985, it was converted to [[T-72]] tanks. The regiment took part in [[Operation Brasstacks|Operation Trident]], [[Indian Army operations in Jammu and Kashmir|Operation Rakshak]] and [[2001–2002 India–Pakistan standoff|Operation Parakram]].<ref name="Nath2009"/>

The Regiment was presented the ‘[[President's Colour Award|President’s Standards]]’ at [[Bathinda]] on 16 May 2005 by the President of India, Dr [[A. P. J. Abdul Kalam]].<ref name="tribuneindia.com">{{cite web|url= https://www.tribuneindia.com/2005/20050517/main9.htm|title= Equip tanks with electronic systems: Kalam|date=2005-05-17|access-date=2020-11-26}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= http://164.100.60.36/sp160505-1.html|title=Speech by Dr A. P. J. Abdul Kalam|date=2005-05-16|access-date=2020-11-26}}</ref>

The regiment made history crossing the 13,000 feet plus [[Zoji La]] pass and being the first armoured regiment to be based near [[Nyoma]] in Ladakh.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.earlytimes.in/newsdet.aspx?q=129409|title=Modi sarkar counters aggressive China, fighter jets being stationed in Ladakh|date=2014-10-08|access-date=2020-11-26}}</ref>

==Regimental Insignia==
The regiment has the nickname "The Gladiators", because of its choice of the regimental march "Entry of the Gladiators".<ref name="Nath2009"/>

The regiment cap badge of the officers is in silver and depicts four crossed [[lance]]s with [[pennon]]s with a gauntlet (mailed fist) at the crossing, each lance symbolising each ethnic class recruited to the regiment. The cap badge worn by the [[Junior Commissioned Officers]] and 'other ranks' is identical to that worn by officers, in white metal, and has an additional scroll (in brass plate) with the regimental motto "Vijay aur Samman" in Devanagari script.<ref name="Nath2009"/> The shoulder title consists of the numeral "68" within a mailed fist above.<ref name="Nath2009"/>

The motto of the regiment is 'विजय और सम्मान' (Vijay aur Samman) which translates to 'Victory and Honour'.

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Indian Army Armoured Corps |state=expanded}}

[[Category:Armoured and cavalry regiments of the Indian Army from 1947]]
[[Category:Military units and formations established in 1968]]

68th Armoured Regiment India - Revision history

Bot at 18:14, 20 December 2021