JacksonCazaly4 at 07:04, 16 January 2026

2026-01-16T07:04:07Z

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{{Short description|Indian Army regiment}}
{{Infobox military unit
|unit_name=81 Armoured Regiment
|image=81 AR India.svg
|caption=
|dates= 1973 – present
|country={{flag icon|India}} [[India]]
|allegiance=India
|branch= [[File:Flag of Indian Army.svg|24px]] [[Indian Army]]
|type= [[Armoured Corps]]
|role=
|size= Regiment
|command_structure=
|equipment=

|Past Commanders=
|ceremonial_chief=
|colonel_of_the_regiment= Lieutenant General Devendra Sharma<ref>{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/in.gazette.central.w.2025-12-27.268912/|title=Gazette of India, No 52|date=2025-12-27|access-date=2026-01-16}}</ref>
|notable_commanders= Lt Gen Arun Gautam, Lt Gen [[Ajai Singh (general, CINCAN)|Ajai Singh]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/archive/bathinda/lt-gen-ajai-singh-takes-charge-of-chetak-corps-810661|title= Lt Gen Ajai Singh takes charge of Chetak Corps|date=2019-07-31|access-date=2020-12-30}}</ref>

|identification_symbol=81 Armd Regt
|identification_symbol_label=Abbreviation

|nickname=
|patron=
|motto= शौर्यं तेजो युद्धे<br/>Shaurya Tejo Yuddhe (Heroism and boldness in battle)
|colors=
|march=
|mascot=
|battles=
|anniversaries=
|decorations=
|battle_honours=
}}

The '''81 Armoured Regiment''' is an armoured regiment of the [[Indian Army]].
[[File:LM1H4076.jpg|thumb|right|Presentation of the Standard at Jodhpur on 16 May 2005 by the President of India, Dr APJ Abdul Kalam]]
[[File:Presentation of the ‘President’s Standards’ to 81 Armoured Regiment at Jodhpur on 16 May 2005 by the President of India.jpg|thumb|right|Standard Presentation Ceremony]]

==Formation==

The regiment was raised on 1 October 1973. The first commanding officer was Lieutenant Colonel (later Brigadier) NP Singh from [[9th Horse (Deccan Horse)|Deccan Horse]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/AN_Command/status/1652970329894002691/photo/2|title=Signing off on 5 generations of family service in the Army|date=2023-05-01|access-date=2023-05-06}}</ref> It has an all-India all-class composition, drawing troops from various castes and religions.<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=154}}</ref>

==History==
The regiment has participated in [[Indian Army operations in Jammu and Kashmir|Operation Rakshak]] and [[Operation Meghdoot]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://abdulkalam.nic.in/sp160505-2.html|title=Address To The 81 Armoured Regiment During The 'Standard' Presentation, Jodhpur|date=|access-date=2020-12-30}}</ref>

Two terrorists opened fire at the camp of the 81 Armoured Regiment on the Jammu-Pathankot National Highway, [[Samba, Jammu and Kashmir|Samba]] on 21 March 2015. Both were killed in the following encounter.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/2-terrorists-who-attacked-army-camp-in-samba-near-jammu-killed-sources-748443|title= 2 Terrorists Who Attacked Army Camp in Jammu and Kashmir's Samba Killed in ‘NDTV’|date=2015-03-21|access-date=2020-12-30}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ibtimes.co.in/jammu-kashmir-day-2-terrorists-attack-army-camp-samba-civilian-killed-626862|title= Jammu & Kashmir: Terrorists Killed, Gunbattle at Samba Army Camp Ends|date=2015-03-21|access-date=2020-12-30}}</ref>

==Awards and honours==
The Regiment was presented the ‘[[President's Colour Award|President’s Standards]]’ at [[Jodhpur]] on 16 May 2005 by the President of India, Dr [[A. P. J. Abdul Kalam]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://zeenews.india.com/home/president-presents-colours-to-81-and-68-armoured-regiments_217510.html|title= President presents 'colours' to 81 and 68 armoured regiments in ‘Zee News’|date=2005-05-16|access-date=2020-12-31}}</ref> It was awarded the COAS Unit Citation during the Army Day Parade in 2023.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thenewsnow.co.in/newsdet.aspx?q=149371|title=14 units, 4 Regt of Northern Cmnd’s among 33 to receive COAS citations, apperception|date=2023-01-07|access-date=2023-01-15}}</ref>

Members of the regiment have won one [[Shaurya Chakra]], one [[Param Vishisht Seva Medal]], one [[Vishisht Seva Medal]] and one [[Sena Medal]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://abdulkalam.nic.in/sp160505-2.html|title=Address To The 81 Armoured Regiment During The 'Standard' Presentation, Jodhpur|date=|access-date=2020-12-30}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gallantryawards.gov.in/Awardee/ritu-raj-pandey|title=Ritu Raj Pandey, SC|date=|access-date=2020-12-31}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://sainiksamachar.nic.in/englisharchives/2015/sep01-15/h1.htm|title= Independence Day Gallantry Awards and Other Decorations|date=|access-date=2020-12-30}}</ref>

==Regimental insignia==
The regimental insignia consists of front face of a tank with numeral "81" inscribed on the tank’s hull, a scroll added at the base with the regimental motto inscribed in [[Devanagari]] script on it.

The motto of the regiment is शौर्यं तेजो युद्धे (Shaurya Tejo Yuddhe), which is coined from the [[Bhagavad Gita]] 18.43 and translates to ‘Heroism and boldness in battle’.

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Indian Army Armoured Corps |state=expanded}}
[[Category:Military units and formations established in 1973]]
[[Category:Armoured and cavalry regiments of the Indian Army from 1947]]

81st Armoured Regiment India - Revision history

JacksonCazaly4 at 07:04, 16 January 2026