1812 Rocket Regiment is an artillery regiment which is part of the Regiment of Artillery of the Indian Army.
| 1812 Rocket Regiment (SMERCH) | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1965 – present |
| Country |  India |
| Allegiance | India |
| Branch |  Indian Army |
| Type | .svg){kind=small} Artillery |
| Size | Regiment |
| Motto(s) | SARVATRA, IZZAT-O-IQBAL “Everywhere With Honour and Glory”. “Nulli Secundus” |
| Colors | "Red & Navy Blue" |
| Decorations | Vir Chakra 1 [1] |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | General Sundararajan Padmanabhan |
Formation
edit1812 Rocket Regiment (SMERCH) was raised on 15 March 1965 as 181 Light Battery at Khoja Toll, Ranchi Cantt under the stewardship of Major P Banerji.[2]
History
edit
181 Light Battery was under 4 Mountain Artillery Brigade of the 4 Mountain Division during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 in the Jhenaidah–Kushtia sector.[3] It was equipped with 120 mm Tampella mortars.[4]
In April 1972, 181 Light Battery was bifurcated into 1812 (1) and 1812 (2) Light Batteries. 1812(1) Light Battery earned a significant distinction when in 1975, it was commanded by Major S Padmananbhan who later went on to become the Chief of Army Staff.[2]
In 2009, the regiment took a pivotal step in its evolution when it was given the honour of converting to a Rocket Regiment equipped with the Russian-built BM-30 Smerch at Nasirabad, Ajmer. The regiment had the privilege to participate in the Republic Day parade, in New Delhi, on January 26, 2016.[5]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "ML Sharma VrC at gallantryawards.gov.in". Archived from the original on 2019-07-18. Retrieved 2020-09-09.
- ^ a b "1812 Rocket Regiment (SMERCH)-Indian Army Postal Cover". Retrieved 2020-09-09.
- ^ "Anjan Mukherjee in Evolution of Indian Artillery and its Impact on India's Comprehensive Military Power, chapter3, page 116" (PDF). Retrieved 2020-09-09.
- ^ "1971 Official History" (PDF). Retrieved 2021-11-26.
- ^ "Hindustan Times Article – Republic Day 2016". Retrieved 2020-09-09.