The Gorkha Hostory in Jammu and Kashmir State

Umesh Jung Thapa

Gorkhas settled in Jammu and Kashmir in the 18th century and a majority of them were soldiers and families that had fought in the ranks of Maharaja Ranjit Singh of Punjab. Gulab Singh, a landlord of Jammu was his commander in chief. After the defeat of the Sikhs in their march into JK after the Afghan wars, Gulab Singh purchased Kashmir Valley for Rs 36 lakh and became maharaja of JK. It was Maharaja Ranbir Singh, the ruler who succeeded Gulab Singh, who organized the army in JK and enlisted Gorkhas. Notable among these were Brigadier (General Staff) Bhagat Bir Thapa, his son Brigadier Bhagwan Singh Thapa and General Khadak Bahadur of the Nepal Army, who migrated to JK and was rewarded with the post of General Officer. Major Badri Nar Singh showed outstanding valour in the battle of Chitral (now in Pakistan‐Occupied Kashmir) and was awarded the IOM. Gorkha troops also fought shoulder to shoulder with Dogra troops in the conquest of Chitral, Hunza, Nagar and Haveli (now in POK). A familiar story is recalled of a Gorkha woman who swan across the Indus river and informed the headquarters of the presence and concentration of a large force of enemy troops. 

The time reinforcement of troops saved the situation. The woman was nickenamed “Bhutni” (ghost) because of her daring courage in crossing the Indus at night. The Gorkhas of JK took part in World War I (1914‐18) and excelled in the battle of Beho Beho and Kilimanjaro in East Africa. Colonel (later General) Durga Singh received a gallantry awards and a jagir with the honour of “Sardar Bahadur”, OBE, IOM for showing extraordinary courage against the Germans. The Gorkhas of JK faced the worst of communal violence in 1947‐48. At the time, the Gorkha regiment of JK had mixed troops and a class composition with Mirpuri Muslims and Dogra troops in the ranks. The communal frenzy and the situation prevailing with the partition of India in 1947 made them enemies overnight. The misguided Muslim troops, who joined the Pakistan Army with their arms and ammunition, trained their guns on the Gorkha soldiers and almost wiped them out. Capt Prem Singh Bist was brutally murdered at Ban Bridge (now on the commercial route opened for trade with Pakistan) and another officer, Major Ram Saran Karki, was also killed while escorting Hindu refugees from Mirpur, now in POK. There were hardly any Gorkha survivors to tell thei r tale of valour and woe. During the J&K Op in 1947‐48, Brigadier (then Major) Sher Jang thapa fought bravely for six months with this troops besieged inside Skardu fort in POK and he was awarded the Mahavir Chakra. In 1962, during the Indo‐China war, Havildar Sire Thapa put up a brave fight with is machine gun at Rio Bridge in Subansiri Division and met a heroic death. The Chinese buried his body on the spot and left a written note appreciating his courage and fighting skills.

The bravery of Gorkhas is sung about by street singers of Kashmir and the old cantonment (now the J&K Police Lines and Headquarters) was named Magar‐Mall Bagh. Gorkha Nagar in Jammu also came into existence on the bank of River Tawi in the early 1950s. The Gorkhas have had to toil hard and clear the dense forest to turn the area into a small township, a symbol of identity for Gorkhas in JK. Though the Gorkhas have made supreme sacrifices for the integrity of India and the safety of JK, their miseries have increased manifold since independence. They are economically, socially and educationally backward. They face big hurdles in getting the Permanent Residence Certificate (PRC) or state subject certification of JK, without which young Gorkha boys and girls cannot get a good job or admission into educational institutes. They are kept away from the mainstream. No politician or any mainstream political party or administration cares for them. Their population numbers around one lakh and is spread across JK, including Kashmir Valley. The JK Government should take steps to grant them the PRC because most of the families who don’t own land or homes due to their economic condition are considered foreigners/non‐state subjects. Where will they go?

This perspective was narrated to me by Lt Col Kaloo Singh Kanwar, aged 87 and currently residing in Dehradun.