The Brief History of 39 Gorkha Training Centre in Varansi
The
Indian Army has a large Cantonment area in the holy city of Varanasi
(or Benares, or Kashi). This Cantonment, established in the last
century, is the training Centre for the 3rd and 9th Gorkha Battalions
and hence known in the army terms as 39 Gorkha Training Centre (39 G T
C). It is a huge complex, most beautifully kept and efficiently managed
It houses all the facilities to train the new Gorkha Recruits arriving
raw from Nepal and India. In 42 weeks of intensive and thorough training
these recruits are turned into well-disciplined and trained soldiers of
the Indian Army. The process is supervised by the Battalion Training
Commander under the Commandant of the 39 GTC
Amalgamation
1.
3 Gorkha Rifles Regimental Centre (3 GRRC) was located at Ghangora and
the 9th Gorkha Rifles Regimental Centre (9 GRRC) was located at Birpur
(the land on which they stood was/is regimental property) during the pre
World War II years and several years thereafter. In the early 1950s a
decision was taken by the government to amalgamate a few infantry
regimental centres. As a consequence 3rd and 9th Gorkha Rifles
Regimental Centres became 39 Gorkha Training Centre. (39 GTC) and was
located at Birpur, the erstwhile location of 9 GRRC
2.
At the time of amalgamation, Lt Col UC Pant (later Brigadier) was the
Commandant of 3 GRRC and Lt Col DK Palit, Vr C (later Maj Gen) was the
Commandant of 9 GRRC. The latter was to become the first Commandant of
39 GTC and Capt RO Kharbanda (later Brig RO Kharbanda, AVSM) was the
first Adjutant. The formal amalgamation was marked by a simple ceremony
of hoisting the flags of the two Regiments at the Quarter Guard of 9
GRRC in Birpur at 0930h on 01 Oct 1952.
3.
By an unwritten understanding the Command Structure of the new Centre
was to be evenly distributed between the two Regiments down to the
lowest level. Accordingly, it came to be accepted that if the
Commandant was from one Regiment, the Deputy Commandant would be from
the other Regiment. The appointments of Adjutant, Subedar Major, Head
Clerk, Subedar Adjutant, were to be alternately rotated between the two
regiments. It was to be ensured that both the regiments enjoyed parity
and equal share in the ranks structures of officers, JCOs and NCOs
posted to the Centre.
Move to Varanasi
4.
Pursuant to a decision taken in August 1975 regarding locations of
field formations, a number of regimental centres were moved from their
original home stations to military stations where accommodation and
other infrastructure were readily available. Accordingly 39 GTC was
moved to Varanasi in Dec 1975. The last train with Col Guman Singh, the
Commandant, arrived at Varanasi on 01 Jan 1976, which came to be
celebrated as the Centre Day.
Three Decades at Varanasi
5.
The Regimental Centre can justifiably take pride in the achievements
since it arrived at Varanasi in Jan 1976. When the Centre arrived, the
station was in a state of neglect and decay. There was no sanctity
attached to it. Encroachment on military land and assets were rampant
and trespassing was common. The boundaries of the Centre were neither
demarcated nor fenced, stray cattle roamed on playgrounds and civilian
population misused the training areas at will. With the herculean
efforts of Col Guman Singh and his team of officers, the Centre soon
established its identity and a long-term plan to build the required
infrastructures was started. Each successive Commandant and his team
continued to expand the foundation and brought to bear his commitment
and creativity to the process of building, which continues.
Commandants since Amalgamation
6. The Commandants since amalgamation are as under:-
Lt Col DK Palit, VrC 9 GR 01 Oct 1952 - 03 Oct 1954
Lt Col UC Pant 3 GR 04 Oct 1954 - 05 Jun 1957
Lt Col EE Williamson 9 GR 22 Jul 1957 - 14 Nov 1961
Lt Col AK Mitra 9 GR 21 Nov 1961 - 30 Aug 1963
Col UC Pant 3 GR 14 Aug 1963 - 31 Dec 1963
Col P Raghwan 3 GR 30 Mar 1964 - 11 Mar 1966
Col NL Jamwal, SC 9 GR 12 Mar 1966 - 19 Dec 1967
Col BS Grewal 9 GR 20 Dec 1967 - 21 Mar 1969
Col CV Campagnac, AVSM 3 GR 22 Mar 1969 - 14 Jul 1971
Col MP Bhatia, 3 GR 02 Oct 1971 - 27 Mar 1974
Col Guman Singh, AVSM 9 GR 25 Mar 1974 - 11 Oct 1978
Col DS Jaggi 3 GR 09 Mar 1979 - 08 Oct 1980
Brig DS Jaggi 3 GR 09 Oct 1980 - 04 Dec 1981
Brig PN Kacker, SC, VSM 9 GR 05 Dec 1981 - 18 Aug 1986
Col AS Nirodi 3 GR 19 Aug 1986 - 06 Jan 1988
Brig Upendra Kumar, VSM 9 GR 07 Jan 1988 - 18 Apr 1990
Brig AS Nirodi 3 GR 23 Jul 1990 - 23 Jan 1993
Brig DS Rawat, VSM 9 GR 20 Sep 1993 - 04 Nov 1996
Brig AK Pait 9 GR 05 Nov 1996 - 20 Jan 1999
Brig Anil Malhotra 3 GR 22 Jul 1999 - 21 Mar 2002
Brig Amar Chatterjee 9 GR 22 Mar 2002 - 20 Dec 2002
Brig DK Ghosh 9 GR 16 Jan 2003 - 28 Apr 2005
Brig VA Natu 9 GR 29 Apr 2005 - 31 Dec 2007
Brig Rajbir Singh 3 GR 19 Jun 2008 - 04 Mar 2009
Brig JS Pama, SM 3 GR 05 Mar 2009 - 21 Feb 2011
Brig Akhil Dixit 9 GR 22 Feb 2011 - 24 Nov 2012
Brig K Birendra Singh 3 GR 25 Nov 2012 - Till date
Subedar Majors since Amalgamation
7. Subedar Majors since amalgamation are as under:-
Sub Maj & Hony/Capt Birta Singh Gurung
Sub Maj & Hony/Lt Khark Bahadur Mall
Sub Maj & Hony/Lt Sul Bahadur Rana
Sub Maj & Hony/Capt Madan Bahadur Thapa
Sub Maj & Hony /Capt Kalu Thapa
Sub Maj & Hony/Capt Bhakta Bahadur Gurung
Sub Maj & Hony/Capt Kharka Bahadur Khadka
Sub Maj & Hony/Capt Tek Bahadur Pun
Sub Maj & Hony/Capt Tek Bahadur Pun
Sub Maj & Hony/Capt Dhan Bahadur Khattri
Sub Maj & Hony/Lt Pram Bahadur Thapa
Sub Maj & Hony/Capt Nim Bahadur Mall
Sub Maj & Hony/Lt Bom Bahadur Thapa
Sub Maj & Hony/Lt Bharat Singh Thapa
Sub Maj & Hony/Lt Dum Bahadur Thapa
Sub Maj & Hony/Capt Chham Bahadur Mall
Sub Maj & Hony/Capt Bir Bahadur Thapa
Sub Maj & Hony/Lt Uday Kumar Tamang
Sub Maj & Hony/Capt Kum Bahadur Thapa
Sub Maj & Hony/Lt Mithuraj Adhikari
Sub Maj & Hony/Lt Ram Bahadur Chhetri
Sub Maj & Hony/Capt Suresh Rana
Sub Maj & Hony/Capt MP Suibedi
Sub Maj & Hony/Lt Bet Bahadur Rana
Sub Maj & Hony/Lt Kasha Ram Gurung
Sub Maj & H/ Capt PP Adhikari
Sub Maj & Hony/Lt Bhim Bahadur Thapa
Sub Maj Netra Bahadur Shahi
Sub Maj Ashok Kumar Shahi
Sub Maj & Hony/Capt Netra Bahadur Shahi 29 Mar 06 - 31Oct 06
Sub Maj & Hony/Capt Ashoka Kumar Shahi 01 Jan 06 - 31 Aug 07
Sub Maj & Hony/Capt Pratap Chandra Thapa 01Oct 07 - 31 Dec 07
Sub Maj Mohan Bahadur Thapa 01 Jan 08 - 30 Apr 08
Sub Maj & Hony/Capt Dhan Bahadur Chhetri ‘SM’ 01 May 08 - 30 Sep 08
Sub Maj & Hony/Capt Mohan Bahadur Thapa 01 Oct 08 - 31 Jan 09
Sub Maj & Hony/Capt Bal Bahadur Chhetri 01 Feb 09 - 31 May 09
Sub Maj & Hony/Capt Mani Kumar Thapa 01 Jun 09 - 31 Oct 09
Sub Maj & Hony/Lt Manbir Gurung 01 Nov 09 - 31 Mar 10
Sub Maj & Hony/Capt Madan Kumar 01 Apr 10 - 28 Feb 11
Sub Maj Janak Bahadur Thapa 01 Mar 11 - 31 Dec 11
Sub Maj & Hony/Lt Chandra Bahadur Thapa 01 Jan 12 - 29 Feb 12
Sub Maj Lil Bahadur Thapa 01 Mar 12 - 30 Nov 12
Sub Maj & Hony/Lt Keshar Bahadur Chhetri, SM 01 Dec 12 - till date
REGIMENTAL SONG
8.
The 3 GR and 9 GR have separate regimental tunes based on
pre-independence Scottish tunes, the Colonels of both the Regiments
decided to adopt a common regimental song and march-past tune. The
song, ‘Aghi Barh Aghi Barh Veer Gorkha Daju Bhai’ was compiled by Major
Gopal Lal Sharma, 9 GR and the lyrics composed by Shri LB Gurung, ex
Director, Army Music School, Pachmarhi. The lyrics are as under:-
Aghi Barh aghi,
Veer Gorkha Daju Bhai,
Jhanda Uncha rakhnu chha
Untalis Gorkha lai !
Virta ko pardarshan garera
Vishwa yudh ladyon,
Gaja Dekhi France samma ra
Burma dekhi malayaon
Hamile fatah garyon pakhalyo
Ragat ko khukri,
Ahmedkhel ra Cassino ma aai !
Aghi Barh aghi,
Veer Gorkha Daju Bhai,
Jhanda Uncha rakhnu chha
Untalis Gorkha lai !
Shingo river valley ma ladi
Jeete Pirkanthi ra,
Burma ladi purvajharu le
Jeete Chindit pani
Marera pani amar chhan
Puran Bahadur, Jas Bahadur,
Major Wheeler ra Blaker pani
Aghi Barh aghi barh,
Veer Gorkha Daju Bhai,
Jhanda Uncha rakhnu chha
Untalis Gorkha lai !
Marera amar bhaye
Kulbir Thapa, Karna Bahadur
Sher Bahadur, VC
Lal Bahadur Mahavir bane,
Bayasath, painsath, ekattar
Vijay gare hami le,
Jammu-Kashmir, Kumarkhali
Bangla desh ma gayou !
Aghi Barh aghi barh,
Veer Gorkha Daju Bhai,
Jhanda Uncha rakhnu chha
Untalis Gorkha lai !
Nagahills ma Ashok Chakra
Jeetne Col Chitnis,
Bayasath ma MVC jeetne
Major Dogra,
Major Srikant Dogra ko
Anusharan garne chhon
Vishwa ko aglo ran bhumi
Siachin ma puge Chhon !
Aghi Barh aghi barh,
Veer Gorkha Daju Bhai,
Jhanda Uncha rakhnu chha
Untalis Gorkha lai !
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