The Jat Regiment
v.1.1 February 18, 2004
Mandeep Singh Bajwa and Ravi Rikhye
The Jat Regiment
Mandeep Singh Bajwa
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The Jat Regiment's class composition is 100% Jats from Haryana, Rajasthan, Delhi, and Uttar Pradesh except for 3 battalions whose ethnic make-up is as follows: -
12th – All India All Class
15th – The AJGAR Battalion recruiting Ahirs, Jats, Gujars and Rajputs the classes with a common heritage. This was done as an experimental measure to test whether the mixing of these inter-linked classes could lead to fulfillment of the dream of a section of the politico-bureaucratic hierarchy; a mixed Army. This perception is shared by some of the Army’s top brass also.
20th – One of the Vaidya Battalions. Raised as a knee-jerk measure by Gen. Vaidya the then Army Chief after the events of 1984 with a mixed class composition of Jats, Dogras, Garhwalis, and Marathas. Returned in 1998-99 to all-Jat composition.
Please see Note 1 for the battalion formerly numbered as 1 Jat Regiment.
|
Battalion |
Comments |
|
2 Battalion |
Name: Mooltan |
|
3 Battalion |
Name: Dograi |
|
4 Battalion |
Name: Asifwala |
|
5 Battalion |
Name: Ladakh |
|
6 Battalion |
|
|
7 Battalion |
|
|
8 Battalion |
Name: Poonchh |
|
9 Battalion |
Name: Chhamb |
|
11 Battalion |
See Note 2. |
|
12 Battalion |
|
|
14 Battalion |
Name: Comilla |
|
15 Battalion |
AJGAR battalion - See Note 3 |
|
16 Battalion |
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|
17 Battalion |
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|
18 Battalion |
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19 Battalion |
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|
20 Battalion |
See Note 4 |
|
21 Battalion |
|
|
114 Battalion |
Territorial Army |
5, 34, and 45 Rashtriya Rifles are affiliated to the Jat Regiment.
1. 1 (Royal) Jat (LI) was affiliated to the Mechanized Infantry Regiment in 1980 and became its 2nd Battalion. Its class composition now is All India All Class.
2. Originally raised as 31 Jat in 1968 as an ‘I’ Battalion on a special T/O for CI Ops in the North-East using specially selected personnel from the Jat Ret, Regiment, Sikh Regiment, Punjab Regiment, Dogra Regiment and Grenadiers. Converted to a standard infantry battalion in 1972. Now has an All India All Class Composition.
3. Called the AJGAR Battalion because it has a composition of Ahirs, Jats, Gujars and Rajputs.
4. A Vaidya Battalion, raised in 1985 with a class composition of Jats, Dogras, Marathas and Garhwalis.
Ever since the raising of the Regiment in 1922, the Regimental Center has been located at Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh.
More Details on the "Vaidya" Battalion
The Jat Regiment’s ‘Vaidya’ Battalion was raised on 27 February 1985 with a mixed class company composition of Jats, Dogras, Garhwalis, and Marathas. However, on 9 August 1998 orders were received for the re-organization of the Battalion as a 100% Jat unit. The following were the departures/arrivals:
Departures
1. Dogras to 19 Dogra
2. Garhwalis to 18 Garhwal Rifles. (This company, who proudly style themselves as the Garhwali Jats, took a stellar part in Operation Vijay, capturing Point 4700 and winning a number of gallantry awards.)
3. Marathas to the Maratha Light Infantry Regimental Center
Arrivals
1. Jats from 18 Garhwal Rifles
2. Jats from 10 Madras
3. The fourth rifle company was raised from personnel sent from the Center and other battalions.
The re-organization of the 20th Battalion as a pure Jat unit was complete was completed on 31 December 1999.