8th BATTALION THE SIKH LIGHT INFANTRY CELEBRATES GOLDEN JUBILEE OF ITS RAISING
India News Centre,Jalandhar : 8th Battalion The Sikh Light Infantry (Fatehpur) celebrated Golden Jubilee of its raising amidst regimental fervor and fanfare. The celebrations were held from 29 March to 30 March 2019. The 8th Battalion of Sikh Light Infantry was raised at Meerut on 01 Jun 1966. Just completing five yrs of its raising, the young battalion had got its maiden chance to draw first blood during Indo-Pak War of 1971. During the war, the unit distinguished itself by capturing the Pakistani ‘Fatehpur’ Post in Western Sector. In this battle, the battalion fought its maiden action in a heroic style and had come of age. For displaying daunting courage & achieving a triumphant victory, 8 SIKH LI was bestowed with Battle Honour “FATEHPUR” & Theater Honour “PUNJAB”.
The journey of 50 years of the battalion indeed has a golden history of rich battle field experience, valour and professionalism. The blood and sweat of the brave soldiers of the unit has won it unparalleled laurels.
In honour of those who laid down their lives in the services to the Nation, the celebrations commenced with a Wreath Laying Ceremony. Lt Gen Devraj Anbu, Vice Chief of Army Staff and Col of The SIKH LI Regt addressed the gallant soldiers and veterans of the battalion while Mrs Gowri Anbu, Vice President AWWA, felicitated all Veer Naris of the Battalion. The unit being in Punjab and also under the same formation under which it earned Battle Honour & Theatre Honour, the event was graced by a large number of Veterans, Senior Serving Officers, Junior Commissioned Officers and Other Ranks, Veer Naris and Next of Kins of the Martyrs of the Battalion.
8 SIKH LI is one of the youngest battalion of Indian Army, which has earned the coveted ‘Battle Honour’ and ‘Theatre Honour’ under dynamic leadership of the then Commanding Officer, Lt Col (Later Maj Gen) HC Pathak, who was awarded the prestigious Maha Vir Chakra (MVC), country’s second highest gallantry award in face of enemy, during 1971 war on the Western Front. 48 Years after the heroic victory over the adversary, Mrs Pathak, wife of (Late) Maj Gen HC Pathak presented the original Maha Vir Chakra awarded to her husband to Fatehpur Paltan in presence of approx 1000 soldiers and Veterans of the battalion during the Special Sainik Sammelan. This Presentation Ceremony being an historic event carved by the blood and sweat of the veterans carried lot of sentiments and would go down in the annals of history to be cherished generations after generations.
The battalion also inaugurated bust of Late Maj Gen HC Pathak at the hands of Mrs Pathak and bust of 2nd Lt HP Nayyar, VrC (posthumous) (One of the Vir Chakra of Battle of Fatehpur) at the hands of Mr Dharam Pal brother of 2nd Lt HP Nayyar, VrC. One more trophy as a tribute to battalion’s glorious journey of 50 years was also unveiled. Lt Gen Arvind Dutta, GOC Vajra Corps, Maj Gen KS Brar, GOC Panther Division and Maj Gen Rajeev Thapar, GOC, Ram Division were also part of the august gathering.