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37 Field Regiment (India)

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37 (Coorg) Field Regiment
Active1794 – 1946 (as an infantry unit)
1946 – present (as an artillery unit)
Allegiance British India
 India
Branch British Indian Army
Indian Army
Type Artillery
SizeRegiment
Motto(s)Sarvatra, Izzat-O-Iqbal (Everywhere with Honour and Glory)
Now or never
ColorsRed & Navy Blue
Anniversaries18 October – Raising day
Insignia
Abbreviation37 Fd Regt

37 (Coorg) Field Regiment is part of the Regiment of Artillery of the Indian Army.

Formation and history

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The regiment traces its origins to 18 October 1794, when the present-day 4th Battalion of the Madras Regiment was raised by Captain E Tolfry as 33rd Madras Native Infantry. Its successor unit, the 1st (Territorial) Battalion of 83rd Wallajahabad Light Infantry became 14/3rd Madras Regiment in 1922; 14th Battalion, 1st Madras Pioneers in 1928, 14th Coorg Battalion in 1929 and 1st Coorg Battalion in 1942.[1][2][3] 14th Coorg Battalion recruited men from the Kodavas or the Coorgies community. The Coorgies are a martial community concentrated in present-day Kodagu district of Karnataka.[4][5]

1st Coorg Battalion was raised as a garrison battalion by converting the 14th Coorg Battalion, Indian Territorial Force on 1 June 1942.[6] Like the former infantry unit from Coorg, the 71st Coorg Rifles, it had a badge incorporating crossed Coorg knives. It performed internal security duties in the Deccan area through March 1945. The unit was sent to Burma and became Army Troops in the Arakan in March 1945. From May 1945 to August 1945, it served under No. 1 Area, Rangoon under the Headquarters, 12th Army.[7] On 31 July 1946, the infantry unit was converted to an artillery unit and named 10th Indian Anti-Tank Regiment RIA at Secunderabad. On 10 February 1947, it was re-designated as 37 Coorg Anti-Tank Regiment RIA.[8] Following the partition of India, the regiment was allotted to the Indian Army.[4][9] The regiment was converted to 37 (Coorg) Heavy Mortar Regiment on 11 April 1956; to 37 (Coorg) Light Regiment (Towed) on 11 April 1965; to 37 (Coorg) Medium Regiment on 16 March 1973, and finally designated a field regiment on 13 July 2006. It presently consists of 41, 42 and 43 field batteries.

Operations

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The regiment has taken part in the following operations -

Pre-independence
Post-independence

Equipment

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The regiment has used the following weapon systems, since it has become an artillery regiment -

Gallantry awards

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The regiment has won the following gallantry awards–

Class composition and culture

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During its early years, the regiment had recruits only from the Kodava community from Coorg. With a fall in numbers, the unit now consists of soldiers from all four south Indian states.[4][17] Despite the low number of recruits from Coorg in the present day, the unit maintains a lot of traditions linked to the community. They include[4][18][19]

  • The official residence of the commanding officer of the unit is called Mercara house, named after the Mercara town (present day Madikeri ) in the Coorg.
  • On the regiment's raising day, all officers and non-commissioned officers of the unit wear the traditional dress – Kupya Chale. The Kupya is a collarless, thick, short-sleeved, knee length coat and the Chale is a maroon gold-embroidered silk sash which is worn around the waist to secure the Kupya.
  • During ceremonial functions, the officers wear a Pichangatti or Peeche Kathi, which is an ornamental dagger indigenous to the Kodava community. The Pichangatti is usually tucked under the chale. When a new commanding officer takes over, the Pichangatti is handed over as a sign of change in command (instead of the ‘Change of Baton’ as practiced in other artillery units).
  • The ladies of the regiment wear Kodava Podiya or the Kodagu style of draping of the saree.
  • The unit as part of its tradition takes part in the annual hockey tournament in Kodagu.[20]

War cry

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The river Cauvery is an integral part of the Kodava culture. Kodagu is the birthplace of Cauvery, a river that local Kodavas consider sacred, and thus reflected in its war cry. The war cry of the regiment is कावेरी माता की जय (Cauvery Mata ki Jai) which translates to Hail Mother Cauvery.[4]

Affiliation

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The 37 Field Regiment (Coorg) was affiliated with Madras Regiment in 2014.[21]

Notable officers

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "4th Battalion The Madras Regiment". Retrieved 2024-03-01.
  2. ^ Adams, Lt Col EG Phythian (1948). The Madras Soldier 1746-1946. The Superintendent Government Of Madras. p. 179.
  3. ^ Adams, Lt Col EG Phythian (1943). Madras Infantry 1748-1943. The Superintendent, Government Of Madras. p. 130.
  4. ^ a b c d e "Martial community whose lineage is intertwined with army regiment". 2021-08-24. Retrieved 2024-02-28.
  5. ^ Hema, MA; Singh, Jitendra Kumar (January 2021). "Contribution of Kodavas to the Indian Armed Forces". Defence Life Science Journal. 6: 16–19. doi:10.14429/dlsj.6.16669.
  6. ^ Gaylor, John (1992). Sons of John Company: The Indian and Pakistan Armies 1903–1991. Stroud: Spellmount Publishers Ltd. p. 139. ISBN 978-0-946771-98-1.
  7. ^ a b Kirby, Major General S Woodburn (1969). The War Against Japan: Volume 5: The Surrender of Japan. Her Majesty’s Stationery Office. p. 531.
  8. ^ Adams, EG Phythian (1948). The Madras Soldier 1746-1946. The Superintendent Government Of Madras. p. 193.
  9. ^ Bhatia, HS (2008). Military History of British India 1607 - 1947. Deep & Deep Publications, New Delhi. p. 28. ISBN 978-8184500790.
  10. ^ "Official history" (PDF). Retrieved 2024-02-29.
  11. ^ "Gunner G K Palathingal". Retrieved 2024-02-29.
  12. ^ Singh, Jagjit (1994). Indian Gunners at War: The Western Front 1971. Spantech & Lancer. p. 104. ISBN 978-1897829554.
  13. ^ Singh, Jagjit (2006). While Memory is Fresh. Lancer Publishers, New Delhi. pp. 230–232. ISBN 978-8170622154.
  14. ^ "Amar-Jawan - A database of Indian Armed Forces Martyrs 1947-1997". Retrieved 2024-02-29.
  15. ^ "Gazette of India, No 19, page 351" (PDF). 2008-05-10. Retrieved 2023-06-07.
  16. ^ "Acts of Gallantry : Kirti Chakra Awardees". 2008-01-25. Retrieved 2023-06-07.
  17. ^ Gautam, PK (2016). Indigenous Historical Knowledge: Kautilya and His Vocabulary, Volume III. IDSA/Pentagon Press. p. 156. ISBN 978-81-8274-909-2.
  18. ^ "Coorgis". 2022-07-01. Retrieved 2024-02-28.
  19. ^ "Call To Youths To Join 37 Coorg Medium Regiment". 2021-04-14. Retrieved 2024-02-29.
  20. ^ "Kodagu Set For Family Hockey Festival". 2023-03-17. Retrieved 2024-02-29.
  21. ^ "37 Field Regiment (Coorg) affiliated with Madras Regiment". 2014-12-05. Retrieved 2024-02-28.
  22. ^ "Former COAS Gen. O P Malhotra passes away". 2015-12-29. Retrieved 2024-02-28.
  23. ^ Nanda, Lt Gen KK (2014). War With No Gains. Prabhat Prakashan. p. 8. ISBN 978-8184302417.