Punjab Regiment & 1st Battalion Parachute Regiment (Special Forces)

The Punjab Regiment is one of the oldest infantry Regiments of the Indian Army. The ancestral units of the Punjab Regiment were formed out of the erstwhile Coastal Sepoys, which were later known as Carnatic Battalions and then Madras Battalions. The first battalions were raised between 1761 and 1798. Disaggregation of units and underwent many changes in subsequent years and got redesignated as the 67th, 69th, 72nd, 74th and 87th Punjab in 1903. These battalions later came to be known as 2nd Punjab Regiment and recruitment for all these battalions was confined to areas of Punjab.

1 PARA (SF) raised as 8th Battalion Coast Sepoys in 1761 at Trichonopoly underwent various changes to be designated as 7th Carnatic, 7th Madras Native Infantry, 67th Punjab, 1/2nd Punjab Regiment, and 1st Battalion, Punjab Regiment. In 1952 it was converted to 1 PARA (PUNJAB) and later to 1 PARA (COMMANDO) in 1978. It earned the unique distinction of being converted to SPECIAL FORCES and was redesignated as 1 PARA(SPECIAL FORCES) in 1996.

As a result of reorganization carried out in 1922, the battalions were renumbered as 1/2nd, 2/2nd, 3/2nd, 4/2nd, 5/2nd and 10/2nd Punjab respectively as part of the 2nd Punjab Regiment. In addition, a new unit was raised as the Training Battalion.

During World War II, seven more battalions were raised and numbered as 6, 7, 8, 25, 26 and 27 PUNJAB respectively. The Training Battalion was also expanded to meet the heavy demand and became 1st Regimental Centre. The original Training Battalion was changed to the 2nd Punjab Regiment Centre in 1940 and redesignated as the Punjab Regiment Centre after independence. During 1953, PEPSU (Patiala & East Punjab Union) state Forces i.e., Jind, Nabha Akal and Patiala Battalions were merged in the Punjab Regiment. The Regiment also has the honour of giving its 1st Battalion to Para Regiment, 2nd Battalion to the Brigade of Guards and 7th Battalion to Mechanised Infantry.

The Regiment has the proud privilege of earning 35 pre-independence battle honours and 41 post-independence battle honours besides eight COAS unit citations and 13 Army Commander Unit citations. A highly decorated Regiment with 747 pre-independence awards 1388 post-independence awards with six PVSM, eighteen MVC, eleven KC, two UYSM, Nine AVSM, fifty eight VrC and fifty five SC.

The Regiment insignia is a Galley, an ancient Greek or Roman warship. It is perhaps the only Infantry Regiment with an insignia of a naval vessel in the world. Regimental Centre is at Ramgarh Cantt (Jharkhand).

India Post is happy to issue a Commemorative Postage Stamp on THE PUNJAB REGIMENT & 1 PARA (SF) (1 PUNJAB).