| 37 (Coorg) Field Regiment | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1794 – 1946 (as an infantry unit) 1946 – present (as an artillery unit) |
| Allegiance |  British India  India |
| Branch |  British Indian Army  Indian Army |
| Type |  Artillery |
| Size | Regiment |
| Motto(s) | Sarvatra, Izzat-O-Iqbal (Everywhere with Honour and Glory) Now or never |
| Colors | Red & Navy Blue |
| Anniversaries | 18 October – Raising day |
| Insignia | |
| Abbreviation | 37 Fd Regt |
37 (Coorg) Field Regiment is part of the Regiment of Artillery of the Indian Army.
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.
The regiment has taken part in the following operations -
The regiment has used the following weapon systems, since it has become an artillery regiment -
The regiment has won the following gallantry awards–
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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 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]
The 37 Field Regiment (Coorg) was affiliated with Madras Regiment in 2014. [21]
Kodagu district is an administrative district in the Karnataka state of India. Before 1956, it was an administratively separate Coorg State, at which point it was merged into an enlarged Mysore State.
39th Indian Infantry Division was an infantry division of the Indian Army during World War II, which became a training division in 1943 after its recovery into India from Burma. The division was re-raised after independence and 39 Mountain Division is presently located in Palampur, Himachal Pradesh under XVI Corps.
The Kodava people or Kodavas or Codavas are an ethno-linguistic group from the region of Kodagu in the southern Indian state of Karnataka, who natively speak the Kodava language. They are traditionally land-owning agriculturists and patrilineal, with martial customs. Kodavas worship ancestors and weapons. They used to worship swords, bows, arrows and later guns. Hence, Kodavas are the only ones in India permitted to carry firearms without a license.
The Madras Regiment is the oldest infantry regiment of the Indian Army, originating in the 1750s as a unit of the British East India Company. The regiment took part in numerous campaigns with the British Indian Army and the post-independence Indian Army.
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Rao Bahadur Pemmanda K. Monnappa was a police officer of South India. He served in three Southern states, Madras, Hyderabad and Mysore (Karnataka), at different times. However, he is to be best remembered for his contributions towards the integration of Hyderabad into the Union. Monnappa had a career in the Public Service reflected by his titles and medals.
The 66th Punjabis was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was raised in 1761 as the 7th Battalion of Coast Sepoys. It was designated as the 66th Punjabis in 1903 and became 2nd Battalion 1st Punjab Regiment in 1922. In 1947, it was allocated to the Pakistan Army, where it continues to exist as 2nd Battalion The Punjab Regiment.
The 71st Coorg Rifles was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. Established in 1767, it had a long history as a Madrasi unit but in 1902 enlistment was changed in an attempt to trial the employment of Coorg tribesmen in the Indian Army.
Nadikerianda Chinnappa (1875–1931) was an Indian compiler, poet, translator, army man, police officer, cricket player, singer and philanthropist from Kodagu.
The Coorg War was fought between the British East India Company and the State of Coorg in 1834. Defiance of the Raja of Coorg, a small state in South India, led to a short but bloody campaign in 1834. In February 1834, a force of 7,000 was assembled under the command of Brigadier General Lindsay to commence operations against the Raja, who had begun hostilities against the British. Due to the poor state of roads, the force was divided into four columns, which were to enter Coorg from different directions and converge on the capital of Mercara. On 11 March, the Northern Division under the command of Colonel Gilbert Waugh entered the territory of Coorg and on 3 April, the leading troops made contact with the enemy. At noon, the advanced guard arrived in front of the fortified position of Soamwar Pettah. The force launched an attack on the position but was forced to retreat after a severe mauling. The leader of the Coorg resistance at was 'Madanta' (Mathanda) Appachu. Similar fate was suffered by another column.
Coorg Province was a province of British India from 1834 to 1947 and the Dominion of India from 1947 to 1950. Mercara was the capital of the province. It was administered by a Commissioner and later, Chief Commissioner appointed by the Government of India. The Chief Commissioner, was usually based in Bangalore. From 1834 to 1881, the Chief Commissioner, was also the Commissioner of Mysore. From 1881 to 1940, the Chief Commissioner was usually the British Resident to the princely state of Mysore.
The St. Mark's Church, is located within the Mercara Fort, Coorg, India and was raised in 1859, by the officers and men of the East India Company. The church building was funded by the Government of Madras, and placed under the Church of England in India, Diocese of Madras. The Church was closed after Indian independence, and taken over by the Government of Karnataka in 1971. The building now houses the Madikeri Fort Museum, managed by the Karnataka State Archaeological Department.
1841 Light Regiment is a regiment which is part of the Regiment of Artillery of the Indian Army.
Lieutenant General Biddanda Chengappa Nanda, PVSM, AVSM was born on 12 May 1931 in Madikeri, Kodagu. His early childhood was spent on the Andaman Islands where his father was a Forest Officer. He completed his schooling at Doon School, Dehradun.
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[Category:Indian World War II regiments]]