The Flag

From times immemorial man has waged war on his species. Each tribe, each clan and army rallied their men around a banner, which in times to come fluttered arrogantly above the battlefield to stir the soul to valour unknown. For our brave men it came to be known “The NISHAN”.

The Crests of the Kumaon and Naga Regiments

The Colonel of the Kumaon Regiment as far back as 1935, had forwarded to the Commander-in-Chief a unanimous proposal from battalion commanders that the name of the 19 HYDERABAD REGIMENT be changed to 19 KUMAON REGIMENT. Among the reasons given were that the Regiment no longer had any connection with Hyderabad , and with its existing name there was the tendency to look upon it as a down- country regiment; there was confusion when units of the Regiment were stationed alongside the HYDERABAD STATE INFANTRY and there was reluctance by new officers to join the Regiment.

After considering the various factors, the Government of India decided that the JATS in the 19 HYDERABAD REGIMENT should be transferred to the JAT Regiment and the GRENADIERS and their place taken by the KUMAONIS. The future class composition of the Regiment was to be 75% KUMAONIS and 25% AHIRS; at the same time, the name of the Regiment was changed, from 27 October 1945 . It was a momentous change and 27 October is observed throughout the Regiment every year as KUMAON DAY.

Soon after the change of name, a search began for a new crest. Many of the retired officers had naturally regretted the passing of the old name, but they were greatly heartened when a decision was taken to maintain a link with the past through the new crest by adopting the demi-rampant lion from Sir Henry Russell's family coat of arms. Originally, it had been proposed that the 'lion' should have a crown on its head, but due to the difficulty of balancing it securely, the idea was given up. The design of the badge, as we have it today, was agreed upon by February 1946; by November, officers could buy the new collar-dogs and cap-badges made by Hamilton 's of.

The NAGA REGIMENT though affiliated to the Kumaon Regiment was to have its own distinctive dress and its own flag. Both were finalized while the regiment was being established and trained at Ranikhet. The traditional Naga weapons of war, “the dah and the spear”, and the prestigious “Mithun” were integrated into the regimental crest. Red, the colour of authority among the Naga, was adopted as the colour of the backing. A Mithun head in relief was to adorn the buckle of the leather belt; and the Naga Regimental flag was to bear the regimental crest in gold on dark green background.

94th Russell's Infantry	98th Infantry	95th Russell's Infantry	19 HYDERABAD REGIMENT	96th Berar Infantry	-

Present Crests

THE KUMAON AND NAGA REGIMENT GREEN BERET,CREST ANDHACKLE. 3 PARA (KUMAON)	Rashtriya Rifle	111 Infantry Battalion TA	INS KHANJAR

COLOURS AND THEIR SIGNIFICANCE

You cannot choose your battlefield,The Gods do that for you,But you can plant a standard, Where a standard never flew.

- Nathala Crane

Present Colours

The Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces and President of India, Dr V V Giri Presented new Colours to The KUMAON Regiment at a solemn and inspiring ceremony at Ranikhet on 27th October 1970.

A cloth emblem tied to a pole, known as “Colour ( NISHAN)” was, in early days, the distinguishing mark of the leader of a class. It also served dual purpose of indicating his position, acting as a rallying point. With the adoption of regimentation, battalions were allowed to carry Flag or Colours of standard specifications. Regimental colours are, therefore, the symbol of the spirit of the Regiment. On them are emblazoned the sacred service, the battle honours and the regimental badge. The Colours are, in fact, a portable silken Regimental History, regarded in veneration and a source of pride to soldiers and ex-soldiers.

"Trooping the Colours", the origin of which goes back to several centuries of Army history, is a wonderful pageant and is one of the most picturesque of military ceremonies. The Colours, after service, are laid up in a sacred place, thus maintaining that atmosphere of veneration with which they are surrounded. Writing on Colours, Sir Edward Hamley describes the colours as under : -

A moth-eaten rag on a worm-eaten pole
It does not look likely to stir a man's soul
It is the deeds that were done beneath the moth-eaten rag
When the pole was a staff, and the rag was a flag.

From times immemorial man has waged war on his species. Each tribe, each clan and army rallied their men around a banner, which in times to come fluttered arrogantly above the battlefield to stir the soul to Valour unknown. For our brave men it came to be known The NISHAN. The presentation of Colours is a martial legacy centuries old. It is reminiscent of heroic deeds of by-gone battlefields, of honour upheld and immortal death revealed. Embellished by the honours of MAHIDPUR, NOWAH and BURMA, the first Colours were presented to the Regimental Centre on 23 February 1869, by Mr CB Saunders, the British Resident in Hyderabad . The Centre was then known as the 2nd Infantry Hyderabad Regiment. On 3 Mar 1908, new Colours were presented to 95 Russel's Infantry, after the old Colours were trooped off, to be mounted later by the Royal United Institution of London, and displayed in the Regimental Centre Officers Mess alongwith the King's Colours. Today, nothing is known about the whereabouts of the Regimental Colours. In 1922 when 95 Russell's Infantry was redesignated as the 10th battalion 19 Hyderabad Regiment and assigned the status of a Training Battalion, it was forbidden the possession of any Colours. Simultaneously, all the old Colours with active battalions were sent to the Training Battalion for safe custody.The day we became a Republic, the King's Colours with all the battalions were ordered to be laid up for posterity. At an impressive ceremony on 23 November 1950, the Colours of the Regimental Centre and the 1st, 2nd and 4th Battalions were handed over to Maj Gen KS Thimayya, Commandant of the Indian Military Academy, for their final resting place in the venerable galleries of CHETWODE HALL.

After Independence, the 4th Battalion was the first unit in the Indian Army to receive the Colours from late President Dr. Rajendra Prasad on 8 April 1961, when Capt (later Maj Gen) DPS Raghuvanshi, received the Colours on behalf of his Battalion. Our new Colours were presented by the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces and President of India, Dr VV Giri at Ranikhet on 27th October 1970 . The rich emblazoned Battle Honours on the bottle green silken flag, glimmered below the Ashoka Lions atop the wreathed Russels Lion, ramping above the Regimental by words "Parakramo Vijayate" or Valour Triumphs. The colours are a repertoire of our luminous past. Every new Colour of our Regiment has flaunted Battle Honours affirming our resolute determination to win more laurels. The laudable performance of our battalions in all the battles bear ample testimony to our endeavor of promise for tomorrow.

Old Colours

8 INFANTRY NIZAM'S ARMY	5 HYDERABAD CONTINGENT	3 REGIMENT INFANTRY HYDERABAD CONTNGENT	3 HYDERABAD CONTINGENT

4/19 HYDERABAD REGIMENT	97 DECCAN INFANTRY	99 DECCAN INFANTRY