Army Vice Chief Lt Gen SK Singh, who is also the ‘President of the Gorkha Brigade’, unveiled the flag of Sikkim Scouts Today at Lucknow. This new battalion will form part of 11 Gorkha Rifles & will be raised at 11 GRRC, Lucknow.
On this occasion the Lt Gen Singh unveiled the flag & handed it over to the battalion’s first commanding officer. The battalion will permanently be located in the high altitude and rugged terrain of Sikkim. This battalion is raised on ‘Sons of Soils’ concept to guard the nation’s frontiers. Based on this concept the Indian Army already has Ladakh Scouts, Dogra Scouts, Garhwal Scouts, Kumaon Scouts & the Arunachal Scouts.
The raising ceremony was followed by a talk by the Army Vice Chief to the 319 Sikkimese recruits & the core group which has assembled to train the new entrants. It is after nearly 50 years that a new battalion has been raised as part of the Gorkha Brigade. The Lt Gen Singh exhorted all present to work hard and lay a solid foundation. He remarked that other troops will stay for 2-3 years in these altitudes and then withdraw, but the Scouts will be permanently there. He said that the men have been selected since they are locals, understand the language and are fully acclimatized and are hardy. He remarked that a new beginning has been made & the Sikkim Scouts must live up to the reputation of the fabled Scouts of Indian Army.