149-750: Gobindgarh Fort is a historic military fort located in the center of the city of Amritsar in the Indian state of Punjab . The Fort was until recently occupied by the Indian Army , but was opened to the public on 10 February 2017. Today the fort is being developed as a museum and theme park , as a repository of Punjab’s history. Popularly known as the Bhangian da Killa (fort of the Bhangis) after its 18th- century founder belonging to Bhangi Misl of Dhillon Jats rulers. Maharaja Ranjit Singh renamed it in
298-450: A coin minting house. Artilleries was also produced at the fort. Raja Dhian Singh, a minister in the court of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, had his residence at the fort. The fort held the grand wedding of Prince Nau Nihal Singh (the grandson of Maharaja Ranjit Singh) in 1837. The fort also had a watch tower which was fifty meters tall and completed in 1874. It was later demolished by the Indian Army after independence. Punjabi government gave
447-532: A hot semi-arid climate (Köppen BSh ) bordering on a monsoon-influenced humid subtropical climate ( Cwa ). Temperatures in Amritsar usually range from −1 to 45 °C (30 to 113 °F). It experiences four primary seasons: winter (December to March), when temperatures can drop to −1 °C (30 °F); summer (April to June), when temperatures can reach 45 °C (113 °F); monsoon (July to September); and post-monsoon (October to November). Annual rainfall
596-542: A thrust absorption wall in case of cannonball attacks. The flat terrain and the improved European artillery posed a greater threat and a challenge for the working of this fort. Maharaja Ranjit Singh had raised a Fuaz-i-khas with the help of the French Military officers by the year 1823. Along with the French warfare techniques, these officers brought along with them French contemporary fortification systems to support
745-460: A System ( F-INSAS ), and is also upgrading and acquiring new assets for its armoured, artillery, and aviation branches. Until the independence of India , the "Indian Army" was a British-commanded force defined as "the force recruited locally and permanently based in India, together with its expatriate British officers"; the "British Army in India" referred to British Army units posted to India for
894-526: A crowd of about 50,000 marching to protest these arrests to the deputy commissioner. The crowd, however, was stopped by British colonial forces and fired upon near the railway foot-bridge. The official version reported that the number of casualties were 12 dead and between 20 and 30 wounded. Based on evidence presented to an inquiry of the Indian National Congress, fatalities were reported as between 20 and 30. Three days later, on 13 April,
1043-478: A crucial tactical and strategic advantage over India. On 20 October, Chinese soldiers attacked India from both the northwest and northeast; and captured large portions of Aksai Chin and Arunachal Pradesh. As the fighting moved beyond disputed territories, China called on the Indian government to negotiate; however, India remained determined to regain lost territory. With no agreement in sight, China unilaterally withdrew its forces from Arunachal Pradesh. The reasons for
1192-409: A domical capital. The two chambers have low vaulted roofs covered by a single vault above them—a double vault system. The 1.5m thick walls and vaults are constructed with Nanak shahi bricks in lime mortar. No evidence of original flooring can be seen Maharaja Ranjit Singh announced MislBeli Ram is in charge of Toshkhana in 1813 A.D. Adjacent to a building wall, rooms were built to accommodate soldiers. On
1341-734: A hydrogen bomb, which Pakistan lacked. Diplomatic tensions eased after the Lahore Summit was held in 1999. However, the sense of optimism was short-lived. In mid-1999, Pakistani paramilitary forces and Kashmiri insurgents captured the deserted, but strategic, Himalayan heights in the Kargil district of India. These had been vacated by the Indian Army during the onset of the inhospitable winter and were to be reoccupied in spring. The troops that took control of these areas received important support, of both arms and supplies, from Pakistan. Some of
1490-664: A major component of national power, alongside the Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force . The independent Indian army has been involved in four wars with neighbouring Pakistan and one with China . Other major operations undertaken by the army include Operation Vijay , Operation Meghdoot , and Operation Cactus . The army has conducted large peacetime exercises such as Operation Brasstacks and Exercise Shoorveer, and it has also been an active participant in numerous United Nations peacekeeping missions . The Indian Army
1639-667: A major refugee crisis there. In early 1971, India declared its full support for the Bengali freedom fighters, known as Mukti Bahini , and Indian agents were extensively involved in covert operations to aid them. On 20 November 1971, the Indian Army moved 14 Punjab Battalion of the 45th Cavalry regiment, into Garibpur, a strategically important town in East Pakistan, near India's border, and successfully captured it . The following day, more clashes took place between Indian and Pakistani forces. Wary of India's growing involvement in
SECTION 10
#17327754302981788-435: A month-long skirmish, both Indian Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi and Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan agreed on a peace offer on 22 March 2019 ending hostilities and vowed to fight against terrorism together. India has been the largest troop contributor to UN peacekeeping missions since its inception. So far, India has taken part in 43 Peacekeeping missions, with a total contribution exceeding 160,000 troops and
1937-442: A new town, and to create a man-made pool as its central point. After the coronation Guru Ram Das in 1574, who faced hostile opposition from the sons of Guru Amar Das, he founded the town; it was named after him as "Ramdaspur". He first completed the pool, and built his new official Guru centre and home next to it. He invited merchants and artisans from other parts of India to settle into the new town with him. The town expanded during
2086-592: A permanent military presence in the region. However, beginning in the 1950s, Pakistan began sending mountaineering expeditions to the glacier. By the early 1980s, the Government of Pakistan was granting special expedition permits to mountaineers and United States Army maps showed Siachen as a part of Pakistan. This practice gave rise to the term oropolitics . India, possibly irked by these developments, launched Operation Meghdoot in April 1984. An entire battalion of
2235-589: A princely state under the rule of the Nizam of Hyderabad , chose to remain independent. The ensuing stand-off between the Government of India and the Nizam ended on 12 September 1948, when India's then Deputy Prime Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel ordered Indian troops to secure Hyderabad State. During five days of fighting, the Indian Army, backed by an Indian Air Force squadron of Hawker Tempest aircraft, routed
2384-680: A proclamation announcing that it is the "aim and intention of British policy to confer self-government on India at an early date". On 10 April 1919, Satya Pal and Saifuddin Kitchlew, two popular proponents of the Satyagraha movement led by Gandhi, were called to the deputy commissioner's residence. There they were arrested and transported by car to Dharamsetla, a hill town, now in Himachal Pradesh. A general strike arose in response in Amritsar. Excited groups of citizens soon merged into
2533-606: A semi-historical Sikh hagiographic text likely composed in 1741. It is the earliest known document dealing with the lives of all the ten Gurus. In 1762 and 1766–1767, Ahmad Shah of the Durrani Empire invaded the Sikh Confederacy . He besieged Amritsar, massacred the populace, and destroyed the city. During the reign of the Sikh Empire , in 1822 Maharaja Ranjit Singh fortified the city, starting from
2682-628: A series of failed negotiations, the People's Liberation Army attacked Indian Army positions on the Thag La ridge. This move by China caught India by surprise, and on 12 October Nehru gave orders for the Chinese to be expelled from Aksai Chin. However, poor coordination among various divisions of the Indian Army, and the late decision to mobilise the Indian Air Force in vast numbers, gave China
2831-440: A service staircase is also present to the west side, but its year of construction cannot be determined. The design of the quarters was such that, all four quarters had individual entry and a verandah at the rear. Each quarter had 2-3 small habitable rooms. A cook house and 8 servant’s quarters are also recorded to have been in existence, although their evidence on site in the present context cannot be verified. According to records, it
2980-437: A significant number of police personnel having been deployed. In 2014, India was the third largest troop contributor (TCC), with 7,860 personnel deployed, of which 995 were police personnel, including the first UN Female Formed Police Unit , serving with ten UN peacekeeping missions. As of 30 June 2014 , 157 Indians have been killed during such missions. The Indian army has also provided paramedical units to facilitate
3129-689: A total of 150-190 tanks during the conflict. The decision to return to pre-war positions, following the Tashkent Declaration , caused an outcry in New Delhi. It was widely believed that India's decision to accept the ceasefire was due to political factors, not military, since it was facing considerable pressure from the United States and the United Nations to cease hostilities. The 1967 Sino-Indian skirmish, also known as
SECTION 20
#17327754302983278-733: A tour of duty. The "Army of India" meant the combined Indian Army and the British Army in India. In 1776, a Military Department was created within the government of the East India Company at Calcutta . Its main function was to record orders that were issued to the army by various departments of the East India Company for the territories under its control. With the Charter Act of 1833, the Secretariat of
3427-524: A typical colonial feature to guard against the tropical heat. The building was used as a mess hall and barracks for officers (OR’s). The thick, Sikh period North-South walls are constructed of Nanak shahi bricks in lime mortar, whereas the British period walls are of nana shahi bricks in mud mortar. The original flooring is unknown, however in British times it was converted to cement concrete. The original masonry vault roofing, typical to Sikh period buildings,
3576-440: A very high conical building (suggested in accordance to similar contemporary buildings). It is a retaining high plinth supported by an outer masonry wall and highly ornate masonry buttress. These circular buttresses have a broader capital with three cornice bands of masonry. This projecting cornice band continues all over the circular wall at the plinth level. It has a mud infill with Nanak shahi bricks in lime mortar. The details of
3725-542: A viewing platform for the parade of the troops and for ceremonial purposes. The bungalow around it was built for the fort commander, with bricks recycled from the earlier Sikh Building. The fort earlier had eight watch towers. Imam-ul-din (younger brother of the Foreign Minister of Lahore Kingdom) of fakir family of Lahore was in-charge of this fort. He was succeeded by his Taj-Ud-din as the Qiladar. The fort housed
3874-559: A wall at Katra Maha Singh area. Among the Katras (fortified residential societies) constructed by Maharaja Ranjit Singh within the city were the following: Later, Sher Singh continued with construction of the city wall, adding twelve gates. He also had built a fort named Dhoor Kot ; its fortification were yards broad and 7 yards high. The circumference of the walled city was around five miles. The twelve gates constructed during this era were known as (including later renamings): When
4023-419: A wooden railing, leads to the upper floor. Although the ground floor could have been a hospital, the upper floor—with a huge hall and oval, glazed ornamental ventilators—does not conform to this type of use. The floor’s use and its period of construction are undetermined. With four fireplaces, it is a huge public hall that reflects a celebratory mood. The walls are of Nanak shahi bricks with mud mortar, although it
4172-517: Is a major cultural, transportation and economic centre. The city is the administrative headquarters of the Amritsar district . It is situated 217 km (135 mi) north-west of Chandigarh , and 455 km (283 mi) north-west of New Delhi . It is 28 km (17.4 mi) from the India-Pakistan border , and 47 km (29 mi) north-east of Lahore , Pakistan . According to
4321-542: Is about 726.0 millimetres (28.6 in). The lowest recorded temperature is −3.6 °C (25.5 °F), was recorded on 9 December 1996 and the highest temperature, 48.0 °C (118.4 °F), was recorded on 23 May 2013. The official weather station for the city is the civil aerodrome at Rajasansi . Weather records here date back to 15 November 1947. Amritsar has been ranked 39th best “National Clean Air City” (under Category 1 >10L Population cities) in India according to 'Swachh Vayu Survekshan 2024 Results' As of
4470-566: Is also known for Amritsari food, and wooden chessboards and the chess pieces manufacturing industry. The Bhagwan Valmiki Tirath Sthal situated at Amritsar is believed to be the ashram site of Maharishi Valmiki , the writer of the Ramayana . As per the Ramayana, Sita gave birth to Lava and Kusha , sons of Rama at Ramtirath ashram. Numerous people visit Ramtirath Temple, Located 12 Km west of Amritsar on Chogawan road, dates back to
4619-869: Is being spent to expand the Amritsar- Jalandhar stretch of G.T. Road to four lanes. In 2010, elevated road with four lanes connected to the National highway for better access to the Golden Temple has been started. Amritsar has a bus rapid transit service, the Amritsar Metrobus which was launched on 28 January 2019. 93 fully air-conditioned Tata Marcopolo buses are used for the service connecting places like Following cities are Sister Cities of Amritsar: Indian Army 1 April 1895 ; 129 years ago ( 1895-04-01 ) ( as British Indian Army ) The Indian Army
Gobindgarh Fort - Misplaced Pages Continue
4768-653: Is celebrated on 15 January every year in India, in recognition of Lieutenant General K. M. Cariappa 's taking over as the first "Indian" Chief of the Army Staff and Commander-in-Chief, Indian Army from General Sir Roy Bucher , on 15 January 1949. With effect from 26 January 1950, the date India became a republic, all active-duty Indian Army officers formerly holding the King's Commission were recommissioned and confirmed in their substantive ranks. Immediately after independence, tensions between India and Pakistan erupted into
4917-588: Is important to note that special bricks (especially cast bricks with beveled edges) were used in columns and plinth etc. the floors were of cement concrete. The verandahs had interesting wooden louvers and rails with bracings to guard against the tropical heat. Remnants of a pulley system indicate that curtains were installed for the same purpose. The roofing and intermediate floor were a system of wooden beams (specially carved edges) resting on wooden brackets, wooden purlins and brick tiles with mud infill terracing. The building’s columns may have had exposed gauge work, while
5066-640: Is located at 31°38′N 74°52′E / 31.63°N 74.87°E / 31.63; 74.87 with an average elevation of 234 metres (768 ft) in the Majha region of the state of Punjab in North India and lies about 15 miles (24 km) east of the border with Pakistan . Administrative towns includes Ajnala , Attari , Beas , Budha Theh , Chheharta Sahib , Jandiala Guru , Majitha , Rajasansi , Ramdass , Rayya , Verka Town and Baba Bakala . Typically for Northwestern India, Amritsar has
5215-469: Is named after Hari Singh Nalwa . Keller Gate is the back entrance. A tunnel runs towards Lahore . There were 25 cannons, originally, in the fort. The three bastions connected through a rampart depict positive values in the structure of a common thread. These include the spiritual basis for martial traditions, a multi-cultural ethos, progressive, creative and pragmatic perspective, resistance to tyranny and protection to weak. The buttresses can be functioning as
5364-633: Is the land-based branch and largest component of the Indian Armed Forces . The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Army, and its professional head is the Chief of Army Staff (COAS). The Indian Army was established on 1 April 1895 alongside the long established presidency armies of the East India Company , which too were absorbed into it in 1903. Some princely states maintained their own armies which formed
5513-762: Is the 12th busiest airport in the country in terms of international traffic. It serves Amritsar and several other districts in Punjab and neighbouring states. Amritsar Junction railway station is the main station serving Amritsar. It is the busiest railway station in Indian state of Punjab and one of the highest revenue-generating station of Northern Railways . Due to high traffic at the Amritsar Junction railway station , Indian Railways has planned to develop two satellite stations-Chheharta and Bhagtanwala, in order to decongest traffic at this station. As many as 6 trains would be shifted to Chheharta railway station in
5662-483: Is the economic capital of Punjab. It is a major tourist centre with nearly a hundred thousand daily visitors. The city has been chosen as one of the heritage cities for the Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY) program of the Government of India . It is home of the Golden Temple , one of Sikhism religion's most spiritually significant and most-visited gurudwaras . The city
5811-458: Is the main religion of the Amritsar city at 49.36% of the population, followed by Sikhism (48.00%), Christianity (1.23%), and Islam (0.51%). Around 0.9% of the population of the city stated 'No Particular Religion' or other religion. Amritsar is the holiest city in Sikhism and about 30 million people visit it each year for pilgrimage. Languages spoken in Amritsar city (2011) At the time of
5960-435: The 2011 census , Amritsar municipality had a population of 1,159,227. The municipality had a sex ratio of 884 females per 1,000 males and 119,592 (10.32%) of the population were under six years old, with the child sex ratio being 826 females per 1000 males. Literacy was 83.81%; male literacy was 86.52% and female literacy was 80.76%. The scheduled caste population is 21.76%. According to 2011 Census of India , Hinduism
6109-527: The CBI is considered responsible for seizing historical artefacts and manuscripts in the Sikh Reference Library before burning it down. Four months after the operation, on 31 October 1984, Indira Gandhi was assassinated by two of her Sikh bodyguards in what is viewed as an act of vengeance. Following her assassination, more than 17,000 Sikhs were killed in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots . Amritsar
Gobindgarh Fort - Misplaced Pages Continue
6258-839: The Cho La incident , was a military conflict between Indian troops and members of the Chinese People's Liberation Army who, on 1 October 1967, invaded Sikkim , which was then a protectorate of India. On 10 October, both sides clashed again. Defence minister Sardar Swaran Singh assured the Indian people that the government was taking care of developments along the border. Indian losses were 88 killed, and 163 wounded, while Chinese casualties were 300 killed and 450 wounded in Nathula , and 40 in Chola. The Chinese Army left Sikkim after this defeat. Under Prime Minister Indira Gandhi , during
6407-756: The Imperial Service Troops which, along with the Indian Army formed the land component of the Armed Forces of the Crown of India, responsible for the defence of the Indian Empire. The Imperial Service Troops were merged into the Indian Army after independence . The units and regiments of the Indian Army have diverse histories and have participated in several battles and campaigns around the world, earning many battle and theatre honours before and after Independence. The primary mission of
6556-662: The Indian National Army , which was allied with the Empire of Japan . It was raised by a former colonel of the Indian Army, General Mohan Singh, but was later led by Subhas Chandra Bose and Rash Bihari Bose . With the fall of Singapore in 1942, about 40,000 Indian soldiers were captured. When given the choice, over 30,000 joined the Indian National Army. Those who refused became POWs and were mostly shipped to New Guinea. After initial success, this army
6705-697: The Indian National Congress in return for its support but reneged on them after the war, following which the Indian Independence movement gained strength. The " Indianisation " of the Indian Army began with the formation of the Prince of Wales Royal Indian Military College at Dehradun, in March 1912, to provide education to the scions of aristocratic and well-to-do Indian families and to prepare selected Indian boys for admission into
6854-830: The Kumaon Regiment was airlifted to the glacier. Pakistani forces responded quickly, and clashes between the two followed. The Indian Army secured the strategic Sia La and Bilafond La mountain passes, and by 1985 more than 2,600 km (1,000 sq mi) of territory claimed by Pakistan was under Indian control. The Indian Army continues to control all of the Siachen Glacier and its tributary glaciers. Pakistan has made several unsuccessful attempts to regain control over Siachen. In late 1987, Pakistan mobilised about 8,000 troops and garrisoned them near Khapalu , aiming to capture Bilafond La . However, they were repulsed by Indian Army personnel guarding Bilafond. During
7003-597: The Royal Military College, Sandhurst . Cadets were given a King's commission, after passing out, and were posted to one of the eight units selected for Indianisation. Because of the slow pace of Indianisation, with just 69 officers being commissioned between 1918 and 1932, political pressure was applied, leading to the formation of the Indian Military Academy in 1932 and greater numbers of officers of Indian origin being commissioned. On
7152-470: The Thatheras of Jandiala Guru are also made available here. Whispering Walls - Kanda Boldiyan Ne or Whispering Walls is a show using state of the art projection mapping technologies and laser lights. This show is held every evening post sunset. There is a Punjabi as well as an English show each day. There cannot be made a clear line of distinction between the construction of fort walls and gates of
7301-531: The United Jihad Council (an umbrella group for all extremists) rejected Pakistan's plan for a draw-down, deciding instead to fight on. The Indian Army launched its final attacks in the last week of July. As soon as the Dras sub-sector had been cleared of Pakistani forces, the fighting ceased on 26 July, which has since been celebrated as Kargil Vijay Diwas (Kargil Victory Day) in India. By the end of
7450-465: The line-of-sight . At many vital points, neither artillery nor air power could dislodge the Pakistan soldiers, who were out of visible range. The Indian Army mounted some direct frontal ground assaults, which were slow and took a heavy toll, given the steep ascents that had to be made on peaks as high as 5,500 m (18,000 ft). Two months into the conflict, Indian troops had slowly retaken most of
7599-530: The president's rule in 1971, the Indian Army and the Indian police launched Operation Steeplechase , a gigantic "counter-insurgency" operation against the Naxalites , which resulted in the death of hundreds of Naxalites and the imprisonment of more than 20,000 suspects and cadres, including senior leaders. The army was also assisted by a brigade of para commandos and the Indian paramilitary . The operation
SECTION 50
#17327754302987748-407: The 10th Sikh guru, Guru Gobind Singh. The fort had five cannons which included the famous two Zamzama cannons. The structures built during this phase were the circular path in the center part of the innermost enclosure, Toshakhana (treasury), and Bastions . In 1805, Maharaja Ranjit Singh strengthened the fort. One of the main reasons to erect the fort was to save Harminder Sahib and the city from
7897-517: The 2011 census, 91.12% of the population spoke Punjabi and 7.90% Hindi as their first language. The city is part of the Amritsar (Lok Sabha constituency) . Amritsar is the second-largest city and district of Punjab. It is also one of the fastest-growing cities of Punjab. In the mid-1980s the city was famous for its textile industry. Amritsar's trade and industry faced a blow during militancy period in 1980s, but there are still many textile mills, knitting units and embroidery factories functional in
8046-586: The 2011 census, the city had a population of 1,132,383. It is one of the ten municipal corporations in the state; Karamjit Singh Rintu is serving as the mayor of the city. According to the United Nations, as of 2018, Amritsar is the second-most populous city in Punjab and the most populous metropolitan region in the state, with a population of roughly 2 million. Amritsar is the centre of the Amritsar Metropolitan Region. Amritsar
8195-477: The Bagh and ordered his troops to begin shooting toward the densest sections of the crowd; the firing continued for approximately ten minutes. A British government inquiry into the massacre placed the death toll at 379. The Indian National Congress, on the other hand, estimated that approximately 1,000 people were killed. Amritsar was a center of unrest in the late 20th century. In the 1980s, Sikh militants occupied
8344-483: The Bengali rebellion, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) launched a preemptive strike on 10 Indian air bases—at Srinagar , Jammu , Pathankot , Amritsar , Agra , Adampur , Jodhpur , Jaisalmer , Uttarlai , and Sirsa —at 17:45 hours on 3 December. However, this aerial offensive failed to accomplish its objectives and gave India an excuse to declare a full-scale war against Pakistan the same day. By midnight,
8493-633: The Bhangi period and Ranjit Singh ’s period, but the Ravelins were defiantly a Maharaja Ranjit Singh period contribution. The fort had a two-tier system of fort walls and the Ravelins surrounded with a 5m deep moat. The double layer of forts walls at two levels provided for an efficient defense system. The fort walls were 10-12m thick having a mud infill as the core protected on both sides with Nanak shahi bricks in lime mortar . The thick mud walls acted as
8642-647: The British Army to a new century. In the 20th century, the Indian Army was a crucial adjunct to the forces of the British Empire in both world wars . 1.3 million Indian soldiers served in World War I (1914–1918) with the Allies , in which 74,187 Indian troops were killed or missing in action. In 1915 there was a mutiny by Indian soldiers in Singapore. The United Kingdom made promises of self-governance to
8791-492: The British annexed Punjab in 1849, Amritsar was a walled city. The British built a thirteenth gate in 1866 known as Hall Gate, Neighborhood in Amritsar, Punjab. The British rulers would later demolish some of the walls and gates or reconstruct some. An entire new wall of the city was completed in 1885. Many surviving gates have since been renamed and no longer bear their mid-19th century names, while others have since been demolished. The Jallianwala Bagh massacre , involving
8940-405: The British in South Africa , and had returned to India in January 1915 to work there for change; and Annie Besant (1847–1933), head of the Theosophical Society of India . On 11 April 1916 she established the Home Rule League with the goal of autonomy for India. In December 1916, the Indian National Congress , at its annual session held at Lucknow , passed a resolution asking the king to issue
9089-417: The Golden Temple there. Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi , ordered Operation Blue Star (1 – 6 June 1984), an Indian military operation to remove the militants from the temple. The operation was carried out by Indian army troops equipped with tanks and armoured vehicles. While militarily successful, the operation aroused immense controversy. The government's justification for the timing and style of
SECTION 60
#17327754302989238-422: The Hyderabad State forces. Five Indian Army infantry battalions and one armoured squadron were engaged in the operation. The following day, Hyderabad was proclaimed part of India. Major General Joyanto Nath Chaudhuri , who led the operation, and accepted the surrender of the Nizam's forces on 18 September 1948, was appointed the military governor of Hyderabad, to restore law and order, and served until 1949. During
9387-401: The Indian Army is to ensure national security and national unity, to defend the nation from external aggression and internal threats, and to maintain peace and security within its borders . It conducts humanitarian rescue operations during natural calamities and other disturbances, such as Operation Surya Hope , and can also be requisitioned by the government to cope with internal threats. It is
9536-502: The Indian Army met with considerable success in the northern sector. After launching prolonged artillery barrages against Pakistan, India was able to capture three important mountain positions in Kashmir. By 9 September, the Indian Army had made considerable inroads into Pakistan. India had its largest haul of Pakistani tanks when an offensive by Pakistan's 1st Armoured Division was blunted at the Battle of Asal Uttar , which took place on 10 September near Khemkaran. The biggest tank battle of
9685-435: The Indian Army was spending an estimated US$ 2 million a month to support its personnel stationed in the region. The Indian Army has played a crucial role in fighting insurgents and terrorists within the nation. The army launched Operation Blue Star and Operation Woodrose in the 1980s to combat Sikh insurgents. The army, along with some paramilitary forces , has the prime responsibility of maintaining law and order in
9834-417: The Indian Army, accompanied by the Indian Air Force , launched a major three-pronged assault into East Pakistan. The Indian Army won several battles on the eastern front including the decisive Battle of Hilli . The operation also included a battalion-level airborne operation on Tangail, which resulted in the capitulation of all resistance within five days. India's massive early gains were attributed largely to
9983-416: The Indian Army. Goa, Daman, and Diu became a part of the Republic of India. The cause of this war was a dispute over the sovereignty of the widely separated Aksai Chin and Arunachal Pradesh border regions. Aksai Chin, claimed by India as part of Kashmir, and by China as part of Xinjiang, contains an important road link that connects the Chinese regions of Tibet and Xinjiang. China's construction of this road
10132-482: The Indo-Bangladesh allied force and forced Pakistani forces to surrender, one day after the conclusion of the Battle of Basantar . After Pakistan's Lt General A. A. K. Niazi signed the Instrument of Surrender , India, as a part of the allied forces, took more than 90,000 Pakistani prisoners of war . By the time of the signing, 11,000 Pakistani soldiers had been killed in action, while India suffered 3,500 battle-related deaths. In addition, Pakistan lost 220 tanks during
10281-439: The Korean War, although deciding against sending combat forces, India sent its 60th Parachute Field Ambulance unit to aid the UN troops fighting against the North Korean invasion of South Korea, as part of the 1st Commonwealth Division . In the aftermath of the war, an Indian infantry brigade formed the Custodian Force of India, some of whose soldiers were also part of the Neutral Nations Repatriation Commission , which assisted in
10430-452: The Middle East. Some 87,000 Indian soldiers died in the war. By the end of the war, it had become the largest volunteer army in history, rising to over 2.5 million men in August 1945. In the African and Middle East campaigns , captured Indian troops were given a choice to join the German Army , to eventually "liberate" India from Britain, instead of being sent to POW camps . These men, along with Indian students who were in Germany when
10579-467: The North West Frontier), Bengal, Madras (including Burma), and Bombay (including Sind, Quetta and Aden). The Indian Army was a critical force for maintaining the primacy of the British Empire , both in India and throughout the world. Besides maintaining internal security, the Army fought in many other theatres: Third Anglo-Afghan war; the Boxer Rebellion in China; in Abyssinia and in the First and Second World Wars . The Kitchener Reforms brought
10728-548: The Pakistani advance until the Indian Air Force directed its fighters to engage the Pakistani tanks. By the time the battle had ended, 38 Pakistani tanks and 100 armoured vehicles were either destroyed or abandoned. About 200 Pakistani troops were killed in action, while only two Indian soldiers died. Pakistan suffered another major defeat on the western front at the Battle of Basantar , which was fought from 4 to 16 December. During
10877-513: The Pakistani forces had a clear line-of-sight to lay down indirect artillery fire on NH 1A, inflicting heavy casualties on the Indians. This was a serious problem for the Indian Army as the highway was its main supply route. Thus, the Indian Army's priority was to recapture peaks near NH 1A. This resulted in Indian troops first targeting the Tiger Hill and Tololing complex in Dras. This
11026-532: The Portuguese colonies, which was accomplished by small contingents of Indian troops. After a brief conflict that lasted twenty-six hours—during which 31 Portuguese soldiers were killed, the Portuguese Navy frigate NRP Afonso de Albuquerque was destroyed, and over 3,000 Portuguese were captured—Portuguese General Manuel António Vassalo e Silva surrendered to Major General Kunhiraman Palat Kandoth of
11175-444: The Siachen Glacier region, Saltoro Kangri , could be viewed as strategically important for India because of its height, which would enable Indian forces to monitor Pakistani or Chinese movements in the area. Maintaining control over Siachen poses several logistical challenges for the Indian Army. Several infrastructure projects were constructed in the region, including a helipad at an elevation of 6,400 m (21,000 ft). In 2004,
11324-552: The Toshakhana which included the famous Koh-i-Noor and supplies for an army of 2000 soldiers in the fort. In 1849, the British captured the fort and made significant changes. Also, significant changes were made to the bastions and gates as the new artillery technology was adopted. It is made of bricks and lime and is laid out in a square. Each of its corners has a parapet and two doors. It had 25 cannons mounted on its ramparts and has four bastions. The main entrance, Nalwa Gate,
11473-451: The attack are hotly debated. India Today magazine has ranked Operation Blue Star as among the Top 10 Political Disgraces in India. Official reports put the number of deaths among the Indian army at 83, with 493 civilians and Sikh militants killed. While independent estimates place the numbers upwards of 5,000 people, a majority of them pilgrims, including women and children. In addition,
11622-401: The attack was claimed by a Pakistan -based militant group, Jaish-e-Mohammed . India blamed Pakistan for the attack and promised a robust response, while the latter condemned the attack and denied having any connection to it. Twelve days later, in the early morning of 26 February 2019, India carried out a cross-border airstrike near Balakot , Khyber Pakhtunkhwa , Pakistan. After over
11771-426: The backbone of local economy due to heavy tourist arrivals. Hundreds of small and some large hotels have sprung up to cater to the increased tourist inflow. Restaurants, taxi operators, local shopkeepers have all benefited from the tourist boom. Amritsar hosts Sri Guru Ram Das Ji International Airport . The airport is connected to other parts of India and other countries with direct international flights to cities and
11920-556: The battle compared to India's 69. In 1972, the Simla Agreement was signed between the two countries, although subsequent incidences of heightened tensions have resulted in continued military vigilance on both sides. The Siachen Glacier , although a part of the Kashmir region, was not demarcated on maps prepared and exchanged between the two sides in 1947. In consequence, before the 1980s neither India nor Pakistan maintained
12069-515: The battle, about 23 Indian soldiers lost their lives, while more than 150 Pakistani troops perished. Further unsuccessful attempts to reclaim positions were launched by Pakistan in 1990, 1995, 1996, and 1999, most notably in Kargil in the latter year. India continues to maintain a strong military presence in the region, despite inhospitable conditions. The conflict over Siachen is regularly cited as an example of mountain warfare . The highest peak in
12218-399: The battle, about 66 Pakistani tanks were destroyed and 40 more were captured. Pakistani forces destroyed only 11 Indian tanks. By 16 December, Pakistan had lost sizeable territory on both the eastern and western fronts. On 16 December 1971, under the command of Lt. General J. S. Arora , elements of the three corps of the Indian Army that had invaded East Pakistan entered Dhaka as a part of
12367-470: The building indicates its significance in the Sikh era, thus this act of building on top of the Sikh plinth was a political power statement. In 1864 a rectangular superstructure housing four officers quarters were built (a legend runs that this was Bungalow, but this cannot be verified). A grand colonial staircase was built with ornamental masonry buttress. It is a semi-spiral staircase on the eastern façade, while
12516-525: The casualty figures variously from 35 to 70 killed. Partial footage of the strikes was released to the Indian media on 27 June 2018 as proof of the strike. The incident triggered the 2016–2018 India-Pakistan border conflict , which ended on 16 June 2018 with both India and Pakistan agreeing on a ceasefire. Following the 14 February 2019 Pulwama attack in Jammu and Kashmir , which killed 40 Indian Central Reserve Police Force personnel. Responsibility for
12665-434: The city. It is famous for its pashmina shawls, woolen clothes, blankets, etc. Among handicrafts, the craft of the Thatheras of Jandiala Guru in Amritsar district got enlisted on UNESCO 's List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2014, and the effort to revive this craft under the umbrella of Project Virasat is among India's biggest government-sponsored craft revival programs. Tourism and hospitality have recently become
12814-712: The conflict stood at about 3,000. On 18 September 2016, a fedayeen attack was made by four armed militants on an army base near the town of Uri . Nineteen Indian Army soldiers were killed. India accused Jaish-e-Muhammad , a Pakistan-based terrorist organisation. On 29 September 2016, the India Army announced that it conducted " surgical strikes " against militant launch pads across the Line of Control , in Pakistani-administered Kashmir , and inflicted "significant casualties". Indian media reported
12963-464: The controlling East India Company , except for some local uprisings which were small-scale affairs and not requiring the use of the fort as a military active complex. By 1859 the bastions came to be used primarily as barracks for housing soldiers. Since cannons were no longer fired in the bastions (with the impact of cannon fire thrust no longer a factor), they were instead used for accommodation. A conservation, management and reuse plan for Gobindgarh Fort
13112-565: The cost of ₹ 25,000 crore is approved under Bharatmala scheme which will cut the travel time from Amritsar to New Delhi by road from current 8 hours, to 4 hours. Another expressway, called Amritsar–Jamnagar Expressway is under construction which will connect Amritsar to Jamnagar in Gujarat . Additionally, NH 54 (Old NH15), NH 354 and NH 503A connect Amritsar to other parts of state and rest of India. A ring road will also be built surrounding all 4 sides of Amritsar ₹ 450,000,000
13261-1022: The coveted Kohinoor diamond, is now a coin museum for old and rare coins including a replica of the Kohinoor as it was worn by the Maharaja. The circular structure of the roof that was made by the use of the original nanakshahi brick is intact till date. The Bungalow - The grand building of the Anglo Sikh Bungalow has now been converted to an ancient warfare museum and has several replicas of instruments, attires of warfare, and figurines. Spirit of Punjab - A stage with live performances of bhangra, gatka , gidda , comedy, games, and dholi . Ambarsari Zaika - Various food shops and stalls that offer Amritsari and Punjabi cuisine . Haat Bazaar - The Haat Bazaar offers phulkaris , juttis , shawls, and antiques to be purchased. In partnership with Project Virasat, handmade brass and copper products made by
13410-469: The demolition of a boundary wall of Gurdwara Rakab Ganj, a historic gurdwara near Parliament House in New Delhi. Later, they were disturbed about the activities and trials of the Ghadarites , almost all of whom were Sikhs. In India as a whole, political activity had arisen during the strains of war. Two leaders had emerged: Mahatma Gandhi (1869–1948), who after a period of struggle as a young man against
13559-422: The division level are permanent regiments that are responsible for their own recruiting and training. The army is an all-volunteer force and comprises more than 80% of the country's active defence personnel. It is the largest standing army in the world , with 1,237,117 active troops and 960,000 reserve troops. The army has embarked on an infantry modernisation program known as Futuristic Infantry Soldier As
13708-404: The early 19th-century after the 10th Sikh guru, Guru Gobind Singh . Gobindgarh Fort is located on the south west fringe of Amritsar, in a square pattern, with a perimeter of 1,000 m and made up entirely of bricks and lime. The fort had 25 cannons mounted on its ramparts and it remained with the Bhangi rulers till 1805. From the middle of the 19th century until Indian independence in 1947, it
13857-407: The enemy succeeded in climbing up the ravelins, they made easy target for the cannons at the rampart. This building is positioned as almost the geometrical center of the fort complex. The central positioning indicates a prime building usage. The circular plinth is the only remains of the Sikh building, which in itself speaks volumes about its rich architectural legacy. It might have been a plinth to
14006-422: The eve of World War II , the officer corps consisted of roughly 500 Indians holding regular commissions against approximately 3,000 British officers. In World War II Indian soldiers fought alongside the Allies . In 1939, British officials had no plan for expansion and training of Indian forces, which comprised about 130,000 men (in addition there were 44,000 men in British units in India in 1939), whose mission
14155-476: The exchange of prisoners of war and was headed by Lieutenant General K. S. Thimayya . Even though the British and French vacated all their colonial possessions in the Indian subcontinent , Portugal refused to relinquish control of its colonies of Goa , Daman, and Diu . After repeated attempts by India to negotiate were spurned by Portuguese prime minister and dictator, António de Oliveira Salazar , on 12 December 1961 India launched Operation Vijay to capture
14304-522: The first Indo-Pak War of 1947–49 (and the future third COAS), was first an acting major-general and then an acting lieutenant-general during the conflict while holding the substantive rank of major, and only received a substantive promotion to lieutenant-colonel in August 1949. Gopal Gurunath Bewoor , the future ninth COAS, was an acting colonel at his promotion to substantive major from substantive captain in 1949, while future Lieutenant General K. P. Candeth
14453-418: The first of three full-scale wars between the two nations over the then princely state of Kashmir . The Maharaja of Kashmir wanted to have a standstill position. Since Kashmir was a Muslim majority state, Pakistan wanted to make Kashmir a Pakistani territory. As a result, Pakistan invaded Kashmir on 22 October 1947, causing Maharaja Hari Singh to look to India, specifically to Lord Mountbatten of Burma ,
14602-583: The first phase. The Indian Railway Stations Development Corporation has also planned to make the Amritsar Junction railway station a world-class railway station on lines of the international airport based on PPP model. The project has received an overwhelming response with bids from 7 private firms, including GMR . Amritsar is located on the historic Grand Trunk Road (G.T. Road), also known as NH 1 now renumbered as National Highway 3 . An expressway by name of Delhi–Amritsar–Katra Expressway at
14751-454: The fort to Mayanagri One Private Limited, who opened a theme park in 2017. Only two museums were kept in public hand. Numerous attractions have been added to make Qila Gobindgarh a live museum, along with exhibitions of Sikh martial history and the treasury of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Sher e Punjab - A 7D show based on the life of Maharaja Ranjit Singh that transports back to the 19th century. Toshakhana - The Toshakhana, which once stored
14900-405: The gate and a cutout in the rampart across would have had a cannon positioned to fire at the approaching enemy. Thus multiple levels of lines of attack are designed. The bastion has a two-tier level of defense. The arched openings and the terrace together act as a double system of platforms for the attack. After the British took charge of the fort in the mid 1850s, there was no threat of war against
15049-406: The government of the East India Company was reorganised into four departments, including a Military Department. The army in the presidencies of Bengal , Bombay and Madras functioned as respective Presidency Armies until 1 April 1895, when they were unified into a single force known as the Indian Army . For administrative convenience, it was divided into four commands, namely Punjab (including
15198-543: The governor-general, for help. He signed the Instrument of Accession to India on 26 October 1947. Indian troops were airlifted to Srinagar from dawn on 27 October. This contingent included General Thimayya who distinguished himself in the operation and in the years that followed became a Chief of the Indian Army. An intense war was waged across the state and former comrades found themselves fighting each other. Pakistan suffered significant losses. Its forces were stopped on
15347-487: The gun belonging to the BhangiMisl, known as Zamzama , is a massive, heavyweight gun, an 80-pounder, 14 feet, 4 1 ⁄ 2 inches in length, with a bore aperture of 9 1 ⁄ 2 inches. This gun, one of the largest ever made in the sub-continent, was cast at Lahore along with another gun of the same size in 1757 by Shah Nazir (a metalsmith of the former Mughal viceroy ), under the directions of Shah Wali Khan, who
15496-492: The heights under their control, which also included the Tiger Hill , overlooked the vital Srinagar – Leh Highway ( NH 1A ), Batalik , and Dras . Once the scale of the Pakistani incursion was realised, the Indian Army quickly mobilised about 200,000 troops, and Operation Vijay was launched. However, since the heights were under Pakistani control, India was at a clear strategic disadvantage. From their observation posts ,
15645-406: The holy city of Amritsar. Two versions of stories exist regarding the land where Guru Ram Das settled. In one, based on a Gazetteer record, the land was purchased, with Sikh donations, for 700 rupees from the owners of the village of Tung. According to historical Sikh records, the site was chosen by Guru Amar Das and called Guru Da Chakk. The latter guru had asked Ram Das to find land to start
15794-498: The inner gate, the road again winds and enters the court of the complex. The gates are thus positioned as checkpoints and sudden turns and winds in the road are purposely designed to incorporate surprise attacks on the approaching army. At every entrance, posts for the soldiers to defend and counterattack the enemy can be observed. Right outside the outer gate, the multiple lines of forces of attack come into play. The watch tower would have had troops positioned at an upper level in front of
15943-483: The invaders using the Grand Trunk road throughout the 18th century who often attacked the city for the purpose of looting . During this phase, the moat and gates were built using the initial mud foundations to a contemporary military defense structure inspired from French military fortress plans. The fort was renovated with help of a French architect. It is reported that Maharaja Ranjit Singh kept his treasure at
16092-511: The killings of hundreds of Indian civilians on the orders of British Colonel Reginald Edward Harry Dyer , took place on 13 April 1919 in the heart of Amritsar, the holiest city of the Sikhs, on a day sacred to them as the birth anniversary of the Khalsa (Vaisakhi day). In Punjab, during World War I (1914–18), there was considerable social unrest, particularly among the Sikhs. First, they opposed
16241-424: The lighting conditions in these large barrack spaces. A circular Sikh building positioned almost at the center of the fort complex was either brought down during the capture of the fort or later — no evidence for the same can be found. However, it is noteworthy that it seems that the British pulled down the building above the plinth level and built the superstructure reusing the same materials. The central position of
16390-630: The line formed which is now called the Line of Control (LOC). An uneasy peace, sponsored by the UN, returned by the end of 1948, with Indian and Pakistani soldiers facing each other across the Line of Control, which has since divided Indian-held Kashmir from that part held by Pakistan. Several UN Security Council resolutions were passed, with Resolution 47 calling for a plebiscite to be held in Kashmir to determine accession to India or Pakistan, only after Pakistan withdrew its army from Kashmir. A precondition to
16539-408: The longer versified inscription reads: "A destroyer even of the strongholds of the heaven." In 1762, the Bhangi chief, Hari Singh, attacked Lahore and took possession of the cannon. It then came to be known as Bhangian di Top. In 1802, when Maharaja Ranjit Singh occupied Amritsar, the cannon fell into his hands. Ranjit Singh employed it in his campaigns of Daska, Kasur, Sujanpur, Wazirabad and Multan. It
16688-447: The ornamentation are in masonry. The surface might have had a lime plaster as the surface treatment. The building was originally built with Lime plaster. Toshakhana was built by Maharaja Ranjit Singh . The Toshakhana lies abutting the northern fort wall at the center. It is a square building divided into two chambers. The walls are supported by masonry ornate buttress (Burj). These buttresses are three faced tapering columnar supports with
16837-487: The partition period, was disbanded. Headquarters Delhi and the East Punjab Command were formed to administer the area. The departure of virtually all senior British officers following independence, and their replacement by Indian officers, meant many of the latter held acting ranks several ranks above their substantive ones. For instance, S. M. Shrinagesh , the ground-forces commander of Indian forces during
16986-422: The period of Ramayana, Rishi Valmiki's hermitage. at the annual fair. The nearby cities Lahore and Kasur were believed to be founded by Lava and Kusha, respectively. It is believed that during the ashvamedha yajna by Rama, Lava and Kusha caught the ritual horse and tied Hanuman to a tree near to today's Durgiana Temple . In the Sikh tradition, Guru Ram Das , the fourth Sikh guru, is credited with founding
17135-431: The remnants of an old Sikh building, the thick north and south walls and the typical multi-foliated, arched ornamental openings verify the same. The central core rooms must have been of Sikh origin, which during the British period in 1850 was remodeled as a colonial building. This rectangular building, running in an east-west direction, was subdivided into smaller rooms. A colonnaded verandah was constructed to its west—again,
17284-434: The resolution was for Pakistan and India to return to a state of "as was" before the conflict . Pakistan would withdraw all tribesmen and Pakistani nationals brought in to fight in Kashmir. Pakistan refused to pull back, and there could be no further dialogue on fulfilling the UN resolution. Tensions between India and Pakistan, largely over Kashmir, have never been eliminated. After the partition of India, Hyderabad State ,
17433-521: The ridges they had lost. According to official accounts, an estimated 75%–80% of the enemy-occupied area, and nearly all the high ground, was back under Indian control. Following the Washington Accord of 4 July, where Sharif agreed to withdraw Pakistani troops, most of the fighting came to a gradual halt; but some Pakistani forces remained in positions on the Indian side of the LOC. In addition,
17582-459: The same. The maharaja adopted these systems in Gobindgarh fort to strengthen the mud fort. The ravelin—as highlands sloping outwards, were constructed in front of the curtain fort walls. These provided the defender with a suitable position at a high point to place his cannon and get a wide range of the enemy at a lower level, while the enemy had his cannon at the disadvantageous position. Even if
17731-638: The sky. A long road from the Vijay Chowk entrance leads to the first historic gate, the Outer Gate. Crossing the two parts of the outer gate the road winds to the right and hits perpendicular to the Nalwa Gate (an elaborate double gate). The Nalwa Gate has a passageway to the lower lever of rampart as well. After crossing the Nalwa Gate, the road suddenly takes a sharp turn into the Inner gate. Through
17880-433: The south side of the building, a lightning conduction system made of copper was found. There are four bastions at four cardinal points of the forts — strategically located to guard the fort. They are situated on a high circular plinth which forms the part of the rampart wall. They are conical heavy masonry bastions with a crenellation band running at the top level. At this point of time, the bastions might have been open to
18029-404: The speed and flexibility with which Indian armoured divisions moved across East Pakistan. Pakistan launched a counterattack against India on the western front. On 4 December 1971, A Company of the 23rd Battalion of India's Punjab Regiment intercepted the Pakistani 51st Infantry Brigade near Ramgarh, Rajasthan. The Battle of Longewala ensued, during which A Company, though outnumbered, thwarted
18178-510: The time of Guru Arjan Dev, financed by donations and constructed by volunteers. town grew to become the city of Amritsar. After the son of Guru Amar Das built the gurdwara Harmandir Sahib , the pool area developed further as a temple complex. In 1604 Amar Das's son installed the scripture of Sikhism inside the new temple. The period and achievements of construction between 1574 and 1604 are described in Mahima Prakash Vartak ,
18327-466: The traditional festival of Baisakhi, thousands of unarmed Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims gathered in the Jallianwala Bagh . An hour after the meeting began as scheduled at 16:30, Dyer arrived with a group of sixty-five Gurkha soldiers (from the 9th Gorkha Rifles ) and twenty-five Baluchi soldiers (from the 59th Scinde Rifles ). Without warning the crowd to disperse, Dyer blocked the main exits from
18476-581: The troubled Jammu and Kashmir region, under Northern Command. The Indian Army sent a contingent to Sri Lanka in 1987 as a part of the Indian Peace Keeping Force . The Indian Army also successfully conducted Operation Golden Bird in 1995, as a counter-insurgency operation in northeast India. In 1998, India carried out nuclear tests ; and a few days later, Pakistan responded with nuclear tests of its own, giving both countries nuclear deterrence capability, although India had tested
18625-543: The two countries. In 1962, the Indian Army was ordered to move to the Thag La ridge , located near the border between Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh and about 5 kilometres (3 miles) north of the disputed McMahon Line. Meanwhile, Chinese troops had also made incursions into Indian-held territory, and tensions between the two reached a new high when Indian forces discovered the road constructed by China in Aksai Chin. After
18774-529: The walls may have had lime plaster. This building lies to the south of the bungalow in very close proximity. The scale of the original Sikh building might have been small and non-obtrusive to the Bungalow Sikh plinth, but the colonial additions disrupted the scale and size of the building such that it seems to hinder the appreciation of the circular Sikh plinth of the Bungalow. This building was built on
18923-653: The war broke out, made up what was called the Free India Legion . They were originally intended as pathfinders for German forces in Asia but were soon sent to help guard the Atlantic Wall . Few who were part of the Free India Legion ever saw any combat, and very few were ever stationed outside Europe. At its height, the Free India Legion had over 3,000 troops in its ranks. Indian POWs also joined
19072-704: The war ended. Despite frequent calls for its release, the Henderson-Brooks report remains classified. Neville Maxwell has written an account of the war. A second confrontation with Pakistan took place in 1965. Although the war is described as inconclusive, India had the better of the war and was the clear winner in tactical and strategic terms. Pakistani president Ayub Khan launched Operation Gibraltar in August 1965, during which Pakistani paramilitary troops infiltrated into Indian-administered Kashmir and attempted to ignite anti-India agitation in Jammu and Kashmir . Pakistani leaders believed that India, which
19221-456: The war was the Battle of Chawinda , the largest tank battle in history after World War II . Pakistan's defeat at the Battle of Asal Uttar hastened the end of the conflict. At the time of the ceasefire declaration, India reported casualties of about 3,000. On the other hand, it was estimated that more than 3,800 Pakistani soldiers were killed in the conflict. About 200–300 Pakistani tanks were either destroyed or captured by India. India lost
19370-611: The war, India had resumed control of all the territory south and east of the Line of Control, as was established in July 1972 per the Shimla Accord . By the time all hostilities had ended, the number of Indian soldiers killed during the conflict stood at 527, while more than 700 regular members of the Pakistani Army had been killed. The number of Islamist fighters, also known as Mujahideen, killed by Indian armed forces during
19519-523: The withdrawal are disputed, with India claiming various logistical problems for China and diplomatic support from the United States, while China stated that it still held territory it had staked a claim on. The dividing line between the Indian and Chinese forces was named the Line of Actual Control . The poor decisions made by India's military commanders, and the political leadership, raised several questions. The Henderson-Brooks and Bhagat committee
19668-432: The wooden louvers indicate that the entrance would have been from the west façade. As per records, it was built in 1850 as a six-bed hospital. It is a building of typical colonial design, rectangular double-storied with a colonnade verandah running all around on both the floors. The ground floor is divided into three bays of rooms further subdivided into two to three rooms. It has a high ceiling. A grand masonry staircase, with
19817-713: Was a major force in the First and Second World Wars , particularly in the Western Front and the Middle Eastern theatre during World War I , and the South-East Asian Theatre and the East African and North African campaigns during World War II . The Indian Army is operationally and geographically divided into seven commands , with the basic field formation being a division . Below
19966-399: Was an acting brigadier (substantive captain) at the same time. In April 1948, the former Viceroy's Commissioned Officers (VCO) were re-designated Junior Commissioned Officers, while the former King's Commissioned Indian Officers (KCIO) and Indian Commissioned Officers (ICO), along with the former Indian Other Ranks (IOR), were respectively re-designated as Officers and Other Ranks. Army Day
20115-474: Was built with the reuse of Nanak shahi bricks in mud mortar, the flooring was constructed of cement concrete, whereas the roofing was designed as a mud roof with flat tiles. The Durbar Hall lies to the east end almost on the center of the North-South axis. It is approached by the main road that leads from the inner gate. It lies to the south of this road and to the east of Bungalow. The plinth protection and
20264-434: Was cleared, the Indian Army turned to drive the invading force back across the Line of Control. The Battle of Tololing , among others, slowly tilted the war in India's favour. Nevertheless, some Pakistani posts put up a stiff resistance, including Tiger Hill (Point 5140), which fell only later in the war. As the operation was fully underway, about 250 artillery guns were brought in to clear the infiltrators in posts that were in
20413-602: Was defeated, along with the Japanese; but it had a huge impact on the Indian independence movement. Upon the Partition of India and Indian independence in 1947, four of the ten Gurkha regiments were transferred to the British Army. The rest of the Indian Army was divided between the newly created Union of India and the Dominion of Pakistan . The Punjab Boundary Force , which had been formed to help police Punjab during
20562-640: Was drawn up by the British, who then constructed roofs over the bastions. A changing political scenario triggered a change in building use, resulting in alterations in the form. The internal arched walls were then built upon in thinner sections repeating the arches below to raise the walls up to the desired terrace level. A typical madras roof—a traditional flat roof of wood beams, purlins, and tiles with mud terracing, originated from south India and adopted by British—was constructed. Skylights, with pitched roofing and centrally pivoted openings for ventilation with semicircular bulging jaali detail, were constructed to optimize
20711-501: Was internal security and defence against a possible Soviet threat through Afghanistan. As the war progressed, the size and role of the Indian Army expanded dramatically, and troops were sent to battlefronts as soon as possible. The most serious problem was the lack of equipment. Indian units served in Burma, wherein 1944–45, five Indian divisions were engaged along with one British and three African divisions. Even larger numbers operated in
20860-419: Was occupied by the British army who made numerous defensive improvements to the fort to take account of technological advances in weaponry. Gobindgarh Fort was originally built by Dhillon Jat Misldar (militia chief) Gujjar Singh Banghi of Bhangi Misl , the local chieftain in the 18th century. Bhangi Misl was conquered and enhanced in the early 19th century by Maharaja Ranjit Singh who renamed it after
21009-474: Was one of the triggers of the conflict. Small-scale clashes between Indian and Chinese forces broke out as India insisted on the disputed McMahon Line being regarded as the international border between the two countries. Chinese troops claimed not to have retaliated to the cross-border firing by Indian troops, despite sustaining losses. China's suspicion of India's involvement in Tibet created more rifts between
21158-680: Was organised in October 1969, and Lieutenant General J.F.R. Jacob was told by Govind Narain , the Home Secretary , that "there should be no publicity and no records". Jacob's request to be presented with written orders was also refused by the then Army Chief Sam Manekshaw . An independence movement broke out in East Pakistan which was crushed by Pakistani forces. Due to large-scale atrocities committed against them, thousands of Bengalis took refuge in neighbouring India causing
21307-649: Was prime minister in the reign of the Afghan King Ahmed Shah Durrani. According to some writers, some metal was obtained through jizya, metal vessels having been taken from Hindu households in Lahore. The cannon bears two Persian inscriptions. The front one reads: "By the order of the Emperor [Ahmad Shah], DuriDurran, Shah Wali Khan wazir made the gun named Zamzama or the Taker of Strongholds." And
21456-402: Was replaced by an interesting wooden truss system with tiles and mud infill as the roof covering. This building lies to the west of Durbar Hall and opposite to the mess hall. This is a colonial era building, built in 1853 (as per MES records-date of purchase/date of erection), which was used for the treatment and purification of water by chlorination. It is built next to a Sikh period well, which
21605-515: Was soon followed by more attacks on the Batalik–Turtok sub-sector, which provided access to Siachen Glacier. Point 4590, which had the nearest view of the NH 1A, was successfully recaptured by Indian forces on 14 June. Though most of the posts in the vicinity of the highway were cleared of the enemy by mid-June, some posts near Dras endured sporadic shelling until the end of the war. Once the NH 1A area
21754-400: Was soon set up by the government of India to determine the causes of the poor performance of the Indian Army. Its report criticised the decision not to allow the Indian Air Force to target Chinese transport lines, out of fear of a Chinese aerial counterattack on Indian civilian areas. Much of the blame was placed on the then–defence minister, Krishna Menon , who resigned from his post soon after
21903-505: Was still recovering from the Sino-Indian War , would be unable to deal with a military thrust and a Kashmiri rebellion. India reacted swiftly and launched a counter-offensive against Pakistan. In reply, on 1 September Pakistan launched Operation Grand Slam , invading India's Chamb-Jaurian sector. In retaliation, the Indian Army launched a major offensive all along its border with Pakistan, with Lahore as its prime target. Initially,
22052-466: Was transported to Multan in a specially built carriage during the siege of the citadel in 1810, but it failed to discharge. Amritsar Amritsar ( Punjabi: [əmːˈɾɪtsəɾ] ; ISO : Amr̥tasara ), historically also known as Rāmdāspur and colloquially as Ambarsar , is the second- largest city in the Indian state of Punjab , after Ludhiana . Located in the Majha region, it
22201-422: Was used as a chlorinating tank. It has two rooms, one of which has a circular pit to house chlorination apparatus (a myth, however, holds it to be a Phasi ghar— hanging place). The structure also has a water tank mounted on the terrace, as part of the water treatment equipment. The building is constructed with modular bricks in mud mortar having cement concrete flooring and terraced on jack arches. Bhangia-di-top or
#297702