124-475: The Garud Commando Force is the special forces unit of the Indian Air Force . It was formed on 6 February 2004 and with a plan to have around 2,000-personnel strength. The unit derives its name from Garuda , a Hindu deity . Garud forces are tasked with protecting critical Air Force bases and installations, search and rescue, and disaster relief during calamities. In 2004, Garuds were deployed in
248-646: A Garud trainee. Once a recruit completes training and meets the required standards, he is absorbed into the Commando force and is retained in this stream throughout his career. Wherever he is posted in the IAF, he will be part of a Garud Unit. This approach ensures that the Commando Force retains its highly trained men all through their career with the IAF. The first batch of Officers for the Garuds were volunteers from
372-471: A black beret, instead of the traditional maroon beret of the other Indian Special Forces units. At present, they wear the maroon beret. They sport the operational paratrooper's brevet on the right chest. The formation insignia is worn on the left shoulder. The Garuds are also entitled to wear "IAF GARUD" titles on the sleeves. Very little is known about Garud commando operations and assignments, due to their classified nature. Garuds have been deployed to Congo as
496-433: A digitally-networked battlefield", whereas the "indirect approach includes empowering host nation forces, providing appropriate assistance to humanitarian agencies, and engaging key populations." Elements of national power must be deployed in concert without over-reliance on a single capability, such as special forces, that leaves the entire force unprepared and hollow across the spectrum of military operations. Throughout
620-555: A literacy rate of 72.8% which is the fourth lowest among large states. It also has the second lowest literacy rate among rural women at 53.7%. 37.1% of the population aged 3–35 years received free education at pre-primary and higher levels in Telangana. The state is divided into 33 districts . The latest two new districts, Mulugu and Narayanpet, were formed on 17 February 2019. The districts are divided into 70 revenue divisions which are further divided into 584 mandals . There are
744-402: A major focal point for IT software companies, industry and the services sector . The state is also the main administrative center of many Indian defence aerospace and research labs including Bharat Dynamics Limited , Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory , Defence Research and Development Organisation and Defence Research and Development Laboratory . One popular etymology derives
868-692: A meeting with the C-in-C Middle East, General Claude Auchinleck , his plan was endorsed by the Army High Command. The force initially consisted of five officers and 60 other ranks . Following extensive training at Kabrit camp , by the River Nile , L Detachment, SAS Brigade, undertook its first operations in the Western Desert . Stirling's vision was eventually vindicated after a series of successful operations. In 1942,
992-589: A part of the UN peacekeeping contingent. They also operate alongside special forces of the Indian Army in Jammu and Kashmir to gain operational exposure. Towards this purpose, teams from the flights are attached to Army SF units. The Garuds are now active in the region of Jammu and Kashmir carrying out counter-insurgency operations and neutralizing terrorists in the region. Garud commandos were tasked to provide security at
1116-585: A period. Within the decade, Hyderabad would become the capital of the state of Telangana, and a new capital was selected for Andhra Pradesh. Andhra Pradesh picked Amaravati as its capital and relocated its secretariat in 2016 and its legislature in 2017. Telangana is situated on the Deccan Plateau , in the central stretch of the eastern seaboard of the Indian Peninsula. It covers 112,077 square kilometres (43,273 sq mi). The region
1240-535: A product of the Reagan administration under Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger . Admiral William H. McRaven , formerly the ninth commanding officer of USSOCOM (2011–2014), described two approaches to special forces operations in the 2012 posture statement to the U.S. Senate Committee on Armed Services : "the direct approach is characterized by technologically enabled small-unit precision lethality, focused intelligence , and inter-agency cooperation integrated on
1364-641: A proposal to General Sir John Dill , the Chief of the Imperial General Staff . Dill, aware of Churchill's intentions, approved Clarke's proposal and on 23 June 1940, the first Commando raid took place. By the autumn of 1940 more than 2,000 men had volunteered and in November 1940 these new units were organised into a Special Service Brigade consisting of four battalions under the command of Brigadier J. C. Haydon. The Special Service Brigade
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#17327732906641488-436: A sector commander of Mukti Bahini , planned to deploy a special commando team. The task assigned to the team was to carry out commando operations and to terrorize Dhaka . The major objective of this team was to prove that the situation was not actually normal. Moreover, Pakistan, at that time, was expecting economic aid from World Bank, which was assumed to be spent to buy arms. The plan was to make World Bank Mission understand
1612-516: A separate combat arm. The Macheteros de Jara was an auxiliary cavalry regiment that was organized since August 15, 1932, before the Battle of Boquerón began. The regiment was recruited from former outlaws from Paraguay who fought against Bolivian officers and soldiers. The 50th Infantry Regiment (Cuchilleros de la Muerte) was a Bolivian infantry regiment that fought in the Chaco War. Nicknamed
1736-690: A sharpshooter under the command of General Licerio Gerónimo , killed General Henry Ware Lawton of the United States Army , making the latter the highest ranking casualty during the course of the war. The German Stormtroopers and the Italian Arditi were the first modern shock troops. They were both elite assault units trained to a much higher level than that of average troops and tasked to carry out daring attacks and bold raids against enemy defenses. Unlike Stormtroopers, Arditi were not units within infantry divisions, but were considered
1860-720: A specialized force with 2000 commandos . The group was originally called "Tiger Force", but was later renamed as "Garud Force". To address the need for a dedicated force, in September 2003, the Government of India authorized a 1080-strong force to be raised and trained on the lines of the Para SF of the Army and MARCOS of the Indian Navy , with the mandate of performing niche, Air Force specific operational tasks. Soon after,
1984-469: A standard infantry battalion , and it lacked any form of artillery , and had to rely on other units for logistical support. Its men were no longer parachute-trained, but relied on aircraft for transport. Some 750 men from the 2nd Raiding Brigade , of this group were assigned to attack American air bases on Luzon and Leyte on the night of 6 December 1944. They were flown in Ki-57 transports , but most of
2108-546: A strong cotton-weaving industry existed in Telangana. Large quantities of cotton were produced for domestic and exports consumption. High quality plain and patterned cloth made of muslin and calico was produced. In 1712, Qamar-ud-din Khan was appointed by emperor Farrukhsiyar as the viceroy of Deccan with the title Nizam-ul-Mulk (meaning "Administrator of the Realm"). He was later recalled to Delhi, with Mubariz Khan appointed as
2232-459: A total of 10,909 revenue villages and 12,769 gram panchayats in the state. The districts in the state are: There are a total of 12 cities in the state. Hyderabad is the biggest city in the state and 4th largest city in India . There are 13 municipal corporations and 132 municipalities in the state. Telangana is governed by a parliamentary system of representative democracy , a feature
2356-515: Is a state in India situated in the south-central part of the Indian peninsula on the high Deccan Plateau . It is the eleventh largest state and the twelfth most populated state in India as per the 2011 census . On 2 June 2014, the area was separated from the northwestern part of United Andhra Pradesh as the newly formed state of Telangana , with Hyderabad as its capital. Telugu , one of
2480-534: Is a semi-arid area and has a predominantly hot and dry climate. Summers start in March, and peak in mid-April with average high temperatures in the 37–38 °C (99–100 °F) range. The monsoon arrives in June and lasts until Late-September with about 755 mm (29.7 inches) of precipitation. A dry, mild winter starts in late November and lasts until early February with little humidity and average temperatures in
2604-468: Is called Hyderabadi Urdu , which in itself is a dialect of the larger Dakhini Urdu dialects of South India. Although the language is spoken by most Hyderabadi Muslims, the language in a literary context has long been lost, and standard Urdu is used. Hindi is spoken mainly in Hyderabad, as well as some other urban areas like Warangal. Lambadi , a language related to Rajasthani dialects , is used across
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#17327732906642728-808: Is drained by two major rivers, with about 79% of the Godavari River catchment area and about 69% of the Krishna River catchment area, but most of the land is arid. Telangana is also drained by several minor rivers such as the Bhima , the Maner , the Manjira , the Musi , and the Tungabhadra . The annual rainfall is between 900 and 1500mm in northern Telangana and 700 to 900mm in southern Telangana, from
2852-627: Is imparted by the Special Frontier Force , the Army's Para SF , and NSG . Those who qualify, proceed to the Parachute Training School (PTS) at Agra to complete the basic airborne phase. Trainees are trained along with paratroopers of the Indian Army . Further phases concentrate on niche fields like jungle and snow survival, demolition, etc. Garuds also train at the diving school of the Indian Navy and
2976-640: Is the longest among all the Indian special forces regiments. The training duration before a trainee can qualify as a fully operational Garud is 3 years. The initial phase is a three-month probationary training depending upon the promising candidates for the next phases of training. This phase, which usually has a high attrition (Drop-out) rate is conducted at the Garud Regimental Training Centre located at Hindon , Ghaziabad ( New Delhi ). The subsequent phase of special operations training
3100-650: The 2016 Pathankot attack , a Garud team engaged the intruding terrorists in a firefight, during which Garud Commando Gursewak Singh was killed. The IAF assets were declared safe. Garud commandos are actively deployed in the Lolab Valley and the Hajin area of Jammu and Kashmir to conduct counter-insurgency operations. They have undertaken operations against armed militants from groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba . These operations have included tasks such as direct encounters and intelligence gathering. The following are some of
3224-741: The Barisha Raid in Syria of 2019. The U.S. invasion of Afghanistan involved special forces from several coalition nations, who played a major role in removing the Taliban from power in 2001–2002. Special forces have continued to play a role in combating the Taliban in subsequent operations. Telangana Telangana ( / ˌ t ɛ l ə n ˈ ɡ ɑː n ə / ; ISO : Telaṅgāṇa Telugu: [ˈtelaŋɡaːɳa] ; ALA-LC : Tilaṉgānah Urdu: [ˈtɪləŋɡɑːna] )
3348-515: The Battle of Ilomantsi , Soviet supply lines were harassed to the point that the Soviet artillery was unable to exploit its massive numerical advantage over Finnish artillery. Their operations were also classified as secret because of the political sensitivity of such operations. Only authorized military historians could publish on their operations; individual soldiers were required to take the secrets to
3472-531: The Battle of Palembang , on Sumatra in the Netherlands East Indies , on 14 February 1942. The operation was well-planned, with 425 men of the 1st Parachute Raiding Regiment seizing Palembang airfield, while the paratroopers of the 2nd Parachute Raiding Regiment seized the town and its important oil refinery. Paratroops were subsequently deployed in the Burma campaign . The 1st Glider Tank Troop
3596-629: The Bhongir Fort . According to the 2011 census, Telangana's literacy rate is 66.46%. Male literacy and female literacy are 74.95% and 57.92%, respectively. Hyderabad district has the highest literacy rate with 80.96% and Mahabubnagar district has the lowest with 56.06%. In a 2019 report, the Key Indicators of Household Social Consumption on Education in India , by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, Telangana has
3720-883: The British India under subsidiary alliance which reduced it to that of a landlocked princely state bounded on all sides by the British India. Following the Indian Independence in 1947—the Hyderabad state joined the Union of India in 1948 after a police action . In 1956, the Hyderabad State was dissolved —and its Telugu speaking region Telangana was merged with the Andhra State to form Andhra Pradesh . A peasant-driven movement began to advocate for separation from Andhra Pradesh starting in
3844-653: The Communist Party of India (CPI). The revolt began in the Nalgonda district against the feudal lords of Reddy and Velama castes. It quickly spread to the Warangal and Bidar districts. Peasant farmers and labourers revolted against the local feudal landlords ( jagirdars and deshmukhs ) and later against the Nizam Osman Ali Khan . The violent phase of the movement ended after
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3968-684: The Congo as part of the UN peace keeping operations . In 2001, after the terrorists attempted to attack two major airfield bases in Jammu and Kashmir, the Indian Air Force commanders felt the need for a specialized force for protecting these critical elements should have dedicated commandos trained with Special Forces techniques such as Counter Insurgency (COIN) Operations, Combat Search and Rescue , Reconnaissance , for encountering and neutralizing
4092-1403: The Eastern Ghats in the eastern part of the state. Telangana has three National Parks : Kasu Brahmananda Reddy National Park in Hyderabad district , and Mahavir Harina Vanasthali National Park and Mrugavani National Park in Ranga Reddy district . Wildlife Sanctuaries in Telangana include Eturunagaram Wildlife Sanctuary and Pakhal Wildlife Sanctuary in Warangal District , Kawal Tiger Reserve and Pranahita Wildlife Sanctuary in Adilabad district , Kinnerasani Wildlife Sanctuary in Khammam district, Manjira Wildlife Sanctuary in Medak district , Nagarjunsagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve in Nalgonda and Mahbubnagar districts , Pocharam Wildlife Sanctuary in Medak and Nizamabad districts, Shivaram Wildlife Sanctuary in Karimnagar district . Sacred groves are small areas of forest preserved by local people. Sacred groves provide sanctuary to
4216-947: The Iranian Embassy siege (London), the Air France Flight 8969 ( Marseille ), Operation Defensive Shield , Operation Khukri , the Moscow theater hostage crisis , Operation Orchard , the Japanese Embassy hostage crisis ( Lima ), in Sri Lanka against the LTTE , the raid on Osama Bin Laden's compound in Pakistan, the 2016 Indian Line of Control strike the 2015 Indian counter-insurgency operation in Myanmar and
4340-511: The Napoleonic wars , rifle regiments and sapper units were formed that held specialised roles in reconnaissance and skirmishing and were not committed to the formal battle lines. Between the 17th and 18th centuries, there were wars between American colonists and Native American tribes. In Colonial America specialized Rangers formed and first mentioned by Capt. John Smith , in 1622. Learning frontier skills from friendly Native Americans
4464-552: The No. 8 (Guards) Commando (later named " Layforce "). After Layforce was disbanded, Stirling remained convinced that due to the mechanized nature of war a small team of highly trained soldiers with the advantage of surprise could exact greater damage to the enemy's ability to fight than an entire platoon. His idea was for small teams of parachute trained soldiers to operate behind enemy lines to gain intelligence, destroy enemy aircraft, and attack their supply and reinforcement routes. Following
4588-519: The Pathankot Terror Attack , the Indian Air Force decided to raise ten additional squadrons of Garud commandos, comprising about 700 personnel, bringing the total strength of the force to 1780. The mandated tasks of the Garuds include direct action, special reconnaissance, rescuing downed pilots in hostile territory, establishing airbases in hostile territory, and providing air traffic control to these airbases. The Garuds also execute
4712-628: The Satavahana dynasty became the dominant power in this area. It originated from the lands between the Godavari and Krishna rivers and was based at Amaravathi and Dharanikota. After the decline of the Satavahanas, various dynasties, such as the Vakataka , Vishnukundina , Chalukya , Rashtrakuta and Western Chalukya , ruled the area. The Telangana area experienced its golden age during
4836-526: The United States , the term special forces often refers specifically to the U.S. Army Special Forces , while the term special operations forces is used more broadly for these types of units. Special forces capabilities include the following: Other capabilities can include close personal protection ; waterborne operations involving combat diving/combat swimming , maritime boarding and amphibious missions; as well as support of air force operations . Special forces have played an important role throughout
4960-478: The United States Army Rangers specialist soldier dates back to the 17th through 19th century from military units such as United States Mounted Rangers , United States Rangers and Texas Rangers . In WWII mid-1942, Major-General Lucian Truscott of the U.S. Army, a General Staff submitted a proposal to General George Marshall onceived under the guidance of then Army Chief of Staff, General George C. Marshall, that selectively trained Ranger soldiers were recruited for
5084-641: The Vayu Sena Medal (2022) for serving in the Garud Commando Force, while being deployed in Jammu and Kashmir. The following firearms are reportedly used by the Garud Commandos: [REDACTED] Media related to Garud Commando at Wikimedia Commons Special forces Special forces or special operations forces ( SOF ) are military units trained to conduct special operations . NATO has defined special operations as "military activities conducted by specially designated, organized, selected, trained and equipped forces using unconventional techniques and modes of employment". Special forces emerged in
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5208-407: The Yelahanka AFS during Aero India (2005-2013) On January 18, 2013, an IAF helicopter, with two Garud commandos as part of the security crew, while on a casualty evacuation sortie, was hit by 15 bullets fired by Naxalites and crashed in Sukma district , Chhattisgarh . When Yamlal Sahu was operating the police radio, he got wounded by bullets piercing his intestines. On 2 January 2016, during
5332-448: The classical languages of India , is the most widely spoken and the primary official language of the state. The economy of Telangana is the ninth-largest in India, with a gross state domestic product (GSDP) of ₹ 15.02 trillion (US$ 180 billion) and has a GSDP per capita of ₹ 356,564 (US$ 4,300) for the financial year 2023-24. Telangana scored 0.705 on the Human Development Index during 2017-2018. The state has emerged as
5456-439: The classical languages of India , is the official language of Telangana and Urdu is the second official language of the state. About 75% of the population of Telangana speak Telugu and 12% speak Urdu . Before 1948, Urdu was the official language of Hyderabad State , and due to a lack of Telugu-language educational institutions, Urdu was the language of the educated elite of Telangana. After 1948, once Hyderabad State joined
5580-728: The suppression of enemy air defenses and destruction of other enemy assets such as radars, evaluation of the outcomes of Indian airstrikes and use laser designators to guide Indian airstrikes. The security of IAF installations and assets are usually performed by the Air Force Police and the Defence Security Corps even though some critical assets are protected by the Garuds. Their airbase protection task also includes, when necessary, rendering inaccessible weapons systems and other assets by sealing them off. The tasks they perform also includes counter-terrorism, airborne assault, anti-hijacking, hostage rescue and assist civilian relief operations during calamities. Garud personnel are enlisted as airmen in
5704-453: The "Airman Beret Badge" on the cap. They are also parachute-trained and wear the para wings above the right pocket. The "Garud Force Patch" can be seen worn on the sleeve. The Garud Commando Badge, which was worn on the right pocket and resembles the NSG badge, is no longer in use. Instead, they now have a Garud Winged Badge which is gold in color and worn on the left chest, similar to where pilot/aircrew wings are worn. The Garuds used to wear
5828-416: The 19th-20th century until the modern formation of the Army Ranger Battalions in WWII. The British Indian Army deployed two special forces during their border wars: the Corps of Guides formed in 1846 and the Gurkha Scouts (a force that was formed in the 1890s and was first used as a detached unit during the 1897–1898 Tirah Campaign ). During the Second Boer War (1899–1902) the British Army felt
5952-515: The 22–23 °C (72–73 °F) range. The Central Deccan Plateau dry deciduous forests ecoregion covers much of the state, including Hyderabad. The characteristic vegetation is woodlands of Hardwickia binata and Albizia amara . Over 80% of the original forest cover has been cleared for agriculture, timber harvesting, or cattle grazing, but large blocks of forest can be found in Nagarjunsagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve and elsewhere. The more humid Eastern Highlands moist deciduous forests cover
6076-422: The Allied lines by mis-directing convoys away from the front lines. A handful of his men were captured by the Americans and spread a rumor that Skorzeny was leading a raid on Paris to kill or capture General Dwight Eisenhower . Although this was untrue, Eisenhower was confined to his headquarters for several days and Skorzeny was labelled "the most dangerous man in Europe". In Italy , the Decima Flottiglia MAS
6200-430: The American colonies, including Knowlton's Rangers , an elite corps of Rangers who supplied reconnaissance and espionage for George Washington 's Continental Army. Daniel Morgan , was known as leader of The Corps of Rangers for the Continental Army . Rogers' Rangers on Roger's Island, in modern-day Fort Edward, New York, is regarded as the "spiritual home" of the United States Special Operations Forces , specifically
6324-488: The Army's Counter Insurgency and Jungle Warfare School ( CIJWS ). The final phase of training is active operations on being attached to the Rashtriya Rifles of the Indian Army , which helps the Garuds in gaining operational experience. After induction, the commandos also undergo continuous advanced training including anti-hijacking, counter-insurgency training, forest trekking, snow survival techniques, specialized weapons handling, and advanced diving skills. Garud airmen wear
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#17327732906646448-404: The Australians also raised the Z Special Unit and M Special Unit . M Special Unit was largely employed in an intelligence-gathering role, while Z Special Force undertook direct action missions. One of its most notable actions came as part of Operation Jaywick , in which several Japanese ships were sunk in Singapore Harbour in 1943. A second raid on Singapore in 1944, known as Operation Rimau ,
6572-408: The British Empire in 1947, the Nizam of Hyderabad did not want to merge with the Indian Union and wanted to remain independent. The Government of India annexed Hyderabad State on 17 September 1948 after a military operation called Operation Polo . It appointed a civil servant, M. K. Vellodi , as first chief minister of Hyderabad State on 26 January 1950. He administered the state with
6696-529: The British Special Forces, with the curricula differing according to each soldier's specialization. Their task, on deployment to Poland, was to sustain the structures of the Polish state, training the members of the Resistance in fighting the German occupant. This included taking part in the Warsaw Uprising . Following advice from the British, Australia began raising special forces. The first units to be formed were independent companies , which began training at Wilson's Promontory in Victoria in early 1941 under
6820-441: The Cadets of the Ground Duty Officers course being trained at the Air Force Academy, Dundigal, Telangana . After successful completion, these officers will be inducted and permanently assigned to the Garud Force for advancing to higher postings. Training is also conducted along with the Indian Army personnel at the Rashtriya Military School, in Belgaum, Karnataka . Garud trainees undergo a 72-week training. The Basic Training course
6944-671: The Chhattisgarh border. Religion in Telangana (2011) According to the 2011 census, Hindus form 85.1% of the State's population. Muslims form 12.7% and Christians form 1.3%. Religious edifices like the Lakshmi Narasimha Temple in Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district , Makkah Masjid in Hyderabad, the ancient Bhadrakali Temple and Govinda Rajula Gutta in Warangal, Alampur Jogulamba Temple in Jogulamba Gadwal district and Medak Cathedral , Kondagattu Anjaneya Swamy Temple , Kothakonda Veerabhadra Swamy Temple, Lord Shiva temple in Vemulawada of Rajanna-Sircilla district are several of its most famous places of worship. Buddhism also flourished in
7068-612: The Chindits and took part in similar operations in Burma. In late November 1943, the Alamo Scouts (Sixth Army Special Reconnaissance Unit) were formed to conduct reconnaissance and raider work in the Southwest Pacific Theater under the personal command of then Lt. General Walter Krueger , Commanding General, Sixth U.S. Army. Krueger envisioned that the Alamo Scouts, consisting of small teams of highly trained volunteers, would operate deep behind enemy lines to provide intelligence-gathering and tactical reconnaissance in advance of Sixth U.S. Army landing operations. In 1983, nearly 40 years after
7192-436: The Commando training depot at Achnacarry in the Scottish Highlands was established by Brigadier Charles Haydon. Under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Charles Vaughan, the Commando depot was responsible for training complete units and individual replacements. The training regime was for the time innovative and physically demanding, and far in advance of normal British Army training. The depot staff were all hand picked, with
7316-400: The Commandos served in all theatres of war from the Arctic Circle to Europe and from the Mediterranean and Middle East to South-East Asia . Their operations ranged from small groups of men landing from the sea or by parachute to a brigade of assault troops spearheading the Allied invasions of Europe and Asia. The first modern special forces units were established by men who had served with
7440-490: The Commandos, including the Parachute Regiment , Special Air Service , and Special Boat Service . The No. 10 (Inter-Allied) Commando organised by British of volunteers from occupied Europe led to French Commandos Marine , Dutch Korps Commandotroepen , Belgian Paracommando Brigade . The first modern special forces unit was the Special Air Service (SAS), formed in July 1941 from an unorthodox idea and plan by Lieutenant David Stirling . In June 1940 he volunteered for
7564-431: The Congress Working Committee unanimously passed a resolution to recommend the formation of a separate Telangana state. After various stages the bill was placed in the Parliament of India in February 2014. In February 2014, Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014 bill was passed by the Parliament of India for the formation of Telangana state, comprising ten districts from north-western Andhra Pradesh. The bill received
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#17327732906647688-430: The Indian Air Force. The Garud commandos are organized into fifteen 'flights'. These flights are deployed at air force stations . Each flight is led by an officer who holds the rank of a Squadron Leader or a Flight Lieutenant and is composed of around 60 to 70 men who usually operate in squads of 14 soldiers. The Garud Commando Force has a reported strength of over 1500 personnel as of 2017. A Wing Commander commands
7812-483: The Knives of Death (Spanish: Cuchillos de la Muerte), the regiment relied almost exclusively on the use of blade weapons, particularly bayonets. Modern special forces emerged during the Second World War . In 1940, the British Commandos were formed following Winston Churchill 's call for "specially trained troops of the hunter class, who can develop a reign of terror down the enemy coast." A staff officer , Lieutenant Colonel Dudley Clarke , had already submitted such
7936-413: The Madras state bureaucrats back and implement a rule by the natives ( mulkis ) of Hyderabad (Syed Alam Sharjil) was elected chief minister of Hyderabad after (Dr. Burgula Ramakrishana Rao) for one year after he resigned from the post. The Telangana Rebellion was a peasant revolt supported by the communists . It originated in the Telangana regions of the Hyderabad State between 1946 and 1951, led by
8060-400: The OSS. On February 16, 1942, the U.S. Marine Corps activated a battalion of Marines with the specific purpose of securing beach heads, and other special operations. The battalion became the first modern special operations force of the U.S. The battalion became known as Marine Raiders due to Admiral Chester Nimitz 's request for "raiders" in the Pacific front of the war. The history of
8184-460: The Rangers helped carry out offensive strikes " frontier combat " against hostile Natives. Thus Ranger companies were formed to provide reconnaissance, intelligence, light infantry, and scouting. Colonel Benjamin Church (c. 1639–1718) was the captain of the first Ranger force in America (1676). Many Colonial officers would take the philosophies of Benjamin Church's ranging and form their own Ranger units. Several Ranger companies were established in
8308-527: The SAS attacked Bouerat. Transported by the Long Range Desert Group (which carried out deep penetration, covert reconnaissance patrols, intelligence missions and attacks behind the enemy lines from 1940), they caused severe damage to the harbour, petrol tanks and storage facilities. This was followed up in March by a raid on Benghazi harbour with limited success but they did damage to 15 aircraft at Al-Berka . The June 1942 Crete airfield raids at Heraklion , Kasteli , Tympaki and Maleme significant damage
8432-450: The United States Army Rangers. These early American light infantry battalions were trained under Robert Rogers' 28 "Rules of Ranging" , which is considered the first known manual of modern asymmetric warfare tactics used in modern special operations. Various military Ranger units such as the United States Mounted Rangers , United States Rangers , Loudoun Rangers , 43rd Virginia Rangers , and Texas Military Rangers continued throughout
8556-525: The ability to outperform any of the volunteers. Training and assessment started immediately on arrival, with the volunteers having to complete an 8-mile (13 km) march with all their equipment from the Spean Bridge railway station to the commando depot. Exercises were conducted using live ammunition and explosives to make training as realistic as possible. Physical fitness was a prerequisite, with cross country runs and boxing matches to improve fitness. Speed and endurance marches were conducted up and down
8680-433: The air. Special forces have been used in both wartime and peacetime military operations such as the Laotian Civil War , Bangladesh Liberation War-1971 , Vietnam War , Portuguese Colonial War , South African Border War , Falklands War , The Troubles in Northern Ireland, the Jaffna University Helidrop , the first and second Gulf Wars, Afghanistan, Croatia , Kosovo , Bosnia , the first and second Chechen Wars ,
8804-603: The aircraft were shot down. Some 300 commandos managed to land in the Burauen area on Leyte. The force destroyed some planes and inflicted numerous casualties, before they were annihilated. During World War II, the Finnish Army and Border Guard organized sissi forces into a long-range reconnaissance patrol ( kaukopartio ) units. These were open only to volunteers and operated far behind enemy lines in small teams. They conducted both intelligence-gathering missions and raids on e.g. enemy supply depots or other strategic targets. They were generally highly effective. For example, during
8928-532: The airfield based terror-threats. While the Army might have provided some Special forces units to the Air Force, its units were always subject to being posted out on rotation to other areas as per the Army's requirements. It was felt that the specialized training the Air Force would have provided for such units would have to be repeated for the replacement units. The initial plans mooted in October 2001 called for
9052-531: The assent of the president and was published in the Gazette on 1 March 2014. The state of Telangana was officially formed on 2 June 2014. Kalvakuntla Chandrashekar Rao was elected as the first chief minister of Telangana, following elections in which the Bharat Rashtra Samithi party secured a majority. Hyderabad would remain as the joint capital of both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh for
9176-542: The command of the divisional cavalry regiments that were re-designated as cavalry commando regiments. As a part of this structure, a total of 11 commando squadrons were raised. They continued to act independently and were often assigned at brigade level during the later stages of the war, taking part in the fighting in New Guinea, Bougainville and Borneo , where they were employed largely in long-range reconnaissance and flank protection roles. In addition to these units,
9300-585: The earliest uses of a word similar to Telangana can also be seen in a name of Malik Maqbul Tilangani (14th century CE), who was called the Tilangani , which implies that he was from Telangana. He was the commander of the Warangal Fort ( Kataka Pāludu ) and later Wazir — Minister under Firuz Shah Tughlaq . A 16th-century travel writer, Firishta , recorded in his book: During the just reign of Ibrahim Kootb Shah , Tulingana , like Egypt , became
9424-475: The early 1950s, and continued until Telangana was granted statehood on 2 June 2014. The historic city Golconda in Hyderabad established itself as a diamond trading centre, and until the end of the 19th century, the Golconda market was the primary source of the finest and largest diamonds in the world. Thus, the legendary name Golconda Diamonds became synonymous with Golconda itself. From 230 BCE to 220 CE,
9548-671: The early 20th century, with a significant growth in the field during World War II , when "every major army involved in the fighting" created formations devoted to special operations behind enemy lines. Depending on the country, special forces may perform functions including airborne operations , counter-insurgency , counter-terrorism , foreign internal defense , covert ops , direct action , hostage rescue , high-value targets / manhunt , intelligence operations , mobility operations , and unconventional warfare . In Russian-speaking countries, special forces of any country are typically called spetsnaz , an acronym for "special purpose". In
9672-880: The end of World War II, the US Army created the Special Forces Tab . It was later decided that personnel with at least 120 days' wartime service prior to 1955 in certain units, including the Devil's Brigade, the Alamo Scouts and the OSS Operational Groups, would receive the Tab for their services in World War ;II, placing them all in the lineage of today's U.S. and Canadian (via Devil's Brigade) Special Forces. The Axis powers did not adopt
9796-619: The erstwhile Hyderabad State from its predominantly Marathi -speaking one, Marathwada . It is also called "The land of Telugu people". After Asaf Jahi 's ceded the Seemandhra region to the British, the rest of the Telugu region retained the name Telangana and the other parts were called Madras Presidency's Circars and Ceded. Throughout antiquity and the Middle ages, the Telangana region
9920-585: The first batch of 100 volunteers from the IAF No.1 Airmen Training Center at Belgaum , Karnataka were earmarked to undergo Garud Training at Gurgaon . The Garuds were first unveiled on 6 February 2004, when the first batch of 62 "Air Commandos" passed out of training in New Delhi. The Garuds were first seen publicly during the Air Force Day celebrations in New Delhi on 8 October 2004. In the aftermath of
10044-439: The force. Additional personnel are planned for being added to the force. Unlike its counterparts in the Army and Navy, candidates for Garud Commandos are not selected from volunteers of other branches. Recruitment to the Garuds is done directly through airmen selection centers via advertisements. Candidates found eligible for the force are put through a process of rigorous physical training. Candidates have only one chance to become
10168-505: The formal capital of the Nizams. The Nizam Nasir-ud-dawlah, Asaf Jah IV signed the subsidiary alliance with the British in 1799 and lost its control over the state's defence and foreign affairs. Hyderabad State became a princely state among the presidencies and provinces of British India . In 1787, heavy flooding killed over 20,000 causing a plague which killed about 10,656,000 people in Telangana. When India became independent from
10292-538: The government of India announced the process of formation of the Telangana state. Violent protests led by people in the Coastal Andhra and Rayalseema regions occurred immediately after the announcement, and the decision was put on hold on 23 December 2009. The movement continued in Hyderabad and other districts of Telangana. There were hundreds of claimed suicides, strikes, protests and disturbances to public life demanding separate statehood. On 30 July 2013,
10416-643: The government of India's Operation Polo . Starting in 1951, the CPI shifted to a more moderate strategy of seeking to bring communism to India within the framework of Indian democracy. In December 1953, the States Reorganisation Commission (SRC) was appointed to form states on a linguistic basis. An agreement was reached between Telangana leaders and Andhra leaders on 20 February 1956 to merge Telangana and Andhra with promises to safeguard Telangana's interests. After reorganisation in 1956,
10540-670: The grave. A famous LRRP commander was Lauri Törni , who later joined the U.S. Army to train U.S. personnel in special operations. In June 1971, during the Bangladesh Liberation War , the World Bank sent a mission to observe the situation in East Pakistan . The media cell of Pakistan's government was circulating the news that the situation in East Pakistan was stable and normal. Khaled Mosharraf ,
10664-583: The hazardous situation prevailing in East Pakistan and urged ending the military regime in East Pakistan. The Crack Platoon carried out several successful and important operations. The power supply in Dhaka was devastated which caused severe problems for the Pakistan Army and the military administration in Dhaka. Stemming from Resolution 598 , Operation Prime Chance was the first deployment of U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) troops, which were
10788-561: The help of English-educated bureaucrats from the Madras and Bombay states, who were familiar with British systems of administration unlike the bureaucrats of Hyderabad State who used a completely different administrative system. The official language of the state was switched from Urdu to English . In 1952, Dr. Burgula Ramakrishna Rao was elected chief minister of the Hyderabad State in its first democratic election. During this time, there were violent agitations by some Telanganites to send
10912-736: The history of warfare, whenever the aim was to achieve disruption by "hit and run" and sabotage , rather than more traditional conventional combat. Other significant roles lay in reconnaissance , providing essential intelligence from near or among the enemy and increasingly in combating irregular forces, their infrastructure and activities. Chinese strategist Jiang Ziya , in his Six Secret Teachings , described recruiting talented and motivated men into specialized elite units with functions such as commanding heights and making rapid long-distance advances. Hamilcar Barca in Sicily (249 BC) had specialized troops trained to launch several offensives per day. In
11036-594: The known operations conducted by Garud commandos: In November 2019, Garud commandos started operating as a part of the first deployment of the Armed Forces Special Operations Division in Jammu and Kashmir. When the 2020 China–India tensions began, Garud commandos were deployed near mountain peaks considered by India to have strategic value. Their role was to defend the Indian airspace against Chinese aircraft for which they employed 9K38 Igla air defense systems. In 2018, an AC
11160-1011: The late Roman or early Byzantine period, Roman fleets used small, fast, camouflaged ships crewed by selected men for scouting and commando missions. In the Middle Ages , special forces trained to conduct special operations were employed in several occasions. An example of this were the special forces of Gerald the Fearless , a Portuguese warrior and folk hero of the Reconquista . Muslim forces also had naval special operations units, including one that used camouflaged ships to gather intelligence and launch raids and another of soldiers who could pass for Crusaders who would use ruses to board enemy ships and then capture and destroy them. In Japan , ninjas were used for reconnaissance , espionage and as assassins , bodyguards or fortress guards, or otherwise fought alongside conventional soldiers. During
11284-575: The latter half of the 20th century and into the 21st century, special forces have come to higher prominence, as governments have found objectives can sometimes be better achieved by a small team of anonymous specialists than a larger and much more politically controversial conventional deployment. In both Kosovo and Afghanistan , special forces were used to co-ordinate activities between local guerrilla fighters and air power . Typically, guerrilla fighters would engage enemy soldiers and tanks causing them to move, where they could be seen and attacked from
11408-986: The local flora and fauna. Some are included within other protected areas, like Kadalivanam in Nagarjunsagar–Srisailam Tiger Reserve, but most stand alone. There are 65 sacred groves in Telangana—two in Adilabad district, thirteen in Hyderabad district, four in Karimnagar district, four in Khammam district , nine in Mahbubnagar district, four in Medak district , nine in Nalgonda district, ten in Ranga Reddy district , and three in Warangal district. Languages of Telangana (2011) Telugu , one of
11532-658: The loss of men who required such extensive and expensive training limited their operations to only the most critical ones. Two regiments of Teishin Shudan were formed into the 1st Raiding Group, commanded by Major General Rikichi Tsukada under the control of the Southern Expeditionary Army Group , during the Philippines campaign . Although structured as a division, its capabilities were much lower, as its six regiments had manpower equivalent to
11656-424: The mart of the whole world. Merchants from Toorkistan, Arabia, and Persia resorted to it; and they met with such encouragement that they found in it inducements to return frequently. The greatest luxuries from foreign parts daily abounded at the king's hospitable board. The word "Telinga" changed over time to "Telangana" and the name "Telangana" was designated to distinguish the predominantly Telugu-speaking region of
11780-499: The merger of Telangana and Andhra, major ones occurring in 1969, 1972, and 2009. The movement for a new state of Telangana gained momentum in the 21st century by an initiative of Kalvakuntla Chandrashekhar Rao from Bharat Rashtra Samithi later joined by the Telangana Political Joint Action Committee (TJAC), including political leadership representing the Telangana area. On 9 December 2009
11904-400: The nearby mountain ranges and over assault courses that included a zip-line over Loch Arkaig , all while carrying arms and full equipment. Training continued by day and night with river crossings, mountain climbing, weapons training, unarmed combat , map reading, and small boat operations on the syllabus. Reaching a wartime strength of over 30 individual units and four assault brigades ,
12028-555: The need for more specialised units. Scouting units such as the Lovat Scouts , a Scottish Highland regiment made up of exceptional woodsmen outfitted in ghillie suits and well practised in the arts of marksmanship , field craft , and military tactics filled this role. This unit was formed in 1900 by Lord Lovat and early on reported to an American, Major Frederick Russell Burnham , the Chief of Scouts under Lord Roberts . After
12152-597: The new Republic of India, Telugu became the language of government, and as Telugu was introduced as the medium of instruction in schools and colleges, the use of Urdu among non- Hyderabadi Muslims decreased. Both Telugu and Urdu are used in services across the state, such as the Telangana Legislature website, with Telugu and Urdu versions of the website available, as well as the Hyderabad metro, wherein both languages are used on station names and signs along with English and Hindi. The Urdu spoken in Telangana
12276-574: The newly established special operations Army Ranger Battalion . The United States and Canada formed the 1st Special Service Force as a sabotage ski brigade for operations in Norway. Later known as the "Devil's Brigade" (and called "The Black Devils" by mystified German soldiers), the First Special Service Force was dispatched to the occupied Aleutian Islands, Italy and Southern France. Merrill's Marauders were modeled on
12400-631: The platoon split and deployed in different areas surrounding Dhaka city. The basic objectives of the Crack Platoon were to demonstrate the strength of Mukti Bahini, terrorising Pakistan Army and their collaborators. Another major objective was proving to the international community that the situation in East Pakistan was not normal. That commando team also aimed at inspiring the people of Dhaka, who were frequently victims of killing and torture. The Crack Platoon successfully fulfilled these objectives. The World Bank mission, in its report, clearly described
12524-535: The region and many Aramams can be found. Hyderabadi cuisine and Kakatiya architecture both from Telangana, are on the list of creativity UNESCO creative city of gastronomy and UNESCO World Heritage Site . The cultural centers of Telangana, Hyderabad and Warangal, are noted for their wealth and renowned historical structures – Ramappa Temple ( UNESCO World Heritage Site ), Charminar , Qutb Shahi Tombs , Falaknuma Palace , Chowmahalla Palace , Warangal Fort , Kakatiya Kala Thoranam , Thousand Pillar Temple and
12648-461: The region of Telangana was merged with Andhra State to form Andhra Pradesh. Following this Gentlemen's agreement , the central government established the unified state of Andhra Pradesh on 1 November 1956. G.O 553 of 1959 from the united Andhra Pradesh state moved two revenue divisions of Bhadrachalam from East Godavari and Aswaraopeta from West Godavari to Khammam for administrative convenience. There had been several movements to revoke
12772-546: The regular Filipino army soldiers. Most of the members of this unit came from the old Spanish Army filipino members which fought during the Philippine Revolution . The sharpshooters became famous for their fierce fighting and proved their worth by being the usual spearheading unit in every major battle in the Philippine–American War . In the Battle of Paye on December 19, 1899, Bonifacio Mariano,
12896-568: The reign of the Kakatiya dynasty , which ruled most parts of the present-day Andhra Pradesh and Telangana from 1083 to 1323 CE. Rudrama Devi and Prataparudra II were prominent rulers from the Kakatiya dynasty. The dynasty weakened with the attack of Malik Kafur in 1309 and was dissolved after the defeat of Prataparudra by the forces of Muhammad bin Tughluq in 1323. The area came under
13020-788: The rule of the Delhi Sultanate in the 14th century, followed by the Bahmani Sultanate . Quli Qutb Mulk , a governor of Golconda, revolted against the Bahmani Sultanate and established the Qutb Shahi dynasty in 1518. On 21 September 1687, the Golconda Sultanate came under the rule of the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb after a year-long siege of the Golconda fort. During the early seventeenth century
13144-424: The southwest monsoons . Telangana contains various soil types, some of which are red sandy loams (Chalaka), Red loamy sands (Dubba), lateritic soils, salt-affected soils, alluvial soils, shallow to medium black soils and very deep black cotton soils. These soil types allow the planting of a variety of fruits and vegetable crops such as mangoes, oranges, coconut, sugarcane, paddy, banana and flower crops. Telangana
13268-602: The start of World War II “September campaign,” the Polish Government did not sign the capitulation, but moved to Paris and then to London. In an attempt to achieve its aims the government in exile gave orders to the Polish resistance and formed a special military unit in Britain with the soldiers called Cichociemni (“silent and unseen”) paratroopers to be deployed into Poland. The Cichociemni were trained similar to
13392-543: The state. Marathi is predominant in regions bordering Maharashtra, especially in the old Adilabad district , while Kannada is spoken by significant minorities along some parts of the Karnataka border. The old Adilabad district has a large number of speakers of tribal languages such as Gondi and Kolami , while Koya is a language spoken by significant numbers in Bhadradi Kothagudem district and along
13516-415: The tributary of marathas after suffering series of defeats paying annual chauth in return for retaining their domain. The Medak and Warangal divisions of Telangana were part of their realm. When Asif Jah I died in 1748, there was political unrest due to contention for the throne among his sons, who were aided by opportunistic neighbouring states and colonial foreign forces. In 1769, Hyderabad city became
13640-535: The true situation of East Pakistan and to stop sanctioning the aid. Khaled, along with A. T. M. Haider , another sector commander, formed the Crack Platoon . Initially, the number of commandos in the platoon was 17, trained in Melaghar Camp . From Melaghar, commandos of Crack Platoon headed for Dhaka on 4 June 1971 and launched a guerrilla operation on 5 June. Later, the number of commandos increased,
13764-734: The tutelage of British instructors. With an establishment of 17 officers and 256 men, the independent companies were trained as "stay behind" forces, a role that they were later employed in against the Japanese in the South West Pacific Area during 1942–43, most notably fighting a guerrilla campaign in Timor , as well as actions in New Guinea . In all, a total of eight independent companies were raised before they were re-organised in mid-1943 into commando squadrons and placed under
13888-575: The use of special forces on the same scale as the British. The German army's Brandenburger Regiment was founded as a special forces unit used by the Abwehr for infiltration and long distance reconnaissance in Fall Weiss of 1939 and the Fall Gelb and Barbarossa campaigns of 1940 and 1941. Later during the war the 502nd SS Jäger Battalion , commanded by Otto Skorzeny , sowed disorder behind
14012-528: The viceroy. In 1724, Qamar-ud-din Khan defeated Mubariz Khan to reclaim the Deccan suba, establishing it as an autonomous province of the Mughal empire. He took the name Asif Jah , starting what came to be known as the Asaf Jahi dynasty . He named the area Hyderabad Deccan . Subsequent rulers retained the title Nizam ul-Mulk and were called Asif Jahi Nizams or nizams of Hyderabad . Hyderabad Nizams remained
14136-684: The war, Lovat's Scouts went on to formally become the British Army's first sniper unit. Additionally, the Bushveldt Carbineers , formed in 1901, can be seen as an early unconventional warfare unit. The Luna Sharpshooters , also known as the " Marksmen of Death " ( Spanish : Tiradores de la Muerte ), was an elite unit formed on 1899 by General Antonio Luna to serve under the Philippine Revolutionary Army . They became famous for fighting fiercer than
14260-557: The word "Telangana" from Trilinga desha ("land of three lingas "), a region named after 3 important Shaivite shrines present in it: Kaleshwaram (present day Telangana), Srisailam and Draksharama (present day Andhra Pradesh ). According to Jayadheer Tirumala Rao , a scholar of history, the name Telangana is of Gondi origin. Rao asserts that it is derived from "Telangadh", which means "south" in Gondi and has been referred in "Gond script dating back to about 2000 years". One of
14384-544: Was caused, and raids at Fuka and Mersa Matruh airfields destroyed 30 aircraft. In the Burma Campaign , the Chindits , whose long-range penetration groups were trained to operate from bases deep behind Japanese lines, contained commandos ( King's Regiment (Liverpool) , 142 Commando Company) and Gurkhas . Their jungle expertise, which would play an important part in many British special forces operations post-war,
14508-528: Was formed in 1943, with four Type 95 Ha-Go light tanks. The paratroop brigades were organized into the Teishin Shudan as the first division-level raiding unit, at the main Japanese airborne base, Karasehara Airfield, Kyūshū , Japan. However, as with similar airborne units created by the Allies and other Axis powers , the Japanese paratroops suffered from a disproportionately high casualty rate, and
14632-762: Was formed under Cavalry Major Antonios Stefanakis in Palestine, with 200 men. In 1942, the unit was renamed Sacred Band . In close cooperation with the commander of the British SAS Regiment, Lt. Colonel David Stirling , the company moved to the SAS base at Qabrit in Egypt to begin its training in its new role. The special forces unit fought alongside the SAS in the Western Desert and the Aegean . During
14756-711: Was learned at a great cost in lives in the jungles of Burma fighting the Japanese. Immediately after the German occupation of Greece in April–May 1941, the Greek government fled to Egypt and started to form military units in exile. Air Force Lt. Colonel G. Alexandris suggested the creation of an Army unit along the lines of the British SAS. In August 1942 the Company of Chosen Immortals ( Greek : Λόχος Επιλέκτων Αθανάτων )
14880-413: Was part of multiple Indian empires; such as the Mauryans , Satavahanas , Vishnukundinas , Chalukyas , Cholas , Rashtrakutas , Kakatiyas , Delhi Sultanate , Bahmani Sultanate and Golconda Sultanate . During the 17th—19th centuries, the region was ruled by the Mughals and Nizam of Hyderabad . In 1823, the Nizam's ceded Northern Circars —( Coastal Andhra ) and Ceded Districts —( Rayalseema ) to
15004-463: Was posthumously awarded to Corporal Jyoti Prakash Nirala of Unit 617, for displaying outstanding courage by killing two categories ‘A’ based terrorists and injuring two others, in an operation where six terrorists were killed, including the nephew of Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi at Bandipora, Jammu and Kashmir in the year 2017. Squadron Leader Rajeev Chauhan Squadron Leader Dilip Gurnani Sergeant Shyam Veer Singh (924678) were simultaneously conferred
15128-425: Was quickly expanded to 12 units which became known as Commandos. Each Commando had a lieutenant colonel as the commanding officer and numbered around 450 men (divided into 75 man troops that were further divided into 15 man sections ). In December 1940 a Middle East Commando depot was formed with the responsibility of training and supplying reinforcements for the Commando units in that theatre. In February 1942
15252-434: Was responsible for the sinking and damage of considerable British tonnage in the Mediterranean . Also there were other Italian special forces like A.D.R.A. ( Arditi Distruttori Regia Aeronautica ). This regiment was used in raids on Allied airbases and railways in North Africa in 1943. In one mission they destroyed 25 B-17 Flying Fortress bombers. The Imperial Japanese Army first deployed army paratroops in combat during
15376-399: Was unsuccessful. The United States formed the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) during World War II under the Medal of Honor recipient William J. Donovan . This organization was the predecessor of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and was responsible for both intelligence and special forces missions. The CIA's elite Special Activities Division is the direct descendant of
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