A commemorative postage stamp on the 250 years of The Punjab Regiment & 1 Para (SF) (1 Punjab) :

Issued by India

Issued on Oct 12, 2011

Issued for : India Post is happy to issue a Commemorative Postage Stamp on THE PUNJAB REGIMENT & 1 PARA (SF) (1 PUNJAB).

Credits :
Stamp/FDC : Brahm Prakash
Cancellation : Alka Sharma

Type : Stamp, Mint Condition

Colour : Multi colour

Denomination : 500 Paise

Stamps Printed : 0.4 Million (0.3 M normal distribution and 0.1 M to S.M.H.O. New Delhi for Proponent)

Printing Process : Wet Offset

Printer : SPP Hyderabad

About : 

• The Punjab Regiment is one of the oldest infantry Regiments of the Indian Army. The ancestral units of the Punjab Regiment were formed out of the erstwhile Coastal Sepoys, which were later known as Carnatic Battalions and then Madras Battalions. The first battalions were raised between 1761 and 1798. Designation of these battalions underwent many changes in subsequent years and got redesignated as the 67^th, 69^th, 72^nd, 74^th and 87^th Punjab in 1903. These battalions later came to be known as 2^nd Punjab Regiment and recruitment for all these battalions was confined to areas of Punjab.
• 1 PARA (SF) raised as 8^th Battalion Coast Sepoys in 1761 at Trichinopoly underwent various changes to be designated as 7^th Carnatic, 7^th Madras Native Infantry, 67^th Punjab, 1/2^nd Punjab Regiment and 1^st Battalion Punjab Regiment. In 1952 it was converted to 1 PARA (PUNJAB) and later to 1 PARA (COMMANDO) in 1978. It earned the distinction of being converted to SPECIAL FORCES and was redesignated as 1 PARA (SPECIAL FORCES) in 1996.
• As a result of reorganization carried out in 1922, the battalions were renumbered as 1/2^nd, 2/2^nd, 3/2^nd, 4/2^nd, 5/2^nd and 10/2^nd Punjab respectively as part of the 2^nd Punjab Regiment. In 1922, 10/2^nd Punjab was converted into Training Battalion.
• During World War II, seven more battalions were raised and numbered as 6, 7, 8, 25, 26 and 27 PUNJAB respectively. The Training Battalion was also expanded to meet the heavy demand of wartime reinforcement. The designation of Training Battalion was changed to the 2^nd Punjab Regiment Centre in 1940 and redesignated as the Punjab Regiment Centre after independence. During 1953, PEPSU (Patiala & East Punjab Union) state Forces i.e. Jind, Nabha Akal and Patiala Battalions were merged in the Punjab Regiment. The Regiment also has the honour of giving its 1^st Battalion to Para Regiment, 2^nd Battalion to the Brigade of Guards and 7^th Battalion to Mechanised Infantry.
• The Regiment has the proud privilege of earning 35 pre-independence battle honours and 14 post-independence battle honours besides eight COAS unit citations and 13 Army Commander Unit citations. A highly decorated Regiment with 747 pre-independence awards, 1388 post-independence awards with six PVSM, eighteen MVC, eleven KC, two UYSM, Nine AVSM, fifty eight VrC and fifty five SC.
• The Regiment insignia is a Galley, an ancient Greek or Roman warship. It is perhaps the only Infantry Regiment with an insignia of a naval vessel in the world. Regimental Centre is at Ramgarh Cantt (Jharkhand).
• Text : Based on the material provided by the proponent and the official website of Indian Army.

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