28 AD Regiment (India)
| 28 AD Regiment | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Active | 1956 – present |
| Country |  India |
| Allegiance | India |
| Branch |  Indian Army |
| Type | Corps of Army Air Defence |
| Size | Regiment |
| Nickname(s) | Thambi Tigers[1] |
| Motto(s) | Sanskrit: आकाशे शत्रुन् जहि English: Defeat the Enemy in the Sky |
| Colors | Sky Blue and Red |
| Anniversaries | 14 May (Raising Day) |
| Equipment | 40 mm L/70 Air Defence Gun |
| Insignia | |
| Abbreviation | 28 AD Regt |
28 Air Defence Regiment is part of the Corps of Army Air Defence of the Indian Army.
Formation
The Regiment was raised as 28 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment on 14 May 1956 at Ibrahim Bagh Lines, overlooking the Golconda Fort in Hyderabad. The first commanding officer was Lieutenant Colonel Gurpratap Singh.[2]
The regiment was raised from troops from 16th Battalion, The Madras Regiment (Travancore), which itself traces its origins to the 2nd Travancore Nayar Infantry. The battalion was raised on 28 January 1819 in the erstwhile kingdom of Travancore.[3][4][5] In August 1965, the regiment was re-designated as 28 Air Defence Regiment.
Class composition
Most of the troops are from the four southern states of Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.[6]
Operations
- Indo-Pak War (1965)
- The regiment participated in Operation Riddle and was responsible for providing air defence to two airfields.[7] It took down two Sabre jets during the war. Lance Naik Madalai Muthu of 104 Air Defence Battery was awarded the Vir Chakra for shooting down a Sabre jet over Kalaikunda Air Force Station on 7 September 1965.[8][9]
- Indo-Pakistani War of 1971
- During Operation Cactus Lily, the regiment provided air defence protection in the eastern sector till 6 December 1971, following which it provided protection to airfields and ammunition depots in the western sector.[2]
- Other Operations[2] -
- The regiment took part in rescue operations in Jhajjar during the 1977 floods in Haryana. For its role, the regiment received one Sena Medal, one Vishisht Seva Medal and four Chief of Army Staff Commendation Cards.
- Counter-insurgency operations – The regiment took part in Operation Rakshak in Punjab. On 21 September 1992, a noted leader of the terrorist group Khalistan Commando Force, Kulbinder Singh was killed. The regiment was awarded a Chief of Army Staff Commendation Card.[2] It was deployed for counter insurgency operations in Jammu and Kashmir in early 2000s.[6]
- While operating in the Northern Sector near the Line of Control, the regiment was responsible for destroying a Pakistani bunker on 23 August 2004, for which a GOC-in-C (Northern Command) Commendation Card was awarded.
- The regiment was deployed for air defence roles during Operation Shakti in 1988, Operation Vijay in 1999 and Operation Parakram between 2001 to 2002.
Affiliation
The regiment was affiliated with the Madras Regiment in November 2018 at an official ceremony held at the Madras Regiment Centre at Wellington.[10][11]
Other achievements
- Havildar V Srinivasa was awarded the Chief of Army Staff Commendation Card in August 2016.[12]
- The regiment celebrated the Diamond Jubilee of its formation in 2016.[13]
References
- ^ "Blood Donation Camp At Madhopur". 2016-06-01. Retrieved 2022-01-30.
- ^ a b c d "28 AD-Golden Jubilee -Indian Army Postal Cover". 2007-05-20. Retrieved 2022-01-30.
- ^ "16th Battalion The Madras Regiment". Retrieved 2022-01-30.
- ^ "Travancore State Forces". Retrieved 2022-01-30.
- ^ "Madras Regiment 16th Battalion (Travancore), pivotal in Battle of Basantar, celebrates 200th anniversary". 2019-01-28. Retrieved 2022-01-30.
- ^ a b "28 Air Defence Regiment celebrates golden jubilee". 2006-01-11. Retrieved 2022-01-30.
- ^ Gulati, YB (1972). History of the Regiment of Artillery, Indian Army. Leo Cooper. p. 279. ISBN 978-0850521184.
- ^ "L/NK MADALAI MUTHU Vir Chakra". Retrieved 2022-01-30.
- ^ "Gazette of India, No 7, page 132" (PDF). 1966-02-12. Retrieved 2022-01-30.
- ^ "28 Air Defence Regiment affiliates with Madras Regiment". 2018-11-12. Retrieved 2022-01-30.
- ^ "Affiliation Ceremony of 28 Air Defence Regiment With Madras Regiment". 2018-11-16. Retrieved 2022-01-30.
- ^ "COAS Commendation Card". 2016-08-15. Retrieved 2022-01-30.
- ^ "Diamond Jubilee of raising celebrated by 28 Air Defence Regiment". 2016-05-24. Retrieved 2022-01-30.