Officers from 101st Grenadiers in 1910. [Courtesy: Grenadiers Regimental Centre]
Post-Independence
- Battle Honours: Gurais, Assal Uttar, Jarpal and Chakra.
- Honours & Awards: 3 Param Vir Chakras, 2 Ashok Chakras, 7 Maha Vir Chakras, 4 Kirti Chakras, 2 Param Vishisht Seva Medals, 2 Ati Vishisht Seva Medals, 2 Uttam Yudh Seva Medals, 33 Vir Chakras, 16 Shaurya Chakras, 3 Yudh Seva Medals, 71 Sena Medals and 27 Vishisht Seva Medals.
- Comments: The oldest Grenadier Regiment of the armies in the Commonwealth belongs to the Indian Army. A composite battalion comprising Grenadier companies of Bombay Sepoys won the famous battle of Talegaon in 1778. By 1784, the group of Grenadier companies had been given the title of Bombay Grenadiers. The concept of 'Grenadiers' evolved from the practice of selecting the bravest and strongest men for the most dangerous tasks in combat. The Grenadiers have one of the longest unbroken record of existence in the Indian Army.
The Grenadiers have the unique and distinct honour of having the most number of Param Vir Chakras, India's highest medal for gallantry, among all the Indian Army's Infantry Regiments. Company Quarter Master Havildar Abdul Hamid, 4th Grenadiers was the first recipient of the Param Vir Chakra (Posthumous) for the Regiment in 1965 and the second recipient to get the Param Vir Chakra was Major Hoshiar Singh, 3rd Grenadiers in 1971. Hoshiar Singh retired as a Colonel from the Army and passed away in 1998. The third recipient of this coveted medal, but certainly not the last, was Grenadier Yogender Singh Yadav, 18th Grenadiers in 1999.
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