sikh soldiers

7/29/2019 Sikh Soldiers

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Sikh soldiers in Tibet Year 1904

An Initiative of

Shivnandani Industries Pvt Ltd

&

Jagdamb Janaki Nawal Janaki Society

By

Col Mukteshwar Prasad(Retd),

M Tech,FIE(I),FIETE,FISLE,FInstOD,AMCSI


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Sikh soldiers in Tibet Year 1904 Close to Gyantse fort in Tibet, at the Palkhor Chode Monastery Chinese

maintainSikhs are no strangers to this region. In the past they have led

many military expeditions at these formidable heights, with reasonable

success.

Around 1841, under the leadership of Maharajah Ranjit Singh of Punjab

(Lahore Darbar), General ZorawarSinghs forces came deep in Western

Tibet. He fell at Taklakot where still exists a Chorten (Samadhi / Grave

memorial)

1904Lietunant Younghusbands expedition to Tibet with the 23 and 32

Sikh Pioneer regiments have reference in undermentioned books

With Mounted Infantry inTibet by Major Ottley

India and Tibet by Sir Francis Younghusband

Waziristan to Tibet by Cyril Lucas

In early 1900s the Great Game being played in Asia had resulted in expansion of

British under the banner of East India Company.

In the North of Asia, the Czars of Russia were becoming ambitious and expanding

their reach into the Pamir mountain ranges, close to Afghanistan.


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Sikh soldiers in Tibet Year 1904

British secret services were getting an indication of an alliance being forged

between the Tibetans and the Russians. Should Russian reach extend into theHimalayan plateau, it would be too dangerous for British India.

Lietunant Colonel Sir Francis Edward Younghusband, with regiments of 23 SikhPioneers and 32 Sikh Pioneers, entered Tibet from Sikkim.

They were successful in conquering the Gyantse Fort (which was built around 12thcentury) and made it their base from where they led further successful expeditions

to Karo La pass (5,010 meter).A great feat at that height. The success of this expedition resulted in a treaty between British India and Tibet,

resulting in weakening the Russian aspiration of expansion under the GreatGame.

British Indian forces subsequently moved back from the Tibetan plateau.

Along the way from Lhasa to Gyantse, one can still find the remains of small stone

fortifications built by 23 and 32 Sikh Pioneer regiments to help defend from anyattack on the outer posts.

Hannibals crossing of the Alps, in 218 BC, to invade imperial Rome as one of themost celebrated achievement of any military force in the ancient warfare arepygmies in comparison to the advances that had to be made from the plains ofIndia to Tibetan plateau, crossing the formidable Himalayas.


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Gyantse fort


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Gyantse fort view in 2012


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sikh soldiers

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