India was proclaimed a Republic and the regiment became the 3rd Gorkha Rifles. It remains in existence and consists of five battalions. The Regiment won the Battle Honour 'Pir Kanthi' in the Uri Sector in the war of 1948 and 'Shingo' in the Kargil Sector in war of 1971. 1/3 GR has the distinction of being the first battalion in the post-independence period to carry out amphibious operations during the 1971 Indo-Pak War. Colonel J.R. Chitnis, CO 1/3 GR, was honoured with the Ashoka Chakra posthumously—India's highest peacetime medal for valour—in Nagaland in 1956. On 3 December 1997, a statue was unveiled in London in honour of the Gurkhas. A quote from Sir Ralph Turner, a former officer in the 3rd Gurkhas, was inscribed on the memorial: "Bravest of the brave, most generous of the generous, never had country more faithful friends than you." Uniforms In its early years as the Kemaoon Battalion, the regiment wore green uniforms with white (after 1828 black) facings. As the 3rd Gurkhas from 1861, rifle green uniforms with black cuff facings were adopted to be worn with the round peakless Kilmarnock cap common to all Gurkha regiments. As was the practice with all Gurkha rifle regiments, black metal buttons and insignia were to remain features of the dress uniforms of the 3rd GR. Khaki drill was worn for active service and hot-weather dress from 1878 on. Shorts were adopted by the 3rd GR in 1900, at the same time as the wide brimmed "Kashmir" slouch hat came into general use. The latter had a green edged "pugri" (wide khaki band) as a regimental distinction. While the historic dark green ceased to be worn after World War I, except as part of officers' mess uniforms and a few other limited categories, the Kilmanock cap survived as a dress item until modern times. Notes References Carman, W.Y. (1969). "Indian Army Uniforms Under the British From the 18th Century to 1947: Artillery, Engineers and Infantry", Morgan-Grampian: London. Parker, John. (2005). The Gurkhas: The Inside Story of the World's Most Feared Soldiers. Headline Books Publishing. . External links Britishempire.co.uk - 3rd Gurkha Rifles 1914-1918.net 3GR on Bharat-Rakshak Military units and formations established in 1815 Infantry regiments of the Indian Army from 1947 British Indian Army infantry regiments Rifle regiments Gurkhas 1815 establishments in British India