The soldier behind the regiment
The birth of the Garhwal Regiment is credited to Balbhadra Singh Negi, born in April 1829 in Haida Kholi village of District Pauri. In 1847 he travelled 500 miles from his native place to Abbottabad to be recruited into the 5th Gorkha Rifles, and grew rapidly through the ranks through his honesty, sincerity, hard work and intelligence.
In the Afghan war he fought under General F.S. Roberts and displayed strategic intelligence, courage and audacity. His exemplary courage in the battles of Kabul and Kandahar earned him the “Order of Merit”. On promotion to Subedar Major he was bestowed the title “Sardar Bahadur”, and when Lord Roberts became Commander-in-Chief and then Field Marshal, he deputed S.M. Balbhadra as his ADC and honoured him with the title “Laat Subedar”.
He was also decorated with the “Order of British India” and awarded the “Outstanding Soldier Medal”.
A homeland which can produce men like Balbhadra Singh must have a separate battalion of their own.– as conveyed to the Viceroy, Lord Dufferin