9 Para commandos and their exploits across enemy line
The Indian Special Forces came of age with the spectacular Mandhol raid destroying a Pakistani artillery battery at little cost in the 1971 Indo-Pak war
In 1965, Major Megh Singh volunteered to raise a commando unit to operate behind enemy lines in Pakistani-Occupied Kashmir and destroy infiltrators’ launching pads. Meghdoot Force, as it came to be known, was a great success playing among other things a vital role in the capture of the Haji Pir Bulge. Special Forces Training School : A need to reorganize the PARA Commando Battalions was felt as the existing ones were only a tougher version of the infantry. On 15 July 1987 the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) gave his approval for creation of HQ Special Forces and for raising Special Forces Training Wing (SFTW) to cater for course of specialist nature specific to Special Forces which were neither available nor feasible in other schools of instructions. The complete process was delayed due to deployment off all the three commando battalions under an Adhoc Headquarters for OPERATION PAWAN - SRILANKA.Raised as Part of Headquarters Special Forces. Special Forces School was raised as part of Headquarters Special Forces of War Establishment. The raising was part of up gradation of our Parachute Commando Battalions to the more versatile Special Forces capable of executing a wide variety of strategic and operational tasks, Both overt and covert, in war and low intensity conflict situations.
Re -Organization in 1997-98. in December 1997, Special Forces School was reorganized and redesignated as Special Forces Training wing.
Restructuring in 2003. In January 2003, Army Headquarter Military Operation Directorate, approved the restructuring of Special Forces Training Wing to overcome the drawback in its erstwhile organization.
Redefinition. As part of the major policy decisions approved by the COAS, Special Forces Training wing was redesign Ted as Special Forces Training School, as a Cat 'A' Training Establishment for Special Forces. The first was an encounter along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir, where, in a close quarter fight, five fully-armed terrorists were eliminated. We also lost five Para SF soldiers - all belonging to the 4 Para Special Forces, which had undertaken the famed surgical strikes. Second was the demise of a braveheart, Col Navjot Singh Bal, Shaurya Chakra, former commanding officer (CO) of 2 Para SF, who even in the ultimate test, stoically faced his fate, smiling, like the Warriors of Yore.
Many thoughts traversed my mind. What is that special ethos that motivates these men of the SF to make the ultimate sacrifice? I also ended up enquiring to a few SF Officers if the operation in J&K had proved rather costly? Shouldn’t we minimise our casualties?
Col Saurabh Shekhawat, KC, SC, SM, VSM, India’s highest decorated serving soldier replied cryptically: “Sir we do our best to minimise casualties through intense training and planning, but once the battle is joined, it’s Vijay Ya Veergati (victory or martyrdom).” A Para SF Soldier can be identified by his uniform - it consists of Maroon Beret, has shoulder title (PARA) and Balidaan badge. NDA Exam - National Defence Academy
CDS Exam - Indian Military Academy
CDS Exam - Officers Training Academy
If an NDA cadet wishes to be any of the three wings, they should join the respective wings after NDA. Volunteer Gentlemen Cadets from the Indian Military Academy/ Officers Training Academy will be commissioned at the scale of two officers per battalion per year. These officers will be allotted a parent regiment by MS Branch.
Officers will forward their application in duplicate to MS Branch (MS-2) duly countersigned by the Commanding Officer with a recommendation of higher HQ (one up).
Officers already serving in any Arms and Services can volunteer for the Parachute Regiment.
In Para SF Commando, paratroopers are trained for 3 months, while the training of Para Commando Special Forces lasts for 6 months. Para Commando Special Forces are trained for a total of 9 months. ll ranks (Officers and PBOR) Volunteering for the Parachute Regiment will undergo probation in respective units, as under
PARA Bns: 90 days
PARA (SF) Bns: 180 days to include continuation training.
Parachute Jump Training. On successful completion of probation, all ranks will undergo a Para Basic course at PTS, Air Force, Agra, on successful completion of which they will be permanently absorbed in the Parachute Regiment. All ranks who do not volunteer to jump will be reverted to their parent Regiments.
Permanent Absorption. On successful completion of probation, the PARA/ PARA (SF) battalions will take action for permanent absorption of the individual through Record Office, The Parachute Regiment. All individual documents will accordingly be forwarded by the unit/Record Office concerned to the Parachute Regiment Record Office