Sikhs in the British Indian Army

Sikhs served in the British Indian Army throughout the British Raj. Sikh units fought at the Battle of Saragarhi; in the First World War, as the "Black", as well as during the Second World War in Malaya, Burma and Italy.

Photograph of veteran Sikh soldiers (sepoys) in the British Indian Army, Malta, ca.1870

Pre-1914

After the fall of the Sikh Empire and death of its king Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the British conquered this large territory with much difficulty as it was the last kingdom in India to be taken over by the British, and began recruiting Sikhs into their army in large numbers.^[1][2] The British began to preferentially recruit Sikhs into its colonial military in the period after the Indian rebellion of 1857.^[3]

Battle of Saragarhi

Main article: Battle of Saragarhi

The Battle of Saragarhi is considered one of the great battles in Sikh military history.^[4] On 12 September 1897 a contingent of twenty-one soldiers from the 36th Sikhs regiment (now the 4th Battalion of the Sikh Regiment of Indian Army), led by Havildar Ishar Singh held off an Afghan attack of 10,000 men for several hours. All 21 Sikh soldiers chose to fight to the death instead of surrendering. In recognition of their sacrifice, the British Parliament paid them respect, and each one of them was awarded the Indian Order of Merit (equivalent to the Victoria Cross).

World War I

Indian soldiers in trench, Gallipoli, 1915

Known afterwards as the Lions of the Great War, during the war they were often called the Black Lions.^[1] Sikhs were allowed to use traditional Sikh weapons such as chakrams and talwar swords, and it was not uncommon to see the Sikh Holy Scriptures; The 11th Sikh Guru, Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, being carried before a marching Sikh battalion or even on the front lines among the battling Sikh troops.^[1]

World War II

Battle of Malaya

Main article: Battle of Malaya

The strength of the army in Malaya was 104,625 troops. Sikhs represented more than 60 percent of the total Indian force that fought against the Japanese invasion of Malaysia and Singapore.

Burma Campaign

Main article: Burma Campaign

Sikhs served with distinction in repelling the attempted invasion of India by the Japanese, and subsequently in dislodging them from Burma (now Myanmar).

Italian Campaign

Main article: Italian Campaign (World War II)

Sikhs served with distinction during the Allied invasion of Italy.

North Africa

Main article: North African campaign

In popular culture

• Diljit Dosanjh stars as the main protagonist in Punjabi-language Sajjan Singh Rangroot, which takes place in the British Raj and follows his journey of serving in the British Indian Army in WWI.
• Guspy Aujla and Dev Dhillon released Punjabi song "Sher Soorma" which highlights SIkh bravery in the World Wars
• In the 2019 movie 1917, Nabhaan Rizwan plays Sepoy Jondalar, a Sikh soldier in the Indian Army.
• In the 1996 movie The English Patient, Naveen Andrews plays Kirpal (Kip) Singh, a Sikh soldier who is a sapper, or bomb disposal expert, and works for the British Army in World War II. Kip is from Punjab, India, and volunteers for the British military under Lord Suffolk.
• BBC aired a program highlighting Sikh's contributions to both World Wars, titled "Rememberence - The Sikh Story", featuring Mohinder Singh Pujji.
• In the 2019 movie Kesari, Akshay Kumar plays Havildar Ishar Singh, a Sikh soldier who led an army of 21 Sikhs fought against 10,000 Afghans in 1897 at the Battle of Saragarhi.

Gallery

• 
  Indian Sikh soldiers in Italian campaign.
• 
  Sikh soldier with captured Swastika flag
• 
  A company of 15th Sikhs at Le Sart, France 1915
• 
  A company of 15th Sikhs at Le Sart, France 1915
• 
  John George Smyth VC drawing

See also

• Indian Army during World War I