The Grenadiers

The Grenadiers are an infantry regiment of the Indian Army, formerly known as the 4th Bombay Grenadiers (when it was part of the British Indian Army). The regiment has distinguished itself during the two world wars and also after Independence of India. The regiment has won many battle honours and gallantry awards, with three Param Vir Chakra awardees in three different conflicts.

Early history

The oldest grenadier regiment of the armies in the Commonwealth belongs to the Indian Army.

The concept of 'Grenadiers' evolved from the practice of selecting the bravest and strongest men for the most dangerous tasks in combat. The Grenadiers have the longest unbroken record of existence in the Indian Army.

The history of the Indian grenadiers is linked to the troops recruited for the Army of the Bombay Presidency. The very first mention of a grenadier company hails back to 1684 when the little army of British troops, which had taken possession of the island of Bombay and comprising three companies of Europeans and local Christians, had a grenadier company but nothing was heard about this unit subsequently. In 1710, the Army in Bombay consisted of five companies of "Europeans, topasses (Indian christians), and coffrees (Kaffirs or African slaves)" of which the first company was a European grenadier company. This company was merged into the Bombay European Regiment which was later disbanded. In 1757, Robert......
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