NEWS – September 12 is observed as Saragarhi Day

HIGHLIGHTS

• The Battle of Saragarhi is considered one of the finest last stands in the military history of the world
• On this day 21 soldiers held down the fort against 8,000 Orakzai and Afridi tribal militants
• Though heavily outnumbered, the soldiers of 36th Sikhs (now 4 Sikh) regiment, led by Havildar Ishar Singh, fought till their last breath, killing 200 militants and injuring 600
• In his book, “The 36th Sikhs in the Tirah Campaign 1897-98 – Saragarhi and the Defence of the Samana Forts”, former Punjab Chief Minister and military historian Capt Amarinder Singh writes that at the very outset of the battle, these soldiers knew they were looking at certain death but they did not flinch

WHAT WAS SARAGARHI, AND WHY WAS IT IMPORTANT?

• Saragarhi was the communication tower between Fort Lockhart and Fort Gulistan
• The two forts in the rugged North West Frontier Province (NWFP), now in Pakistan. were built by Maharaja Ranjit Singh but renamed by the British
• Though Saragarhi was usually manned by a platoon of 40 soldiers, on that fateful day, it was being held by only 21 soldiers from the 36th Sikh (now 4 Sikh) and a non-combatant called Daad, a Pashtun who did odd jobs for the troops. Fort Lockhart was also home to families of British officers
• The wife of the commanding officer of 36th Sikh, Lt Col John Haughton, was at the fort till May 1897 when she went home to deliver a baby

THE HEROISM OF HAVILDAR ISHAR SINGH

• Born near Jagraon, joined the Punjab Frontier Force in his teens.
• Independent command of Saragarhi post in his early 40s.
• Known for bravery, maverick nature, and care for his men.

THE ROLE OF DAAD

• Non-combatant from Nowshera, Pakistan.
• Fought bravely, killing five militants before being killed himself.
• Not awarded posthumously, but recognized as the 22nd soldier by Capt Amarinder Singh.

RECOGNITION AND LEGACY

• British Awards: Queen Victoria awarded the Indian Order of Merit to the 21 soldiers.
• Post-Battle Actions: The British built a memorial using burnt bricks from Saragarhi and commissioned gurdwaras in Amritsar and Ferozepur.
• Current Observance: Saragarhi Day is observed as a holiday in Punjab. The Khyber Scouts regiment and various memorials honor the soldiers.