Recruitment
Soldiers recruited into the Garhwal Rifles are from the Garhwal Hills. Garhwal consists almost entirely of rugged mountain ranges running in all directions, and separated by narrow valleys which in some cases become deep gorges or ravines.
Millions of boys have left their mountain villages of Uttarakhand in search of good jobs or a better life than in the hills. For Uttarakhandi soldiers to enlist, it has been common practice to leave the villages in the hills in search of adventure and fortune, indeed it has become a tradition in Uttarakhand, which still continues unabated. Paharis (the people "of the mountains") have always played a role in defending the frontiers of the Republic of India.
"Garhwal" is the land of many 'Garhs' meaning forts. This region was made up of many small forts which were ruled by chieftains. Garhwal originally consisted of 52 petty chieftainships, each chief with his own independent fortress (garh). The rulers of Garhwal remained independent and repeatedly expelled the attacks of the Mughal rulers of Delhi. During the 19th century, the Gurkhas attacked Garhwal and drove the rulers of Garhwal down to the plains. Thereafter the rulers of Garhwal, with the help of the British forces in India, regained their kingdom.
The Regimental Training Centre and Headquarters is located at Lansdowne. Named after Lord Lansdowne who founded the place in 1887, Lansdowne, is one of the, albeit small, beautiful hill stations in the north Indian state of Uttarakhand. It is situated 45 km from Kotdwara en route Kotdwar-Pauri road in the Pauri Garhwal district. The training centre was built on the site of the old Kaludanda Fort. In 2003, the Garhwal Rifles Regimental Centre, Lansdowne was awarded the Indira Gandhi Paryavaran Puraskar (Indira Gandhi Environment Award), by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India.
Read more about this topic: The Garhwal Rifles