[REPRODUCED FROM BEACON ONLINE - SAVE THE GORKHAS]
Dear friends,
We are starting a “Save the Gorkhas” campaign. Our presence in India has been historical and for a minority community our contribution yesterday and today has been stupendous! But sadly, outside the army, we are not yet recognized or acknowledged as the Pride of India! While we excel in our individual way, as an ethnic community we are disappearing. For what we have done, the Gorkhas have to be recognized as one of the greatest races India has had post-independence. This endeavor of ours will not be political, but the campaign will also help the well-meaning political leaders.
Most of all it will help us. Those who do not want to involve in politicking but yet want to be a part of the Save the Gorkha movement, please find this channel useful for your energies towards self-recognition and India-world awareness. This means no political discussion here. There are other links for that.
To start with we will be first gather information on our community-past and present. The information gathering will include not only the army, but every aspect of the Gorkhas. The history and Gorkha historical sites of the Darjeeling districts, Dharamshala, Dehradun, Assam, etc. We will highlight the Gorkha-powered industries of the tea gardens, mountaineering, horticulture, tourism, etc of Darjeeling and Assam. The military heritage powered- by Gorkhas of Dharamshala and Dehradun. (Today Darjeeling and Assam also have considerable presence in the Indian army). We will attempt to profile the Gorkha heritage/history, historical figures, important battles, events (non-military also) from the 18th century as in Sikkim, Darj, Uttarakhand and Himachal. We will profile the Gorkha descendant community from the erstwhile states of Jammu and Kashmir, now living mainly in Jammu. We will also include the Gorkha descendants from the erstwhile state of Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s Punjab, now living mainly in Punjab and Pakistan (as Lahore was his capital). We will document how the many styles of Nepali language and culture as affected by the environment, such as Darj Nepali language (influenced by neighbouring Nepal and the Sikkimese hill tribes-without realising lot of Bhutia and Lepcha words have crept into the lingo as I notice), the Himachali Nepali which is Gorkha-paltan influenced, the Dehradun Nepali influenced by Garhwali and Kumaoni) and the Jammu Nepali is Jamwal influenced.
The present Gorkhas powering the IT industry in Bangalore, Delhi, Media-Print, Cinema, (Mumbai, etc), Mixed media, Design, Medicine (we have about 6 Drs from Dharamshala, let us gather the rest), Architecture, Management, Corporate world, Music, Literature, Art and Sculpture, PhDs, Politicians (untainted please), Social work, Freedom fighters. All names should be untainted figures. No defence figure or political figure with any scam attached.
With this background, we will then draw attention to the decay, discrimination, miseries of the Gorkhas whether in tea gardens or ex-servicemen or our culture, our environment and our history,
For starters, I have compiled a list
Gorkha Generals of the Indian Army to the best of my knowledge. It will corrected by you
1. Major General GS Rawat, 5th Gorkha Rifles, Retd, Nainital
2. Major General OS Bhandari, Param Vishist Seva Medal, Dharamshala.
Due for promotion as Lt General but died in an air crash
1. Major General MS Karki, Engineers, Dehradun, retd
2. Major General Basant Singh, AVSM, YSM, 2/1 Gorkha Rifles, Retd 31 Jan 2004, Dehradun
3. Major General NS Rana, Vishist Sena Medal, Sappers, retd. Dharamshala
4. Major General RS Pradhan, Para Regiment, Serving, Dehradun
5. Major General Shakti Gurung, Grenadiers, Serving, Dehradun
Please kindly add to the list
What I have mentioned above are ideas. If I have unknowingly left anyone or anything out, please add. If I have made any mistakes kindly correct.
Looking forward to learning more from all of you
With good wishes, love and regards to all,
Ms Jyoti Thapa Mani