9 (Parachute) Field Regiment (India)

9 Parachute Field Regiment is part of the Regiment of Artillery of the Indian Army.

Formation

9 Parachute Field Regiment was raised on 1 April 1943 at Kumbergaon, Pune, by Lieutenant Colonel R. A. Eden as 9 Field Regiment of the Royal Indian Artillery, British Indian Army.

History

The unit was raised as a pure Madrasi unit and was converted to become the first Parachute Field Regiment in the Indian Army in November 1945. The unit briefly formed part of the 2nd Indian Airborne Division, while located in Quetta, prior to independence. Between 1946 and 1948, it was involved in internal security duties at Quetta, Karachi and Satara.
Following the partition, the regiment was allotted to India. The first Indian Commanding Officer post independence, in 1947, was Lieutenant Colonel FSB Mehta, an Army Aviator.
The regiment along with 17 (Parachute) Field Regiment alternatively form part of the 50th Parachute Brigade, while the other serves out its field tenure on rotation.

Operations

Following independence, the unit has been involved in numerous operations including:
; Operation Polo (Annexation of Hyderabad)
;Operation Vijay (Annexation of Goa)
;Operation Cactus Lily (Indo-Pakistani War of 1971)
;Other operations

Notable officers

The unit boasts of having 56 of its officers becoming Flag officers, including:

Lieutenant General Sir William Gregory Huddleston Pike – commanded the regiment and eventually became the Vice Chief of the Imperial General Staff.
Brigadier Furdoon Siavax Byramji Mehta – first Indian Artillery officer to wear the wings of the Air Observation Post, now known as Army Aviation Corps, first Indian Commanding Officer of 9 Parachute Field Regiment, believed to be the only Indian officer to have flown with a British Air Observation Post Squadron in the Second World War.
General Sunith Francis Rodrigues – Chief of the Army Staff of the Indian Army from 1990 to 1993 and Governor of Punjab from 2004 to 2010.

Gallantry awards and honours

The Regiment holds the coveted honour of getting four unit citations. The regiment was honoured with the Chief of Army Staff Unit Citation in January 2025.
Vishisht Seva Medal – Major Chandra Shekhar Manda
Sena Medal – Major Vikesh Kumar
COAS Commendation Cards