The 5th Battalion of the Assam Rifles celebrated its 64th Anniversary on April 18 some were in the North Eastern Region.
The highlights of the celebrations were Puja in the Unit Mandir, special Sainik Sammelan, battalion welfare fete and cultural programme.
The unit received the massages of greeting and good wishes from the various Army formation commanders.
The battalion was raised on April 18, 1920 as the Darang Battalion. In 1922 the unit was employed to restore law and order in the plain areas of Assam and in 1924 columns were sent to contain Nople rebels to Madras and in 1930 to Chittagong (now in Bangladesh) to assist civil authorities in maintaining law and order. In 1959 Dalai Lama with the members of the family and followers entered into the Indian soil through one of the posts of the unit. They had unique honour of escorting His Holiness upto the plains of Assam.
During Sino-Indian Conflict of 1962, the battalions had the honour of occupying all the forward posts and were attacked the Chinese with over whelming superior strength. The personnel of the battalion fought with great valour, courage and devotion to the duty and though they were completely out-numbered on various out posts they held on and only withdrew on orders of the Army Commanders.