Darwan Singh Negi
VC (4 March 188324 June 1950) was one of the first
Indian
Indian or Indians may refer to:
Peoples South Asia
* Indian people, people of Indian nationality, or people who have an Indian ancestor
** Non-resident Indian, a citizen of India who has temporarily emigrated to another country
* South Asia ...
soldiers to be awarded the Victoria Cross (VC), the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to
British
British may refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies.
** Britishness, the British identity and common culture
* British English, ...
and
Commonwealth
A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. Historically, it has been synonymous with "republic". The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the ...
forces.
Early life
Negi was born to a farming family in Kafarteer village in the
Garhwal District
Garhwal District is a former district in Kumaon of British India of the United Provinces, and had an area of . It later became a part of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, today it is part of the Indian state Uttarakhand.
History
The first dy ...
of the
North-Western Provinces
The North-Western Provinces was an Presidencies and provinces of British India, administrative region in British India. The North-Western Provinces were established in 1836, through merging the administrative divisions of the Ceded and Conquere ...
in
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area, the List of countries and dependencies by population, second-most populous ...
. In 1902, at the age of 19, he joined the
39th Garhwal Rifles,
Indian Army
The Indian Army is the Land warfare, land-based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the Commander-in-Chief, Supreme Commander of the Indian Army, and its professional head is the Chief of Arm ...
.
[
]
World War I
When the First World War broke out in 1914, the regiment travelled to France as part of the 7th (Meerut) Division
The 7th (Meerut) Division was an infantry division of the British Indian Army that saw active service during World War I.
Pre-1857
The Meerut Division first appeared in the Indian Army List in 1829, under the command of Sir Jasper Nicolls, ...
of the Indian Corps
The I Indian Corps was an army corps of the British Indian Army in the World War I. It was formed at the outbreak of war under the title Indian Corps from troops sent to the Western Front. The British Indian Army did not have a pre-war corps stru ...
. Negi was a 33 year old naik (equivalent to corporal
Corporal is a military rank in use in some form by many militaries and by some police forces or other uniformed organizations. The word is derived from the medieval Italian phrase ("head of a body"). The rank is usually the lowest ranking non- ...
) in the 1st Battalion, 39th Garhwal Rifles, British Indian Army
The British Indian Army, commonly referred to as the Indian Army, was the main military of the British Raj before its dissolution in 1947. It was responsible for the defence of the British Indian Empire, including the princely states, which cou ...
during the First World War when he performed the deed during the Defence of Festubert
The Defence of Festubert was an engagement early in the First World War when Indian and British battalions of the 7th (Meerut) Division, Indian Army defended the village of Festubert against a German attack from 23–24 November 1914. It is nota ...
for which he was awarded the VC.
Victoria Cross
The citation of the VC reads:
He was awarded the medal on the same day as Khudadad Khan VC; but Khan's VC action was of earlier date, so that he is regarded as the first Indian recipient.
Negi retired with the rank of subedar
Subedar is a rank of junior commissioned officer in the Indian Army; a senior non-commissioned officer in the Pakistan Army, and formerly a Viceroy's commissioned officer in the British Indian Army.
History
''Subedar'' or ''subadar'' was t ...
, equivalent to a British captain. Both his son Balbir and Balbir's son Nitin served in the Garhwal Rifles of the Indian Army
The Indian Army is the Land warfare, land-based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the Commander-in-Chief, Supreme Commander of the Indian Army, and its professional head is the Chief of Arm ...
; both achieved the rank of colonel
Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations.
In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge ...
. His Victoria Cross is held by his family. The regimental museum of the Garhwal Rifles in Lansdowne, Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand ( , or ; , ), also known as Uttaranchal ( ; the official name until 2007), is a state in the northern part of India. It is often referred to as the "Devbhumi" (literally 'Land of the Gods') due to its religious significance and ...
is named the Darwan Singh Museum in his honour.
See also
* Gabar Singh Negi, another World War I Victoria Cross recipient from Uttarakhand
References
External links
First ever Indian to get Victoria Cross from H.M. the King Emperor in the field of battle
''India's Army'' by Donovan Jackson (Sampson Low, Marston & Co, London. 1940).
Winthrop University.
Victoriacross.org.uk.
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Negi, Darwan Singh
1883 births
1950 deaths
British Indian Army officers
British Indian Army soldiers
Indian Army personnel of World War I
People from Chamoli district
Indian World War I recipients of the Victoria Cross
Military personnel from Uttarakhand
Military personnel of British India