The history of the Punjab Regiment dates back to 1705, when the first battalion was raised by the then Maharaja of Patiala

Lieutenant General Vijay B Nair, presently posted as Commandant of the Infantry School, Mhow, has taken over as Colonel of the Punjab Regiment from Lt Gen Anindya Sengupta, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Central Command, Lucknow. 

The baton of the Colonel of the Regiment (COR) was ceremonially handed during a solemn ceremony held at the Punjab Regimental Centre located in Ramgarh Cantonment in Jharkhand.

“The Baton, embodying honour, responsibility and regimental pride, signifies the seamless continuity of leadership and tradition, carrying forward the Punjab Regiment’s illustrious heritage, proud military ethos and enduring legacy,” the Central Command said.

The COR is a title held generally by the senior-most officer belonging to a particular regiment, though technically the appointee is elected by regimental officers and can be of any rank from Brigadier to General.

As the regiment’s mentor and guardian, he oversees the welfare and morale of troops, recruitment, regimental traditions and customs, representation within the Army and renders provides advice to Army Headquarters on postings of regimental officers and other institutional matters. 

Lt Gen Sengupta had taken over as the COR in May 2025 and had steered the raising of the regiment’s Bhairav Battalion and spearheaded enhancement of key training infrastructure at the Regimental Centre.

His successor, Lt Gen Nair, is an alumnus of the Sainik School Kazhakootam and the National Defence Academy, Kharakvasla and was commissioned into the 21st Battalion of the Punjab Regiment in June 1988, which he later commanded. He was also deployed with the Indian Peace Keeping Force in Sri Lanka and has been a part of the Indian Military Training Team Bhutan and a multinational brigade in a United Nations mission.

Prior to taking over as the Commandant of the Infantry School in April 2026, he commanded the Leh Sub Area, Tiger Division in Jammu and Kashmir and the Vajra Corps in Punjab. He has also served as Chief of Staff of the Western Command, Chandimandir, and the Northern Command, Udhampur.

Among the oldest and most highly decorated Infantry regiments of the Indian Army, the history of the Punjab Regiment dates back to 1705, when the first battalion was raised by the then Maharaja of Patiala. Since then it has taken part in numerous campaigns round the world and has fought in all post-Independence wars and major operations.

At present, the regiment comprises 21 regular battalions, four Rashtriya Rifles Battalions and three Territorial Army battalions. It recruits Dogra and Sikh troops primarily drawn Punjab and adjoining areas of Himachal Pradesh and Jammu.