Gorkhas in Indian Army can go on leave

Gorkhas in the Indian Army who want to attend to their families in earthquake-hit Nepal will be allowed to take leave, Army officials said on Monday. “If some Gorkha personnel feel they have to take leave, they can. It will not be a problem,” an Army official said. There are some 38,000 Gorkhas in the Indian Army, of which 25,000-28,000 are from Nepal. “Personnel from Gorkha Rifles 1, 3, 4, 5 and 8 are from that area. We will also be reaching out to the immediate families of these personnel in the Indian Army,” he said. There are around 1,30,000 ex-servicemen in Nepal. They have a respectable position locally and play a key role in decision-making. Indian Army Chief General Dalbir Singh, who belongs to the Gorkha regiment and is an honorary general of the Nepalese Army, spoke to his counterpart General SJB Rana after the earthquake.