Nepal - Pokhara - Young Gurkhas wash in local river

For their regular river washing ritual, the red identical t-shirts of young Nepali boys walk in single-file down a valley side near the British Gurkha Regiment's army camp at Pokhara after recently being recruited into the regiment after a gruelling series of tests to eliminate the weaker and less able candidates. 60,000 boys aged between 17-22 (or 25 for those educated enough to become clerks or communications specialists) report to designated recruiting stations in the hills each November, most living from altitudes ranging from 4,000-12,000 feet. After initial selection, 7,000 are accepted for further tests from which 700 are sent down here to Pokhara in the shadow of the Himalayas. Only 160 of the best boys succeed in the journey to the UK. The Gurkhas have been supplying youth for the British army since the Indian Mutiny of 1857.

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Filename: gurkha_training0316-01_1997.jpg
Copyright: © Richard Baker. No copying, screen grabbing, transmission or publication without permission.
Image Size: 5370x3459 / 4.0MB; www.photoshelter.com/support/license; https://www.bakerpictures.com/contact; British Army Gurkha Himalayas MoD Nepal Nepali Pokhara UK adolescent altitude army boy career clever colonial competition departing duty education ethnic family fierce heroism historic history homeland honour infantry military mountainous pride prospects recruit regiment reputation service talent token trained uniform young youth ultimate supply soldier successful traditional training selection foothills joining practice trying effort honor commitment lifetime salary pension security Nepalese wildnerness outdoor tough testosterone macho well-known notorious boys lads kids future Himal backdrop landscape hardest toughest line leader followers single-file orderly organised disciplined together pace equality identical shirts armed forces defense defence valley steep sides washing river regular same riverbed Regiment of Gurkhas Gurkhas wilderness
Contained in galleries: Army, Navy, Air Force, Gurkha Selection

For their regular river washing ritual, the red identical t-shirts of young Nepali boys walk in single-file down a valley side near the British Gurkha Regiment's army camp at Pokhara after recently being recruited into the regiment after a gruelling series of tests to eliminate the weaker and less able candidates. 60,000 boys aged between 17-22 (or 25 for those educated enough to become clerks or communications specialists) report to designated recruiting stations in the hills each November, most living from altitudes ranging from 4,000-12,000 feet. After initial selection, 7,000 are accepted for further tests from which 700 are sent down here to Pokhara in the shadow of the Himalayas. Only 160 of the best boys succeed in the journey to the UK. The Gurkhas have been supplying youth for the British army since the Indian Mutiny of 1857.