The Gurkhas originated from Nepal and certain parts of North India . They can somewhat be referred to as the elites. Well known for their strength, unity, discipline and courage, they are highly trained in jungle terrains where they are able to track a person’s movements based on their footsteps and take them down swiftly.

We have Gurkhas based in Singapore in the form of the Gurkha Contingent. They are often seen at huge events like the ASEAN Summit and protecting our president.

Just last Thursday, I got my first glimpse of their physical condition during the annual SPF Sports Meet. On first sight, I thought they were body builders participating in the discus, shot put and javelin events.

They topped every single event with the exception of 1, extremely impressive. The cohesiveness of the Gurkha team during the tug of war was just stunning, such unity and discipline, they moved as a unit and utilized that strength to their maximum advantage.

In the 4 x 400m relay; 4 participants competed, and without any doubt, the Gurkhas finished first. But what caught my eye was their ability to finish their last and 4th round behind the last placed participant who was only doing their third. That is the difference in the fitness levels between the Gurkhas and the other participants.

The SAF commandos are the closest to the Gurkhas’ in terms of fitness levels, but even so, they are not comparable. The Gurkhas are the perfect defense utility to counter terrorism, and with them working hand in hand with our countrymen, I feel safe being in Singapore.