A Father’s Legacy of Service 

From one generation to the next, the values of the Gurkhas live on. For former Gurkha WO2 Jagat Prasad Gurung, fatherhood has always meant more than providing for his family. It has meant passing on values that cannot be measured in money: discipline, honesty, resilience and service to others. 

Those values were handed down to him by his own father, shaped by his 21 years of service in the British Army and are now carried forward by his son, who proudly serves as a Gurkha in the United Kingdom. 

This Father’s Day, Jagat’s story is not simply about military service. It is about family, sacrifice and the enduring legacy that connects three generations of Gurkhas while The Gurkha Welfare Trust continues to stand beside them in later life. 

An unexpected path

Jagat grew up in Syangja, where military service was woven into family life. 

His great-grandfather had served as a Subedar Major, his father had served with the Gurkhas, and his uncles had also worn military uniform. Yet joining the British Army was never part of his original plan. 

After completing his diploma, he worked in public administration before becoming a schoolteacher. It was the school headteacher who encouraged him to try his luck at Gurkha selection.  

“I had not planned to join the Army,” Jagat recalls. “The principal told me, ‘You do not have a future here. Try your luck.’ There used to be recruiting officers who came to villages in search of potential recruits. They gave me a ticket. I went and got recruited.” 

In 1978, he travelled to Paklihawa, Bhairahawa, where he was successfully recruited into the British Army. Looking back, he still considers it one of the most important decisions of his life.  “If I had stayed in the village instead of joining the Army, I would probably still be ploughing fields behind oxen today. Instead, the Army changed my life.” 

A life of service

During his 21 years of service with the Queen’s Gurkha Engineers, Jagat travelled across the world.  He trained in Brunei, visited Korea on ceremonial duties, helped construct schools in Kenya and travelled to South Georgia and the Falkland Islands.  

Although he never saw major combat, he remembers how close he came during the Falklands conflict. 

“I was on a course in the UK when we were told to prepare to leave for the Falklands within 72 hours. Then another message came telling those on the course to stand down. Many of my friends went instead. One of them was seriously injured by a mine. I consider myself lucky.” 

But the greatest lesson he carried away from military life was not adventure.  “The Army taught us discipline. We were taught not to fear people or difficult situations but to respect the law and always be honest. Those lessons have stayed with me throughout my life.” 

He still speaks with pride about what it means to be a Gurkha. “The Gurkhas have a very good reputation and people respect us. You can walk with confidence with your head held high.” 

The sacrifices behind the uniform

Military life brought opportunity, but it also demanded sacrifice. 

Jagat’s duties often kept him away from home for long periods, leaving his wife to raise their children alone. “It was not easy,” he says. “My duties required me to move from place to place and work on different projects. Because I was away so much, my wife had to raise the children herself.” 

His wife remembers those years vividly. “It was difficult raising the children while my husband was on duty, but the other families in the barracks helped us. We supported each other.” 

Despite the distance, Jagat always believed his service was for the future of his family. 

A son who chose his own path 

When Jagat’s son was growing up, his father hoped he would become a doctor. “He was good at his studies and had a quiet and gentle nature,” Jagat says.  Instead, while still studying in Year 12, his son quietly applied to join the British Army. 

Jagat was working in Hong Kong after leaving the Army when he received a phone call from his wife. “She told me our son had been recruited. I was very surprised because I thought he was still at school. I couldn’t believe it at first. But later the reality sank in and I felt really happy.” 

His wife smiles as she remembers it too. “He was selected on his first attempt without even attending a training institute. He studied and trained by himself. He was very determined.” 

Today, Jagat’s son serves with the Gurkhas in the UK and has a young family of his own. “Of course, when children live far away, you miss them very much,” Jagat says quietly. “We speak on the phone, but it is not the same as having them nearby.” 

Yet his pride outweighs the distance. “I am proud of my son. He followed his own path, joined the Army and worked hard. I never had to guide him. He built his career himself.” 

“When people respect him, I feel proud as a father.” 

The greatest pride of all

Jagat admits life has never been easy.  “Life was mostly a struggle. There was very little time simply to enjoy ourselves because we were always working or fulfilling our responsibilities.” 

Yet when asked what makes him happiest today, the answer comes without hesitation. His family. 

His son has built a successful career. His grandson is growing up safely. His elderly mother is cared for. 

And the values that shaped his own life continue to be passed on. “Finance and family are very important in life,” he reflects. “We are very lucky.” 

He hopes future generations remember the lessons that guided him throughout his life. “They should love what they do and remain disciplined. They should serve honestly and with dedication. Most importantly, they must remain honest.” 

A legacy that lives on 

Today, Jagat watches his own son continue the Gurkha tradition from thousands of miles away in Britain, while his young grandson begins his own journey through life. 

He does not know whether the little boy will one day wear the Gurkha cap badge. But he hopes he will inherit something even more valuable: honesty, discipline and a willingness to serve others. 

 Those are the values his own father passed to him, the values strengthened through a lifetime of service and sacrifice, and the legacy he has passed on to the next generation. 

 For Jagat Prasad Gurung, that is the greatest gift a father can leave.