Captain Shiva Kumar Rai (The Royal Gurkha Rifles), one of The King’s Gurkha Orderly Officers 2025-26
Captain Shiva enlisted into the Brigade of Gurkhas on 21 January 1999. On completion of nine months Infantry Basic Training at Church Crookham, he joined C Company The Second Battalion The Royal Gurkha Rifles (2 RGR) in Brunei on 14 November 1999.
He has spent 22 of 26 years of distinguished service at regimental duty with 2 RGR and outside of the regiment he has served with the Second Battalion The Parachute Regiment (2PARA) as a Rifleman and Infantry Training Centre (ITC) as a Section Commander. His post as Section Commander in Gurkha Company, ITC set another milestone in his career allowing him to train and mentor Gurkha soldiers. As a Senior Non-Commissioned Officer (SNCO), he held several key appointments including Rifle Company Sergeant Major (CSM) before being appointed Operational Warrant Officer (Ops WO).
He was commissioned into The Royal Gurkha Rifles in 2019 and has since held several key appointments, including Platoon Commander (PC), Rifle Company Second-in-Command (2IC) and Mechanical Transport Officer (MTO) prior to assuming the prestigious post of The King’s Gurkha Orderly Officer (KGOO). As the Unit Deployment Officer, he oversaw the rapid deployment and recovery of the Battle Group and its extensive fleet during operations and overseas exercises.
He has completed numerous overseas exercises including deployments to Tonga, Belize, Kenya, Malawi, New Zealand, Australia, Latvia, Germany, France and Cyprus. Prior to commissioning, he deployed to Uganda as part of a Short-Term Training Team. His service has seen him deployed on seven operational tours: five in Afghanistan (2001, 2004, 2005-06 2009 and 2011), Macedonia in 2001, and Sierra Leone in 2003. He received a ‘Chief of Joint Operation Commendation’ for distinguished performance Operation HERRICK 14 in 2011.
He was awarded ‘Slim Trophy’ in 2023 for his leadership and professionalism to enhance the name of the Regiment. He was also awarded the Accumulated Campaign Service Medal (ACSM) and Long Service and Good Conduct (LS&GC) medal for his outstanding service in the Army.
