Colonel Commandant Brigade of Gurkhas Award
Mr Dal Bahadur Pun, Senior Medical Care Assistant, British Gurkhas Pokhara
Mr Dal Bahadur Pun is recommended for the Colonel Commandant’s Award in recognition of his outstanding and sustained service to Gurkha Recruiting over almost 24 years as a Senior Medical Care Assistant at the British Gurkhas Pokhara Medical Centre.
Throughout his long tenure, Mr Pun has been the cornerstone of the medical screening process for Gurkha recruiting. He is universally recognised as the most experienced and knowledgeable practitioner within the medical cell, possessing exceptional understanding of clinical standards, recruiting policy and selection requirements. His calm authority, professionalism and tireless work ethic have ensured consistent, fair and transparent medical assessments for thousands of potential recruits to the Brigade of Gurkhas.
Mr Pun has led the medical team during every phase of recruiting, setting the highest standards through personal example. He has been instrumental in delivering RSOI training packages for the surged UK service personnel, mentoring junior staff and ensuring absolute compliance with Brigade recruiting principles of fairness and transparency. His leadership has directly enabled the selection of medically fit, resilient and capable recruits, contributing to success rates at Basic Training and safeguarding operational effectiveness and the reputation of the Brigade.
His service has been particularly distinguished during periods of national crisis and instability. Mr Pun maintained uninterrupted medical support during the 2006 Maoist insurgency, the 2009 swine flu outbreak, the 2015 Nepal earthquake the 2020-21 COVID-19 pandemic and most recently, the 2025 “Gen-Z” public unrest, he continued to provide essential medical oversight while maintaining recruiting standards across ACIO Dharan, Pokhara and Surkhet.
Beyond clinical responsibilities, Mr Pun manages the medical centre pharmacy and stores, ensuring full accountability, compliance and readiness during all recruiting phases. He is the recognised subject matter expert for incoming medical Recruiting Assistants, delivering structured training and refresher packages to maintain consistency and quality in the process. His corporate knowledge and mentoring have shaped a generation of medical staff.Mr Dal Bahadur Pun’s contribution to the Medical Centre, Gurkha Recruiting and the wider Brigade of Gurkhas has been exceptional. Without his service, the current quality and credibility of the medical recruiting process would not exist. He is universally respected and admired and is fully deserving of the Colonel Commandant’s Award.
