Gurkha Soldier Beds

A young Nepali boy is undergoes a recruitment test for the Gurkha Regiment called the Doko race, part of a tough endurance series to find physically perfect specimens for British army infantry training, on 16th January 1997, in Pokhara, Nepal. Carrying 30kg of river stones in a traditional Himalayan doko (basket) for 3km up foothills within 37 minutes to pass. 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. Nepal has been supplying youths for the British army since the Indian Mutiny of 1857. (Photo by Richard Baker / In Pictures via Getty Images)

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Filename: gurkha_selection01-16-01-1997.jpg
Copyright: Richard Baker
Image Size: 5401x3497 / 4.2MB; www.photoshelter.com/support/license; https://www.bakerpictures.com/contact; 1990s 1997 20th century 90s adolescent altitude armed forces army athletic boy british army bygone candidate cardio carrying character character-building course decade defence defense determination doko elimination endurance era ethnic exertion fitness foothills goals gurkha himalays historical homeland inner-strength loaded mental strength miles military motivation mountains nineteen-nineties nineties past peaks performance race recruit regiment running selection soldier stamina strain strength strenuous strongest test times tough guy toughest training virility wannabe years youth
Contained in galleries: 1990s

A young Nepali boy is undergoes a recruitment test for the Gurkha Regiment called the Doko race, part of a tough endurance series to find physically perfect specimens for British army infantry training, on 16th January 1997, in Pokhara, Nepal. Carrying 30kg of river stones in a traditional Himalayan doko (basket) for 3km up foothills within 37 minutes to pass. 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. Nepal has been supplying youths for the British army since the Indian Mutiny of 1857. (Photo by Richard Baker / In Pictures via Getty Images)