Gurkha School-video

Behind the scenes at Nepal's Gurkha recruitment camp as young men compete to join the elite British army brigade.

In 1815, British authority in India was put to severe test by the forces of an expanding Nepali state. Impressed by their art of hill warfare and tenacity, Britain began recruiting Nepalis for a special elite brigade. Over 220,000 Gurkhas fought for Britain in World War I and II; over 40,000 were casualties. For many Nepalis, service in the British army is a strong family tradition, but competition to join is fierce. Every year, many thousand Nepalis compete for the few places to become a Gurkha. This film offers a broad perspective on a 200-year-old military tradition that still provides status to young Nepalese men who strive to join an elite British army brigade in the Himalayan region. What does it take to be a Gurkha? We examine how the young Nepalese men fare in the rigorous three-phase selection procedure that extends over six months in the mountains and how the aspiring soldiers' physical condition, intelligence and motivation are all put to the test.