The *Tirah campaign,* was an Indian frontier war during 1897–98. Tirah is a mountainous tract of country in what is now a federally administered tribal area of Pakistan.
The *Battle of Saragarhi* was fought before the Tirah Campaign on 12 September 1897 between the British Indian Empire and the Afghan tribesmen. It occurred in the North-West Frontier Province (now Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan). Sikh soldiers fought on behalf of the British Indian Army against Pashtun Orakzai tribesmen.
The British Indian contingent comprised 21 Jat Sikh soldiers of the 36th Sikhs (now the 4th battalion of the Sikh Regiment), who were stationed at an army post and were attacked by 10000 to 12,000 Afghans. The Sikhs, led by Havildar Ishar Singh, chose to fight to the death, in what is considered by some military historians as one of history's greatest last stands. The post was recaptured two days later by another British Indian contingent.
The 4th battalion of the Sikh Regiment of Indian Army commemorates the battle every year on 12 September, as *Saragarhi Day.*