Gurkha word itself derived from "Go-Raksha" (), "raksha" becoming "rakha" (रखा). "Rakhawala" means "protector" and is derived from "raksha" as well. There are Gurkha military units in the Nepalese, British and Indian armies enlisted in Nepal, United Kingdom and India. Although they meet many of the requirements of Article 47 of Protocol I of the Geneva Conventions regarding mercenaries, they are exempt under clauses similarly to the French Foreign Legion. Gurkhas are closely associated with the khukuri, a forward-curving Nepali knife, and have a reputation for fearless military prowess. Former Indian Army Chief of Staff Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw once stated
Gurkha Memorial, London of Wales's Own Gurkha Rifles 5th Royal Gurkha Rifles (Frontier Force) 6th Queen Elizabeth's Own Gurkha Rifles 7th Duke of Edinburgh's Own Gurkha Rifles 8th Gurkha Rifles9th Gurkha Rifles 10th Princess Mary's Own Gurkha Rifles 11th Gurkha Rifles The Royal Gurkha Rifles The Queen's Gurkha Engineers Queen's Gurkha Signals Gurkha Military Police The Queen's Own Gurkha Transport Regiment Other units in which Gurkha soldiers served after 1815 and also the units of the Royal Nepalese Army which, as Britain's allies, took part in the Indian Mutiny and the First and Second World Wars. India 1816–1826 North East Frontier and Burma