The regiment was raised on 15 June 1941 in Shillong by Major (later Brigadier) Ross Cosens Howman OBE to meet the claim of the then undivided state of Assam for its own fighting unit and to counter the threat of the Japanese invasion of India.

[4] The area of Elephant Falls in Shillong was chosen to raise the first battalion and it was there, under British instructors, that the first troops were trained.

The Assam Rifles provided a trained nucleus of 500 JCOs, NCOs and men to raise the newly formed regiment.

[5] The hardy, tough and cheerful Misings, Boros, Nagas, Kukis, Khasis, Karbi, Garos, Meiteis, Kalitas and later on, the Adis, Nishis, Monpas, other tribes of Arunachal Pradesh, northeast India domiciled Gorkhas and Sikkimese and other tribes were also drafted into the regiment and, today, the regiment can boast of being composed of troops of diverse customs, cultures, languages, traditions and ethos belonging to all the eight Northeastern states of India.

In 1944, when the invasion of India by Japan was imminent, the regiment was moved to Jessami and Kharasom to delay the advance of the Japanese 31st Division.

In addition, the regiment won six battle honours including Jessami, Kohima, Aradura, Toungoo, Kyaukmyaung bridge-head and Mawlaik.

Troops from the regiment took part in the battles of Chhamb, Fazilka and Uri in the west and Balurghat / Hilli and Dawki sectors in the east.

[11] 3, 4, 6 and 7 ASSAM were deployed in the western sector as part of the mobilisation of troops following the attack on the Indian Parliament in December 2001.

[11][12] 6 ASSAM has performed ceremonial duties at Rashtrapati Bhavan and was selected for its outstanding work in counter terrorist operations.

14 ASSAM won the Division and Command Football Championships and had fielded four players for the Army Reds & Greens.

[13] The team of the Assam Regimental Centre won the 'Army Young Blood Firing Championship' in 2005 and stood second in 2006.

[14] 12 ASSAM conducted outstanding Counter-insurgency Operations in Arunachal Pradesh, from Mar 2012-Jun 2015, arresting 48 militants, killing 4, seizing 37 weapons and taking 7 surrenders.

Originally commissioned in 1 Assam Regiment, the Commanding Officer used to enquire about the morale of the Rhinos' (soldiers) by asking them "Tagra Hai ?"

When spoken in the regiment, it is a quaint and unique mixture of Hindi generously sprinkled with words from all the northeastern languages and sounds cryptic to the uninitiated.