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| Madras Engineer Groups | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Active | 1780–present |
| Country |  British India India |
| Branch |  British Indian Army Indian Army |
| Type | Combat Engineers |
| Role | Combat support |
| Garrison/HQ | Bangalore,Karnataka |
| Motto(s) | Sarvatra! (Everywhere) |
| Engagements | Second Anglo-Afghan War First World War Second World War Burma Campaign Sino-Indian War Indo-Pak War-1947 Indo-Pak War-1965 Indo-Pak War-1971 Kargil War |
| Battle honours | SeeBattle honours list |
| Commanders | |
| Colonel Comdt of Madras Sappers | Lt Gen AK Ramesh |
Madras Engineer Group (MEG), informally known as theMadras Sappers, is an engineer group of theCorps of Engineers of theIndian Army. The Madras Sappers draw their origin from the erstwhileMadras Presidency army of theBritish Raj. This regiment has its HQ inBengaluru. The Madras Sappers are the oldest of the three groups of the Corps of Engineers.
The Madras Sappers were the only regiment of theMadras Presidency Army to survive unscathed the extensive reorganisations that took place between 1862 and 1928.[1] Thethambis, as the troops of the Madras Sappers are popularly known, with their hallmarkShakos have distinguished themselves in many battlefields around the world for more than 200 years.
TheBangalore torpedo, a mine clearing explosive device, was invented in the Centre at Bengaluru in the early years of the Twentieth Century.[2]
The second half of the eighteenth century found theEast India Company involved in the politics of India and in conflict with the French and a number of native states, amongst whomMysore, theMarathas and the remnants of theMughal empire were prominent. The newly raised army of theMadras Presidency was deficient ofcombat pioneers who were raised as 'ad hoc' companies and disbanded after the conflicts. TheFirst Anglo-Mysore War highlighted this deficiency and led to the raising of two companies of theMadras Pioneers on 30 September 1780 atFort St George. These men are the forefathers of the Madras Engineer Group of today and theCorps of Engineers of the Indian Army.
TheMadras Pioneers formed an integral part of the armed forces. Their principal job in active warfare was to dig 'saps' or 'trenches' which permittedcannon to be brought in range of enemyfortifications and to dig 'mines' which would explode creating a breach in the fort walls. As a result, Sappers and Miners was born. In addition, the sappers used to lead the way to the breach for the 'forlorn hope' and infantry to follow. They also built roads, bridges, fortifications, wells, and water supplies, and fought as infantry when needed.
Since this group was constituted by theMadras Presidency, and formed part of the Madras Army, they were called theMadras Sappers. Likewise in 1803 and again in 1824, theBengal Sappers andBombay Sappers were formed in the other presidencies.
The Madras Sappers recruited and trainedsmall tough and wiry men fromSouth India. These engineer troops fought in numerous campaigns in India atSholinghur,Srirangapatna,Assaye (along with Major GeneralArthur Wellesley, laterDuke of Wellington), and also inEgypt, China,Burma and other places abroad.
The Madras Sappers moved intoBengaluru in 1834, when they were involved in a major part of the construction activities of the Civilian and Military buildings in Bengaluru. Their association with Bengaluru, where the center is located, continues to this day.
The motto of the Madras Sappers is that common to all three regiments of the Corps of Engineers,Sarvatra (Sanskrit:Everywhere) the Indian equivalent to 'Ubique', the motto of theRoyal Engineers.
The battle symbols of MEG are a sphinx to commemorate the victory in Egypt in 1801, an elephant for the victory in Assaye in 1803, a dragon for China (1848), a bighorn sheep for Zoji La (1948), and a tank for Basantar (1971).[citation needed]
Madras Engineer Group have been actively participating in the annualRepublic Day Parade of India. MEG have been awarded the Best Marching Contingent three times in 1991, 1997 and 2017.[3]
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