Bola Shri Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Ki Jai (Hail Victory ToGreat King ChhatrapatiShivaji Maharaj), or Hara Hara Mahadev! (Hail Victory to the great God Shiva!), or Jay Bhavani Jay Shivaji (Hail Victory to Goddess Bhavani and Hail Victory toGreat KingShivaji)
TheMaratha Light Infantry is alight infantryregiment of theIndian Army. It traces its lineage to theBombay Sepoys, raised in 1768, making it the most senior light infantry regiment in the Indian Army.
The class composition of the regiment was and is primarily formed byMaratha recruits from the formerMaratha Empire. The men were mostly drawn from all over the state ofMaharashtra, with some percentage fromMarathi-speaking areas ofKarnataka includingCoorg.[3] As of 2000, the recruitment pattern is as follows–
TheMaratha Confederacy was a potent force in India from the 17th to 19th centuries. Their military qualities were brilliantly optimised in their historical campaigns against theMughal Empire under the leadership of theChhatrapati Shivaji and succeeding Maratha rulers. Maratha armies, comprising both infantry and light cavalry, and theMaratha Navy had dominated the military scene in India for three centuries. The 1st battalion of the regiment, known asJangi Paltan ("the fighting unit"), was raised in August 1768 as the2nd Battalion, Bombay Sepoys, to protect theBritish East India Company's possessions on the islands ofBombay.
The second battalion known asKali Panchwin followed the next year as the3rd Battalion, Bombay Sepoys. These two battalions were at the forefront of virtually every major engagement fought on the west coast fromSurat toCannanore during the last quarter of the 18th century. Prominent amongst these were the historic battles ofSeedaseer andSeringapatam, where in the words ofRichard Wellesley theirconduct and success were seldom equalled and never surpassed.[5]
The turn of the 19th century was witness to the expansion of the regimental group with the raising of the 3rd battalion as the 2nd battalion, 5th (Travancore) Regiment of theBombay Native Infantry in 1797. The Maratha Light Infantry Regimental Centre was raised in March 1800 as the 2nd battalion, 7th Regiment of Bombay Native Infantry; the 4th battalion in April 1800 as the 2nd battalion, 8th Regiment Bombay Infantry and the 5th battalion from theBombay Fencibles as the 1st battalion, 9th Regiment of Bombay Native Infantry in December 1800.
In the second half of the 19th century, the battalions fought in various campaigns from the Middle East to China. In recognition of the gallant conduct of its detachments at thesiege of Kahun and the defence of Dadar, inBaluch territory during theFirst Anglo-Afghan War in 1841, theKali Panchwin was created Light Infantry. Later, this honour was also bestowed on the 3rd and 10th Regiments of the Bombay Infantry (present 1st battalion, Maratha Light Infantry and 2nd battalion,Parachute Regiment respectively) for their gallantry inSir Robert Napier'sAbyssinian Campaign of 1867–1868. The regiment assumed the title5th Mahratta Light Infantry 1922.
Three Maratha battalions distinguished themselves during theFirst World War (1914–1918) in the long drawn-outMesopotamia campaign. The117th Mahrattas (present 5th battalion, Maratha Light Infantry) was made into a Royal battalion for its conspicuously distinctive service during its campaign inMesopotamia, particularly in the events leading to enemy capitulation after the bitter 146-day siege atKut-el-Amara. The battalion was mostly composed of Marathas from theKhandesh region andNashik district. For some unclear reasons even after winning, the regiment did not return to India. The114th Mahrattas (present Regimental Centre) was awarded 28 gallantry awards for their performance in thebattle of Sharquat, the highest earned by any unit in a single action. The other Maratha battalions, namely the105th Mahratta Light Infantry,110th Mahratta Light Infantry and116th Mahrattas also acquitted themselves in Palestine and Mesopotamia. The 105th lost its commanding officer in action (Lieutenant-Colonel Ernest Richard Inglis Chitty at the battle of Jebel Hamrin, 1917).
The Second World War saw the Marathas at the forefront in almost every theatre of operations from the jungles of Southeast Asia to the deserts ofNorth Africa, and the mountains and rivers of Italy. The war also saw the expansion of the regiment when thirteen new war service battalions were raised. Most of these were later demobilised after the war, whilst two were converted into artillery regiments.[citation needed] During the war NaikYeshwant Ghadge and SepoyNamdeo Jadhav were decorated with theVictoria Cross in the Italian campaign, while 130 other decorations were awarded to the regiment.[6]The following battalions saw action during the war[7] –
East Africa – 2/5th Mahratta Light Infantry, 3/5th Mahratta Light Infantry
Indian independence saw the regiment reverted to the original five battalions, with the 3rd Maratha Light Infantry converting to the airborne role and becoming the 2nd battalion, Parachute Regiment in April 1952. With the integration of the erstwhile princely states, the 19th, 20th, 22nd battalions were amalgamated, from the state forces ofSatara,Kolhapur,Baroda, andHyderabad, with the regiment. The expansion of the Indian Army to meet the omnipresent threat to its borders has seen the regiment grow to its present strength of 18 regular battalions and twoTerritorial Army battalions whilst the period also saw the conversion of the 21st battalion into the 21st battalion, Parachute Regiment (Special Forces) and the 115 Infantry Battalion (TA) being transferred to theMahar Regiment.
Raised as the 2nd Battalion, 7th Regiment of Bombay Native Infantry. Re-designated 16th Bombay Native Infantry in 1824, 16th Bombay Infantry in 1885,116th Mahrattas in 1903. Battle honours –Afghanistan 1879–80, British East Africa 1901, N.W. Frontier, India 1914–15 '17, Mesopotamia 1914–18, Tengnoupal, Shangshak.
Raised as Bombay Fencible Regiment in 1800. Re-designated 1st Battalion, 9th Regiment of Bombay Native Infantry in 1803, 17th Bombay Native Infantry in 1824, 17th Bombay Infantry in 1885,117th Mahrattas in 1903 and 5th Royal Battalion, 5th Mahratta Light Infantry in 1922. Was designatedRoyal in recognition of its exemplary service in Mesopotamia in World War I, a rare honour for a single battalion. Battle honours –Shaiba (pre-independence), Battle HonourSuadih and Theatre HonourEast Pakistan during 1971 war.
Raised atMardan in 1940 by Lieutenant Colonel E Ross Magnetty, earned the battle honourTengnoupal. Disbanded in 1947. Re-raised in 1962 by Lieutenant Colonel VK Menon at Belgaum.
Initially raised as the 14th/5th Mahratta Light Infantry on 1 February 1941, at Ambala by Lieutenant Colonel E.S. Storey-Cooper, disbanded in 1945 following the end of the Second World War. Re-raised in 1971 at Belgaum by Lieutenant Colonel RK Dutt.
Raised by Lieutenant Colonel GS Dubhashi atBabina. Won the battle honourBurj and the theatre honourPunjab during the1971 war. Called theMahavir Chakra and Ashok Chakra Paltan following the awards to Sepoy Pandurang Salunkhe and Lieutenant Navdeep Singh.
Raised by Lieutenant Colonel AO Kersey in 1941 at Belgaum. Battle honourRu-Wya during the Burma campaign. Disbanded after World War II. Re-raised by Lieutenant Colonel E D'Souza in 1962 at Belgaum.
FromKolhapur State Forces. Raised as Kolhapur Fusiliers in 1845, redesignated as Kolhapur Infantry in 1846, renamed as Rajaram Rifles in 1941. After the merger of Kolhapur state with Union of India, became 19th Battalion, Maratha Light Infantry (Kolhapur).
Nicknamed the Hyderabadis, raised by Raja Rameshwar Rao ofWanaparthy Samsthanam, later became 4th Regiment of Hyderabad City troops and subsequently named Raja Paltan. Merged under 2nd Hyderabad State Infantry in 1948, joined the Maratha Light Infantry Regiment as 22 Maratha Light Infantry in 1953.
Raised atKarwar as 2/103 Maharatta Light Infantry. Has undergone several transformations before being finally re-raised and re-designated as 101 Infantry Battalion (TA) Maratha Light Infantry in 1949 by Lieutenant Colonel B Dubal. Located atPune.
Formerly 20th Battalion, Maratha Light Infantry. Raised from 1st and 2nd Battalion of Baroda State Infantry. Absorbed into Indian Army and 20th and 21st Battalion of Maratha Light Infantry; later they were amalgamated to form 20th Battalion. It was re-designated 10th Battalion (Baroda). Battle honourBejai.
The regimental centre has been inBelgaum, Karnataka, since 1922, which was part of theBombay Presidency at that time.[36] The centre's history comes from the conversion of the114th Mahrattas to the 10th (Training) Battalion, 5th Mahratta Light Infantry. This unit itself traces its origins to 1800 when it was raised as the 2nd Battalion, 7th Regiment of Bombay Native Infantry.[10]
Thebattle cry of Maratha Light Infantry is बोला श्री छत्रपती शिवाजी महाराज की जय ("Bola Shri Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Ki Jai (Say Victory to King Chhatrapati Shivaji)").[37] It replaced the battle cry –Har Har Mahadev (Victory To Lord Shiva) during the Second World War.[7]
Maratha Light Infantry Regiment marching contingent, Republic Day parade, 2009
The soldiers of Maratha Light Infantry have a quick march speed of 140 steps in a minute, while a standard pace for a quick march is 120 beats per minute with a 30-inch step.[37] The regiment has won the best marching contingent twice at theRepublic Day parade.[10] On the occasion of the 221stBastille day celebrations, a unit from the Maratha Light Infantry led the parade on the Parisian boulevard of Champs-Élysées on 14 July 2009, when the then Indian Prime MinisterManmohan Singh was the guest of honour of the ceremony.[38]
A Jawan of 14 Maratha Light InfantryBanner of the 5th battalion, Maratha Light Infantry
The regimental insignia consists of abugle and cords with a pair of crossed swords and a shield, mounted by theLion Capital of Ashoka. The bugle represents the light infantry mode of combat by skirmishers, controlled by orders issued on the bugles.[39]
The uniform consists of a green beret (common to all infantry units in India), which has the regimental crest and a red and greenhackle. The two-coloured hackle has a history. During 1788, the Bombay Army was reorganised into the 1st and 2nd Brigades. Red plumes adorned the headgear of the 2nd Battalion of the 1st Brigade. The Marathas and the 1st Battalion of the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry fought alongside each other in the Mesopotamia war as part of the same brigade. The British Army Light Infantry regiments wore green hackles during this time. As a symbol of this association, the green portion was added to the red, thus forming the present red and green hackle. The working dress does not have the hackle.The Regiment initially had a unique lanyard around the neck with ends in both front pockets. This was changed to the standard lanyard in 2002. This green lanyard is worn on the left shoulder. The exception is the 5th Battalion of the regiment, which wears a blue lanyard on the right shoulder, as an honour for the title "Royal", for its outstanding operations in Mesopotamia in World War I.[40]The rank epaulettes consist of the words MARATHI LI in capitals. In ceremonial dress, the regimental crest is present in addition to the regimental title.[10]
Till the First World War, each unit had its own colours. In 1922, with the creation of the Maratha Group, the Red, Black, and Grey colours of the 114 Marathas (which became the Maratha Light Infantry Regimental Centre) were adopted as the regimental colours.[39]
The regiment has 56 battle honours to its credit, 14 predating the World War I and spanning wars in Afghanistan, China, Burma and British East Africa.[37] The list of battle honours is evidence to the long history and valour of the regiment. Some of these honours have beendeclared repugnant after the independence of the country.
Lieutenant General Vijay OberoiPVSM, AVSM, VSM – Vice Chief of the Army Staff, former founder President of the War Wounded Foundation.
Army Commanders
Lieutenant GeneralT B Henderson BrooksPVSM – General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Eastern Command
Lieutenant GeneralKuldip Singh BrarPVSM, AVSM, VrC – GOC of 9th Infantry Division led Operation Bluestar. He retired as the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Eastern Command.
Lieutenant General Krishnamurthy NagarajPVSM, UYSM, ADC – General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, South-Western Command and Army Training Command
Lieutenant General Hari PrasadPVSM, UYSM, AVSM, VSM – General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Northern Command
Lieutenant General HRS KalkatPVSM, AVSM, ADC – General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Eastern Command
Others
Lieutenant GeneralMA ZakiPVSM, AVSM, VrC – Commanded 15 Corps, was Director General Infantry and later acted as the advisor to the Governor of Jammu and Kashmir.
Lieutenant General DB ShekhatkarPVSM, AVSM, VSM – General Officer Commanding4 Corps, Additional Director General of Military operations and Director General of Perspective (Strategic) planning. Was chairman of the committee to recommend measures to enhance combat capability and rebalance defence expenditure of the armed forces.
Lieutenant General Satish NambiarVrC – Director General of Military Operations and first Force Commander and Head of Mission ofUNPROFOR, Deputy Chief of the Army Staff (Training and Coordination)
Lieutenant General Narendra SinghPVSM, AVSM, SM, VSM – Deputy Chief of the Army Staff (Planning and Systems)[114]
Lieutenant General DS Thakur – Director General Military Intelligence and Deputy Chief of the Army Staff.[115]
Lieutenant General Ashok AmbrePVSM, AVSM**, SM – Quarter Master General
Lieutenant General Satish SatputePVSM, AVSM – General Officer Commanding21 Corps
Lieutenant General PR GangadharanPVSM, AVSM, VSM** – General Officer Commanding12 Corps and Military Secretary[116]
Lieutenant General Dushyant SinghPVSM, AVSM – General Officer Commanding11 Corps[117]
Lieutenant General J S Dhillon – General Officer Commanding15 Corps[118]
Lieutenant General Parminder Jit Singh PannuPVSM, AVSM, VSM – General Officer Commanding14 Corps, Director General Infantry, Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (Operations).[119]
Lieutenant General Asit MistryPVSM, AVSM, SM, VSM – Commandant of National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla[120]
Lieutenant General TPS BrarYSM – General Officer Commanding16 Corps
Lieutenant General Gopal Krishan DuggalPVSM, VrC – General Officer Commanding10 Corps
Major General DS BrarOBE – Colonel Commandant of the Regiment
Major General Eustace D'SouzaPVSM – Colonel Commandant of the Regiment
Major General H W Kulkarni – Colonel Commandant of the Regiment
Major General Bachitar SinghPVSM – Colonel Commandant of the Regiment
India
Indian Army
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