New Delhi, Feb 3: The Maratha Light Infantry, one of the oldest regiments of the Army and the recipient of 56 battle honours, has entered its 250th year and a host of events have been planned to celebrate its legacy, a senior Army official said.
The celebrations will open with a function Sunday at the Manekshaw Centre where a coffee-table book on the infantry, ‘Victory and Valour’, is slated to be released.
“We are one of the largest and one of the oldest regiments of the Army, with a track record of 250 years. So, from February 4, 2018, to February 4, 2019, we will organise a host of events to mark the occasion,” said Lt Gen PJS Pannu, Colonel of the Maratha Light Infantry (LI).
He said the Maratha LI was the first infantry to be designated as a light infantry during the British Raj, for being “swift-footed”.
“Our regimental icon is Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and our motto is ‘Duty. Honour. Courage’. We draw our inspiration from the legacy of Maratha warriors, who were adept in guerrilla warfare,” Pannu told reporters here.
“We are drawing our roadmap for the year. Our infantry is affiliated with ‘INS Mumbai’ and 20th Air Force Squadron (Sukhoi). So, plan is also to have celebrations there in conjunction with them,” he said.
Pannu said both the Navy chief and the Vice Navy chief have commanded ‘INS Mumbai’, so “we expect them to join in the celebrations”.
The Colonel of the light infantry, which also participated in the Afghan War in 1841, said plan is also to have adventure activities, and “we are trying to find out about a virgin peak, which we could summit as part of the celebrations”.
The legacy of the Maratha Light Infantry is illustrious and includes two Victoria Crosses won during the Second World War.
Though the Maratha Light Infantry was raised in August 1768, February 4 has a historical significance for it as on this day in 1670 Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj had conquered Fort Kondana which is famously known as Sinhgarh.
“The 1st Maratha Light Infantry was raised as ‘Jangi Paltan’ of the 2nd Bombay Sepoy. It has won 14 battle honours pre-1914, 16 battle honours during the First World War and a few after Independence.
“The Maratha LI has won a total of 56 battle honours and 10 Theatre Honours, besides the Ashok Chakras. The most decorated serving officer of the Army is from this regiment,” a senior official said.
Colonel Saurabh S Shekhawat, winner of a Kirti Chakra, a Shaurya Chakra, a Seva Medal and a Vishisht Seva Medal, said that he is proud of being part of an infantry that has produced “two special forces”.
Col Shekhawat, who is part of the special forces, shared the experiences of combating terrorists in Manipur and said, seeing the infantry on its way to complete 250 years of existence, “fills me with pride”.
Sachin Bali, 40, a former Army officer, who left the force after sustaining grievous injuries in hands and foot during an avalanche rescue mission and is now working in the corporate sector, said, “Maratha Light Infantry members are fierce yet humble. I may have left it, but it is still my family.”
