Madras Regiment

Last updated
The Madras Regiment
Madras Regiment insignia (India).svg
Regimental Insignia of The Madras Regiment
Active1758–present
CountryBritish Raj Red Ensign.svg  British India
Flag of India.svg  India
BranchEnsign of the Royal Indian Army Service Corps.svg  British Indian Army
Flag of Indian Army.svg Indian Army
TypeLine infantry
Size21 Battalions[ citation needed ]
Regimental Centre Wellington, Udhagamandalam (Ooty), Tamil Nadu
Motto(s)Swadharme Nidhanam Shreyaha (It is a glory to die doing one’s duty)
War cry“Veer Madrassi, Adi Kollu, Adi Kollu, Adi Kollu !”

Meaning“O Brave Madrassi, Hit And Kill, Hit And Kill, Hit And Kill !”

(Which took from old

Contents

Nair Pattalam of Travancore Kingdom "Adi... Kollu...")
Decorations2 Victoria Crosses
8 Military Cross
1 Ashoka Chakra
5 Maha Vir Chakra
36 Vir Chakras
304 Sena Medals
1 Nao Sena Medal
15 Param Vishisht Seva Medals
9 Kirti Chakras
27 Shaurya Chakras
1 Uttam Yudh Seva Medal
2 Yudh Seva Medals
23 Ati Vishisht Seva Medals
47 Vishisht Seva Medals
151 Mention-in-Despatches
512 COAS's Commendation Cards
271 GOC-in-C's Commendation Cards
3 Jeevan Rakshak Padak
7 COAS Unit Citations
7 GOC Unit Citation
Battle honours Post Independence Tithwal, Punch, Kalidhar, Maharajke, Siramani and Basantar River.
Commanders
Colonel of
the Regiment
Lt Gen Manjinder Singh, YSM, VSM
Insignia
Regimental InsigniaAn Assaye Elephant posed upon a shield with two crossed swords

The Madras Regiment is the oldest infantry regiment of the Indian Army, originating in the 1750s as a unit of the British East India Company. The regiment took part in numerous campaigns with the British Indian Army and the post-independence Indian Army.

As an East India Company mercenary unit

The town of Madras was founded in 1639 and the first Fort Saint George in 1644. In August 1758, they were formed into regular companies of 100 men each with a due proportion of Indian officers, havildars, naiks, etc. and in December of that year the first two battalions were formed with a European subaltern to each company and a captain to command the whole. (These officers were mostly seconded from the King's service with a step-in rank. They were of a better class, better educated and above all had far more military experience than the company's officers). [1]

Group of the Tenth Regiment of Madras Native Infantry, 1862 WELD 1862 in India pg230 (053 Group of the Tenth Regiment of Madras Native Infantry).jpg
Group of the Tenth Regiment of Madras Native Infantry, 1862
Sepoy of 29th Madras Native Infantry. (Watercolour by Alex Hunter, 1846) Sepoy, 29th Madras Native Infantry. Watercolour by Alex Hunter, 1846.jpg
Sepoy of 29th Madras Native Infantry. (Watercolour by Alex Hunter, 1846)

The Madras Regiment was initially formed as the Madras European Regiment in the 1660s by the East India Company as the second company established in India. However, it was formed as a battalion in 1748 under the command of Major Stringer Lawrence. The battalion was involved in all the battles against the French forces in India. [2] [3] Lawrence structured the regiment to include two battalions, one European and one Sepoy India. They were similar in structure and included seven companies each, with each company including three officers in command and seventy privates. Also part of the companies were four sergeants and corporals and three drummers. [4]

In 1748, Major Stringer Lawrence, a veteran of action in Spain, Flanders and the Highlands, was hired by the East India Company to take charge of the defence of Cuddalore. He laid the foundations of what was to become the Indian Army. Training the levies to become a militia, the Madras Levies were formed into "companies" and trained to become a disciplined and fine fighting force. In 1758, Lawrence raised the Madras Regiment, forming the several Companies of Madras Levies into two battalions. 2 Madras was raised in 1776 as the 15th Carnatic Infantry at Thanjavur (and underwent many name changes thereafter). The original title of these battalions was 'Coast Sepoys'. In 1769, these battalions were numbered and named differently with the battalions in the South being called 'Carnatic' and numbering 1 to 13, while those serving in the North were named 'Circar' and numbered 1 to 6. In 1784, this distinction between 'Carnatic' and 'Circar' was abolished and they were henceforth known as 'Madras' battalions. In 1796, the units were numbered 1st to 50th Madras Native Infantry. In 1891, the word 'Native' was dropped. [5]

The regiment has been through many campaigns with the British Indian Army and the Indian Army. Many well-known British officers have commanded this regiment, among them Robert Clive. This regiment fought in the Carnatic wars, which were fought in South India. The elephant crest symbolises its gallantry in the Battle of Assaye under Arthur Wellesley, later Duke of Wellington. [6]

There after the British annexed the Indian sub-continent, largely with the help of the Madras Regiment sepoys. A British mercenary force to eliminate the native rulers like the Mysore Kingdom and the Polygars such as Puli Thevan, Dheeran Chinnamalai, Maruthu brothers, Kattabomman, Pazhassi Raja, etc., at its zenith in the 1800s, the regiment consisted of 52 battalions. The regiment saw many overseas deployments during this period – First Anglo-Burmese War, First Opium War of 1839-42, Second Anglo-Burmese War of 1852-54. [5] [7]

Under the British Crown

The regiment played an important role in suppressing the First War of Indian Independence Sepoy Mutiny 1857 campaign in Lucknow and Central India, Second Anglo-Afghan War of 1879-80, Third Anglo-Burmese War of 1885-87 and during the Boxer Rebellion in China in 1900. [8] The coming of the British rule and merging of the Presidency armies into a British Indian Army led the erstwhile regiments to be reorganised. After conquest of India, the main perceived threat to British was from Russia. So, recruitment was re-oriented towards north Indians of Punjab and Nepal. This resulted in the British reducing the strength of the Madras Regiment, since the southern borders were relatively peaceful. As part of this change, seventeen Madras regiments, were converted into Punjab and Gorkha regiments between 1890 and 1903. They were renamed the 1st, 2nd and 8th Punjab and 1/7th and 1/10th Gorkha Rifles.

By the time of World War I, the once large regiment was left with eight Carnatic Regiments, the 63rd, 73rd, 75th, 79th, 80th, 83rd, 86th and 88th. These battalions were with a reduced strength of 600 men, as they were intended to perform duties of garrison troops only. During 1917-18, eight additional battalions were raised. In 1922, the regiment was allotted one regiment each of Pioneers and Infantry. During the re-organisation of the Indian Army in 1922, the regiments were numbered according to their seniority. The 1st and 2nd Punjab Regiments, which ironically were raised from senior Madras Regiment battalions were given precedence and the regiment was renamed as 3rd Madras Regiment. Following the great war, nearly the whole of the regiment was disbanded between 1922 and 1928. What remained were four Indian Territorial Force (ITF) and one University Training Corps battalions. This decline was arrested in 1941, when Sir Arthur Hope, the then Governor of Madras put in efforts to revive the regiment. The ITF battalions were converted to regular ones and new ones raised. A training centre was raised at Madukkarai in Coimbatore district in July 1942. After many years, the regiment was re-raised with fresh recruits and a draft of troops from the Queen's own Sappers and Miners (Madras Paraiyar Regiment) and the Madras Sappers during World War II. The newly reborn Madras Regiment performed very creditably during the Burma Campaign. In 1947, the numeral ‘3’ was dropped from the name of the regiment and it came to be known by its present name. [5] [9]

Post Independence

After independence, the infantry battalions of the Travancore "Nair Pattalam", Cochin and Mysore State forces were amalgamated into the Madras Regiment. This included what is now the 9th Battalion, which is the oldest battalion of the Regiment (and thus the Indian Army). It was formerly known as the Nair Brigade (Nair Pattalam/"Nair Army"). This militia was raised in 1704 at Padmanabhapuram as body guards for the Maharajah of Travancore, and saw action in the Battle of Colachel by defeating the Dutch forces. The army was made up of soldiers from Nair warrior clans, however after the 1940s, non-Nairs were permitted to join. The "Nair Army" became incorporated into the Indian Army in April 1951. [10] [11]

Post-independence saw the consolidation of the Regiment and re-affirmation of the versatility and valour of the South Indian troops, when the battalions of the Regiment fought fierce battles during the 1947–48 Jammu & Kashmir Operations, the 1962 Sino-Indian Conflict, the Indo-Pak Wars of 1965 and 1971 and Operation Pawan in 1987–89 as a part of the IPKF. [12]

Class composition

The regiment still recruits heavily from Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh with a slight majority of Tamil- and Malayalam-speaking recruits. Drill commands by NCOs are commonly given in Tamil or Malayalam. However, since the 1990s the percentage from Kannadiga and Telugu speaking recruits has increased, commands are also given through Telugu and Kannada. As is the practice in all the army, the officers of the regiment can be from any part of India.

Crest and uniform

Regimental Crest Madras regiment crest.gif
Regimental Crest

The present Crest of the Madras Regiment consists of the Assaye Elephant surmounting a pair of Malabar swords with a shield at the crossing, and a scroll below inscribed 'THE MADRAS REGIMENT'. It is bi-metallic, the shield being in brass and the rest in white chrome. The elephant faces west as seen from the front, and has an arched back, a slightly curved trunk, tusks pointing upwards, and a sagging belly, with the tuft of the tail resting at the rear edge of its left thigh. The Assaye Elephant was sanctioned as a special honour-badge to the 2nd, 4th, 8th, 10th and 24th Madras Infantry following the victory at the Battle of Assaye in 1803. [13]

An Officer in the regimental uniform Officer of Madras Regiment.jpg
An Officer in the regimental uniform

During the Victorian era, European officers within the Madras regiments largely followed British regulations, as photographic evidence and surviving uniforms conform to the standard British pattern tunics, including but not limited to the 1856, 1867, and 1881 pattern officer's tunics. The transition from coatee to tunic is believed to have taken place from January 1856 onwards, as Dress Regulations of the army dictate that tunics were to be purchased once coatees had been worn. Regimental facings were often regimentally specific; for example, the 27th Madras regiment wore scarlet tunics with yellow facings, and the buttons were gilt with the battle honor 'Mahdipore'. [14] European officers at first in the 1850's wore the 'Air Tube Styled' tropical helmet but later transitioned to the official pattern Foreign Service Helmet with a regimentally specific puggaree. [15]

The present uniform of the Madras Regiment includes a green lanyard on the left shoulder and the shoulder title Madras (brass / green letters over scarlet background). The green beret (common to all infantry units in India) has the regimental crest on a scarlet diamond base stitched to the beret and a black pom pom. The latter, a black woollen ball, is unique to the Regiment and it gives a distinct identification. It was adopted on 07 January 1949 following a proposal by the then Commanding Officer of 4 Madras (WLI) - Lieutenant Colonel MK Sheriff. [16] The regimental turban is worn by personnel during ceremonial occasions, parades, on guard duty and by those in the regimental band. It was adopted in November 1979 and consists of a dark green background with yellow, scarlet and white stripes. On the left of the wearer is a yellow silken jhallar with the same stripes. On the front top is a black pom pom and below is the regimental crest on a scarlet background. [17]

Motto, War cry and Salutation

The motto of the regiment is from chapter 3, verse 35 of Bhagavad Gita. It is स्वधर्मे निधनं श्रेय: (Swadharme Nidhanam Shreyaha), which translates to “It is glory to die doing one’s duty”. The motto was adopted 08 June 1955. The war cry of the regiment is “Veer madrassi, adi kollu, adi kollu, adi kollu !”, which means “O brave Madrassi, hit and kill, hit and kill, hit and kill !”. This was adopted during the Battalion Commanders’ Conference in 1969. [18] The salutation used by the regiment is ‘Namaskaram’. It was adopted by 4 Madras (WLI) in 1956 and subsequently adopted by all the battalions. [19]

Madras Regimental Centre and Records

The Madras Regimental Centre is presently located in Wellington and is commanded by an officer of the rank of Brigadier. The centre traces its history to the raising of the 36 Madras Battalion at Tanjore in 1794. [20] The unit has been subsequently designated as 2/13 Madras Native Infantry (1798), 26 Madras Native Infantry (1824), 86th Carnatic Infantry (1903) and 10/3rd Madras Regiment (1922) it was subsequently placed under suspended animation. The Centre was re-raised at Madukkarai as the 3rd Madras Regiment - Recruits Training Centre on 19 July 1942. The centre received the colours of old 10/3rd Madras Regiment on 23 September 1942 (Assaye Day).

The centre relocated from Madukkarai to its present location in Wellington in February 1947. [21] It occupied the Wellington barracks, which were built between 1852 and 1860. The Wellington barracks was subsequently renamed Shrinagesh Barracks after independence. [22] The museum of Madras Regimental Centre is located in the Shrinagesh Barracks Complex and was inaugurated in 1993. [23] The Madras Regiment Record Office was formed in Madukkarai in October 1942 and moved to Wellington in 1947. [24]

Band

The Chief of Army Staff, General Dalbir Singh presenting the President's Colours to 21 Madras Battalion on April 05, 2015 The Chief of Army Staff, General Dalbir Singh presenting the President's Colours to 21 Madras Battalions of the Madras Regiment, in Tamil Nadu on April 05, 2015.jpg
The Chief of Army Staff, General Dalbir Singh presenting the President’s Colours to 21 Madras Battalion on April 05, 2015

The Madras Regiment Band a full-time military band, that serves as part of the Madras Regimental Centre in Wellington. It was raised in 1951 purely as a brass band and has evolved over the years to become a symphonic band as well. Today, it consists of a concert band, a brass band and a percussion section. [25] It performs at arrival ceremonies for state visits as well as state dinner hosted at the Rashtrapati Bhavan by the President of India, as well as regimental and community events. [26]

Regimental tribute

Let those who come after, see to it that these names be not forgotten,
For they who at the call of duty, left all that was dear to them,
Endured hardships, faced dangers, and finally passed out of sight of men,
In the path of duty and self-sacrifice, Giving their lives that we might live in freedom.

Current strength

The Madras Regiment marching during the Republic Day Parade, 2013 Indian Army-Madras regiment.jpeg
The Madras Regiment marching during the Republic Day Parade, 2013
U.S. soldiers (left) and Indian soldiers of 12 Madras hold their respective country's national flags during Exercise Yudh Abhyas, 2016. Yudh Abhyas 2016 exercise in India comes to close.jpg
U.S. soldiers (left) and Indian soldiers of 12 Madras hold their respective country's national flags during Exercise Yudh Abhyas, 2016.

The list consists of 21 battalions, four Rashtriya Rifles battalions and three Territorial Army battalions. [27] [28]

BattalionRaising DateFormer designationsBattle honoursRemarks
1st Battalion177613th Carnatic Battalion (1776), 2/3rd Madras Native Infantry (1796), 13th Madras Infantry (1885), 73rd Carnatic Infantry (1903), 11th Madras Infantry ITF (1933), 1st Battalion, The Madras Regiment (1942)Carnatic, Sholinghur, Mysore, Seringapatam, Burma 1885-87, Mount Popa, Tithwal, KalidharRe-organised as a mechanised infantry regiment in 1969 and joined Mechanised Infantry Regiment in 1979
2nd Battalion177615th Carnatic Battalion (1776), 2/4th Madras Native Infantry (1796), 15th Madras Infantry (1885), 75th Carnatic Infantry (1903), 2/3rd Madras Regiment (1922 and 1940), 2nd Battalion, The Madras Regiment (1942)Carnatic 1780-84, Sholinghur, Mysore 1790-92, Afghanistan 1879-80, Burma 1885-87, Mesopotamia 1916-18Disbanded in 1926 and re-raised in September 1940 from 12th Malabar Battalion ITF, was a Para battalion between 1946 and 1950
3rd Battalion177720th Carnatic Battalion (1777), 2/7th Madras Native Infantry (1796), 19th Madras Infantry (1885), 79th Carnatic Infantry (1893), 3rd Battalion Madras Regiment (1922), 1st (Territorial) Battalion, 79 Carnatic Infantry (1922), 13th (Malabar) Battalion, 3rd Madras Regiment (1922), 13th Malabar Battalion ITF (1929), 3rd Battalion Madras Regiment (1941)Carnatic, Sholinghur, Mysore, Seringapatam, Pegu, Central India, MesopotamiaDisbanded and re-raised as a Territorial Army battalion in 1922, disbanded in 1950 and re-raised in 1962
4th Battalion179433rd Madras Native Infantry (1794), 1/12th Madras Native Infantry (1796), 23rd Wallajahabad Light Infantry (1824), 83rd Wallajahabad Light Infantry (1903), 1/3rd Madras Regiment (WLI) (1922), 4/3rd Madras Regiment (1942), ), 4th Battalion (WLI), The Madras RegimentSeringapatnam 1799, Nagpore, Burma 1885-1887, East Africa, Mesopotamia, Baghdad, Persia, Tamu Road, Ukhrul, Ava, Kama, Punch, MaharajkeDisbanded in 1923, re-raised in 1942
5th Battalion17594th Battalion, Coastal Sepoys (1759), 3rd Carnatic Battalion (1770), 1/3rd Madras Native Infantry (1796), 63rd Palamcottah Light Infantry (1903), 5/3rd Madras Regiment (1943)Disbanded 1922, re-raised 1943, disbanded 1947, re-raised 1963. Nicknamed Ferocious Five
6th Battalion177721st Carnatic Battalion (1777), 2/2nd Madras Native Infantry (1796), 20th Madras Native Infantry (1824), 20th Madras Infantry (1885), 80th Carnatic Infantry (1903), 6/3rd Madras Regiment (1943)Carnatic, Sholinghur, Mysore, Seringapatnam 1799 , BasantarDisbanded in 1921, re-raised in 1943, disbanded 1947, re-raised 1963.
7th Battalion17982/14th Madras Native Infantry (1798), 28th Madras Native Infantry (1824), 28th Madras Infantry (1885), 88th Carnatic Infantry (1903), 7/3rd Madras Regiment (1943)Mahidpore, Nagpore, Ava, China 1900Disbanded in 1921, re-raised in 1943, disbanded 1946, re-raised 1964. Nicknamed Shandaar Saat
8th Battalion1948Nicknamed Gallant Guerrillas
9th Battalion 17041st Battalion, Nair Brigade (1830), 1st Battalion, Travancore Nair Infantry (1835), 9th Battalion, The Madras Regiment (Travancore) (1948)Burki, Punjab 1965Former Princely State Forces Unit, Travancore
10th Battalion1984
11th Battalion1980Old Territorial Battalion
12th Battalion1981Old Territorial Battalion, nicknamed Bahadur Barah
16th Battalion18192nd Battalion, Travancore Nair Infantry (1819), 16th Battalion, The Madras Regiment (Travancore) (1954)BasantarFormer Princely State Forces Unit, Travancore
17th Battalion1943Nair Brigade (1860), Cochin State Infantry (1943), 17th Battalion, The Madras Regiment (Cochin) (1953)Former Princely State Forces Unit Cochin
18th Battalion18591st Mysore Infantry (1895), 18th Battalion, The Madras Regiment (Mysore) (1953)Former Princely State Forces Unit Mysore
19th Battalion177720th Carnatic Battalion (1777), 1/7th Madras Native Infantry (1796), 19th Madras Native Infantry (1824), 19th Madras Infantry (1885), 79th Carnatic Infantry (1903), 3/3rd Madras Regiment (1922), 19th Battalion, the Madras Regiment (1966)Disbanded 1923, re-raised 1942, disbanded 1950, re-raised 1966.
20th Battalion2009Nicknamed The Mighty Twenty
21st Battalion2011
25th Battalion194225/3rd Madras Regiment (1942)Raised as a garrison battalion, disbanded in 1946, re-raised in 1966.
26th Battalion194226/3rd Madras Regiment (1942)SiramaniRaised as a garrison battalion, disbanded in 1946, re-raised in 1967. Nicknamed Tuskers Battalion and Ashok Chakra Paltan
27th Battalion194327/3rd Madras Regiment (1943)MaheidporeRaised as a garrison battalion, disbanded 1946. Re-raised 1971.
28th Battalion19423rd Coastal Defence Battalion (1942)Raised in 1942 , disbanded in 1946, re-raised in 1976
8 Rashtriya Rifles
25 Rashtriya Rifles1994
38 Rashtriya Rifles
54 Rashtriya Rifles
110th Infantry Battalion (TA)1949 Territorial Army battalion situated in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu
122nd Infantry Battalion (TA)194951st Light Armoured Regiment (TA) (1949), 122nd Infantry Battalion (TA) (1956)Territorial Army battalion situated in Kannur, Kerala, was previous affiliated to the Punjab Regiment.
172nd Infantry Battalion (TA)2017Territorial Army battalion situated in Port Blair, Andaman & Nicobar Islands

The battle honours in italics indicate those awarded prior to the independence of India.

Campaigns and Battles

Native officers, NCOs and Sepoys of Madras Artillery and Infantry, 1791 Native officers, NCOs and Sepoys of Madras Artillery and Infantry, 1791.jpg
Native officers, NCOs and Sepoys of Madras Artillery and Infantry, 1791
Pre independence
Post independence

Battle Honours

The list of battle honours is evidence to the long history and valour of the regiment. Some of these honours have been declared repugnant after the independence of the country. [41]

Pre Independence
Post Independence

Theatre Honours

Battle of Sholinghur - Hyder Ali's standard captured by Madras Regiment Battle of Sholinghur - Hyder Ali standard captured by Madras Regiment.gif
Battle of Sholinghur - Hyder Ali's standard captured by Madras Regiment

The theatre honours earned by the battalions of the regiment are as follows [42] -

Pre Independence
Post Independence

Gallantry awards

9 Madras being presented the President's Colours by the then President V. V. Giri in 1970 President's Colours of 9th Bn. Madras Regt presenting by President Varahagiri Venkata Giri 1970.jpg
9 Madras being presented the President's Colours by the then President V. V. Giri in 1970
Pre independence [43] -
Post independence

Colonels of the Regiment

The Colonel of the regiment is a senior officer of the regiment, usually the senior-most, who is a father-figure to the regiment and looks after the interests of the regiment. This is a tradition and position that the Indian Army has inherited from the British Army. The officers who have graced this position are as follows - [50] [51] [52] [53]

NameDate
Captain Sir Arthur Hope, KCIE, MC, Governor of Madras25 September 1942 to 09 August 1946
Lieutenant General Archibald Nye, GCIE, KCB, KBE, MC, Governor of Madras10 August 1946 to 31 March 1949
General SM Shrinagesh 01 April 1949 to 31 March 1961
Lieutenant General RS Noronha, PVSM, MC*01 April 1961 to 04 September 1973
Major General SP Mahadevan, AVSM05 September 1973 to 30 June 1982
Lieutenant General Sami Khan, PVSM, SM01 July 1986 to 31 March 1989
Lieutenant General VK Singh, PVSM, ADC01 April 1989 to 31 March 1994
Lieutenant General MM Walia, PVSM, AVSM, SM01 April 1994 to 30 April 1996
Lieutenant General AS Rao, PVSM, AVSM01 May 1996 to 31 October 2001
Lieutenant General DS Chauhan, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, VSM01 November 2001 to 31 December 2003
Lieutenant General AK Chopra, PVSM, AVSM22 December 2004 to 30 November 2006
Major General VDI Devavaram, SM, VSM01 January 2004 to 21 December 2004, 01 December 2006 to 31 December 2007
Lieutenant General PG Kamath, PVSM, AVSM, YSM, SM01 January 2008 to 31 Mar 2013
Lieutenant General Jai Prakash Nehra, AVSM**01 April 2013 to 23 October 2014
Lieutenant General SL Narasimhan, PVSM, AVSM*, VSM24 October 2014 to 31 May 2016
Lieutenant General Rajeev Chopra, PVSM, AVSM, ADC01 June 2016 to
Lieutenant General Manjinder Singh, YSM, VSMIncumbent

Commemorative stamps

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">4th Infantry Division (India)</span> Infantry division of the Indian Army

The 4th Indian Infantry Division, also known as the Red Eagle Division, is an infantry division of the Indian Army. This division of the British Indian Army was formed in Egypt in 1939 during the Second World War. During the Second World War, it took part in campaigns in East Africa, Syria, North Africa and Italy. Post independence, the division is part of the I Corps and headquartered at Prayagraj.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rajputana Rifles</span> Rifle regiment of the Indian Army

The Rajputana Rifles is the oldest rifle regiment of the Indian Army. It was originally a part of the British Indian Army, when six previously existing regiments were amalgamated to form six battalions of the 6th Rajputana Rifles. In 1945, the numeral designation was dropped from the title and in 1947 the regiment was transferred to the newly independent Indian Army. Since independence, the regiment has been involved in a number of conflicts against Pakistan, as well as contributing to the Custodian Force (India) in Korea under the aegis of the United Nations in 1953–54 and to the UN Mission to the Congo in 1962. As a rifle regiment, it uses a bugle horn as its insignia, the same as the British Light Division, but unlike its British counterparts, the Rajputana Rifles march at the same march pace used in the Indian Army as a whole.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jammu and Kashmir Rifles</span> Indian Army regiment

The Jammu and Kashmir Rifles is an infantry regiment of the Indian Army. Its origins lay in the Jammu and Kashmir State Forces of the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir. After the accession of the state to the Indian Union in October 1947, the State Forces came under the command of the Indian Army. They remained in the original form until 1956 when Jammu and Kashmir Constituent Assembly effectively ratified the state's accession to India. Then the State Forces became the Jammu and Kashmir Regiment of the Indian Army. In 1963, the designation was changed to Jammu and Kashmir Rifles. After the conversion, the Ladakh Scouts came under the aegis of the Regiment, where it remained until raised as a separate Regiment in 2002.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jat Regiment</span> Regiment in the Indian Army

The Jat Regiment is an infantry regiment of the Indian Army, of which it is one of the longest-serving and most decorated regiments. The regiment has won 19 battle honours between 1839 and 1947, and post-independence it has won five battle honours, including 2 Victoria Cross, 2 George Cross, 8 Mahavir Chakra, 8 Kirti Chakra, 34 Shaurya Chakras, 39 Vir Chakras and 253 Sena Medals. During its 200-year service history, the regiment has participated in various actions and operations in India and abroad, including the First and the Second World Wars. Numerous battalions of the Jat Regiment, including the 14th Murray's Jat Lancers, fought in the First World War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Grenadiers</span> Regiment of the Indian Army

The Grenadiers is an infantry regiment of the Indian Army, formerly part of the Bombay Army and later the pre-independence British Indian Army, when the regiment was known as the 4th Bombay Grenadiers. It has distinguished itself during the two world wars and also since the Independence of India. The regiment has won many battle honours and gallantry awards, and is considered to be one of India's most decorated regiments with three Param Vir Chakra awardees in three different conflicts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sikh Regiment</span> Infantry regiment of the Indian Army

The Sikh Regiment is an infantry regiment of the Indian Army. It is the most highly decorated regiment of the Indian Army and in 1979, the 1st battalion was the Commonwealth's most decorated battalion, with 245 pre-independence and 82 post-independence gallantry awards, when it was transformed into the 4th battalion, Mechanised Infantry Regiment. The first battalion of the regiment was officially raised just before the partial annexation of the Sikh Empire on 1 August 1846, by the British East India Company. Currently, the Sikh Regimental Centre is located in Ramgarh Cantonment, Jharkhand. The Centre was earlier located in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kumaon Regiment</span> Military unit

The Kumaon Regiment is one of the oldest infantry regiments of the Indian Army. The regiment traces its origins to the 18th century and has fought in every major campaign of the British Indian Army and the Indian Army, including the two world wars, and is one of the highest decorated regiments of the Indian Army.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Punjab Regiment (India)</span> Military unit

The Punjab Regiment is the second oldest regiment still in service in the Indian Army, and is the most senior regional infantry regiment. It was formed from the 2nd Punjab Regiment of the British Indian Army in 1947 and has taken part in various battles and wars since, winning numerous honours for the same.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maratha Light Infantry</span> Infantry regiment of Indian army

The Maratha Light Infantry is a light infantry regiment of the Indian Army. It traces its lineage to the Bombay Sepoys, raised in 1768, making it the most senior light infantry regiment in the Indian Army.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry</span> Military unit

The Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry is an infantry regiment of the Indian Army. The regimental center is in Srinagar's Airport Complex at Awantipora with a winter setup near Jammu. Its regimental insignia consists of a pair of crossed rifles. The regiment mostly consists of volunteers from the state of Jammu & Kashmir and ethnic groups from the state. The Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry is considered to be one of the most decorated regiment of the Indian army having won 1 Param Veer Chakra and 3 Ashok Chakra. Naib Subedar Chuni Lal of the 8th battalion Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry is one of the most decorated personnel of the Indian Army.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Garhwal Rifles</span> Indian army infantry regiment

The Garhwal Rifles, formerly known as the Royal Garhwal Rifles, are an infantry regiment of the Indian Army. It was originally raised in 1887 as the 39th (Garhwal) Regiment of the Bengal Army. It then became part of the British Indian Army, and after the Independence of India, it was incorporated into the Indian Army.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Naga Regiment</span> Military unit

The Naga Regiment is an infantry regiment of the Indian Army. It is among the youngest regiments of the Indian Army - the first battalion was raised in Ranikhet, Kumaon in 1970. The regiment recruits mainly from Nagaland, in northeast India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bihar Regiment</span> Infantry regiment of the Indian Army

The Bihar Regiment is an Indian Army infantry regiment. It traces its origins back to the British Indian Army. The Bihar Regiment was formed in 1941 by regularising the 11th (Territorial) Battalion, the 19th Hyderabad Regiment, and raising new battalions. The Bihar Regimental Centre (BRC) is located at Danapur Cantonment, Patna, the second oldest cantonment of India. INS Vikramaditya, the Indian Navy's largest ship and one of its two aircraft carriers is affiliated to the Bihar Regiment, Indian Army's highly decorated and battle-hardened unit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1st Punjab Regiment</span> Former infantry regiment of the armies of British India and Pakistan

The 1st Punjab Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army from 1922 to 1947. Upon the Partition of India, it was transferred to the newly-raised Pakistan Army. It ceased to exist in this form in 1956, when it was amalgamated with the 14th, 15th and 16th Punjab regiments to form the Punjab Regiment, an existing infantry regiment of the Pakistan Army.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baloch Regiment</span> Infantry regiment of the Pakistan Army

The Baloch Regiment is an infantry regiment of the Pakistan Army. The modern regiment was formed in May 1956 by the merger of 8th Punjab and Bahawalpur Regiments with the Baluch Regiment. Since then, further raisings have brought the strength of the Regiment to 27 battalions. The Baloch Regiment is descended from the infantry of the old British Indian Army and is named after Balochistan. Before 1991, it was called the Baluch Regiment but the spelling was changed to 'Baloch' to better reflect the correct pronunciation.

The 15th Indian Division was an infantry division of the British Indian Army that saw active service in the First World War. It served in the Mesopotamian Campaign on the Euphrates Front throughout its existence. It did not serve in the Second World War, but was reformed at Dehradun in 1964 as part of the post-independence Indian Army.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">8th Punjab Regiment</span> Former infantry regiment of the armies of British India and Pakistan

The 8th Punjab Regiment was a regiment of the British Indian Army from 1922 to 1947. It was transferred to Pakistan Army on Partition of India in 1947 and merged with the Baluch Regiment in 1956.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">62nd Punjabis</span> Military unit

The 62nd Punjabis was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was raised in 1759 as the 3rd Battalion of Coast Sepoys, and formed part of the Madras Army. It was designated as the 62nd Punjabis in 1903 and became 1st Battalion 1st Punjab Regiment in 1922. In 1947, it was allocated to the Pakistan Army, where it continues to exist as 1st battalion, Punjab Regiment. It is the senior-most surviving infantry battalion of the British Indian Army.

War and Love is a 2003 Indian Malayalam-language Survival war thriller film directed by Vinayan and starring Dileep, Prabhu, Laila, Mukesh Rishi, Kalabhavan Mani and Siddique. The film was released to extremely negative reviews. The film was dubbed in Tamil as Kalam.

13 Field Regiment (Chushul and Gadra City) is part of the Regiment of Artillery of the Indian Army, and has the distinction of having two post-independence honour titles.

References

  1. FROM -THE MADRAS REGIMENT 1758–1958 -Lt Col E.G. Phythian-Adams- above added by webmaster www.MadrasRegiment.Org pp. 1–2
  2. C.K. Cooke, ed. (1901). Empire Review. Vol. 2. Macmillan and co. limited. p. 621. OCLC   50083309.
  3. Harrington, Peter (1994). Plassey 1757 : Clive of India's finest hour. Osprey. p. 40. ISBN   978-1-85532-352-0. OCLC   31969501.
  4. Addington, Larry H. (1990). The patterns of war through the eighteenth century. Indiana University Press. p. 132. ISBN   978-0-253-20551-3. OCLC   19672195.
  5. 1 2 3 "The Family Lineage" . Retrieved 2022-11-27.
  6. Sharma, Gautam (1990). Valour and Sacrifice: Famous Regiments of the Indian Army – Gautam Sharma – Google Books. ISBN   9788170231400 . Retrieved 2014-02-15.
  7. "History of The Madras Regiment" . Retrieved 2022-11-27.
  8. "Origin and Early History of the Regiment" . Retrieved 2022-11-27.
  9. "History of The Madras Regiment" . Retrieved 2022-11-27.
  10. Sharma, Gautam (1990). Valour and Sacrifice: Famous Regiments of the Indian Army. ISBN   9788170231400 . Retrieved 2014-02-15.
  11. "The Madras Regiment- Genesis of Indian Army". 2014-09-13. Retrieved 2022-11-27.
  12. "Madras Regiment.Org". Madras Regiment.Org. 1970-05-23. Retrieved 2014-02-15.
  13. "Crest" . Retrieved 2022-11-29.
  14. "Uniforms of the 27th Madras Infantry" . Retrieved 2023-09-03.
  15. "Ellwood and Sons' Air Tube Helmet of the British Army" . Retrieved 2023-09-03.
  16. "Black Pom Pom" . Retrieved 2022-11-29.
  17. "History Of The Madras Regiment, chapter 3" (PDF). Retrieved 2022-11-30.
  18. "Regimental Motto" . Retrieved 2022-11-29.
  19. "Namaskaram" . Retrieved 2022-11-29.
  20. "250 years of glory and sacrifice : The Madras Regiment". 2009-05-06. Retrieved 2022-11-26.
  21. "The Madras Regimental Centre" . Retrieved 2022-11-26.
  22. "Heroes from the hills". The Hindu . 2012-09-17. Retrieved 2022-11-27.
  23. "State-of-the-art museum of Madras Regimental Centre inaugurated". 2019-04-27. Retrieved 2022-11-26.
  24. "The Madras Regimental Centre and Records" . Retrieved 2022-11-27.
  25. "Madras Regiment Symphony Band of Indian Army to perform at IIMA". 16 February 2018.
  26. "Heroes from the hills". The Hindu. 17 September 2012.
  27. "The Quarterly Indian Army List For Oct, 1905" . Retrieved 2022-12-02.
  28. "History" . Retrieved 2022-12-02.
  29. 1 2 "World War I and II". Indian Army - Government of India. Retrieved 2022-11-28.
  30. "History Of The Madras Regiment, chapter 2" (PDF). Retrieved 2022-11-30.
  31. "Jammu and Kashmir War" . Retrieved 2022-11-28.
  32. "History Of The Madras Regiment, chapter 6" (PDF). Retrieved 2022-11-30.
  33. 1 2 3 "History Of The Madras Regiment, chapter 7" (PDF). Retrieved 2022-11-30.
  34. Ramachandran, DP (2018-11-04). "War in the West 1971: Pakistan's day of reckoning" . Retrieved 2022-12-02.
  35. Ramachandran, DP (2018-11-13). "The Bangladesh War 1971: Indian Army's finest hour" . Retrieved 2022-12-02.
  36. "Explained: All you need to know about Operation Blue Star". 2014-01-15. Retrieved 2022-12-02.
  37. "Operation Bluestar". 2014-05-19. Retrieved 2022-12-02.
  38. "The Indian Peace-Keeping Force In Sri Lanka, 1987-90" (PDF). 1994-12-17. Retrieved 2023-06-27.
  39. "IPKF". 2022-07-02. Retrieved 2023-06-27..
  40. "UN Missions" . Retrieved 2022-12-02.
  41. "Battle Honours". Indian Army - Government of India. Retrieved 2022-11-28.
  42. "Theatre Honours". Indian Army - Government of India. Retrieved 2022-11-28.
  43. "Pre independence awards". Indian Army - Government of India. Retrieved 2022-11-29.
  44. "Ashoka Chakra". Indian Army - Government of India. Retrieved 2022-11-29.
  45. "Maha Vir Chakra". Indian Army - Government of India. Retrieved 2022-11-29.
  46. "Kirti Chakra" . Retrieved 2022-11-29.
  47. "Vir Chakra" . Retrieved 2022-11-29.
  48. "Shaurya Chakra" . Retrieved 2022-11-29.
  49. "Award" (PDF). Retrieved 2022-12-05.
  50. "Cols of the Regt" . Retrieved 2022-11-29.
  51. "Lt Gen Rajeev Chopra takes over as DG NCC". 2019-01-31. Retrieved 2022-11-29.
  52. "Madras Regiment bids farewell to Colonel Nehra". The Hindu . 2014-10-24. Retrieved 2022-11-29.
  53. "Lt Gen Rajeev Chopra to assume charge of MRC on June 1". 2016-05-14. Retrieved 2022-11-29.