History Maratha Light Infantry

infantrymen of 1/5 mahratta light infantry during training, florence, italy, august 28, 1944

the second world war saw marathas in forefront in every theatre of operations jungles of south east asia, deserts of north africa, , mountains , rivers of italy. war saw expansion of regiment when thirteen new war service battalions raised. of these later demobilised after war, whilst 2 converted artillery regiments. during war naik yeshwant ghadge , sepoy namdeo jadhav decorated victoria cross in italian campaign, while 130 other decorations awarded mli.

apart being first light infantry of indian army, kali panchwin first indian battalion participate in world war ii, first have lost commanding officer in action (colonel chitty @ battle of jebel hamrin, 1917), first maratha battalion participate in unite nations mission. later, earned indian army s first ashoka chakra in north-east.

post-independence

14 maratha li organizing firing ncc cadets of gwalior division

indian independence saw regiment reverting original 5 battalions, 3rd maratha light infantry converting airborne role , becoming 2nd bn, parachute regiment in april 1952. integration of erstwhile princely states, 19th, 20th, 22nd battalions amalgamated, state forces of satara, kolhapur, baroda, , hyderabad, regiment. expansion of indian army meet omnipresent threat borders has seen regiment grow present 18 battalions , 2 ta battalions whilst period saw conversion of 21st bn 21 para (special forces) , 115 infantry battalion (ta) being grouped under mahar regiment.

since independence, battalions of maratha li have taken part in every armed conflict — jammu , kashmir operations in 1947-1948, entry junagarh, hyderabad campaign (1948), invasion of goa, daman , diu, sino-indian war, conflicts pakistan in 1965 , 1971 against chinese on sikkim watershed in 1956, operations in sri lanka, ongoing operations in siachen glacier , in counter insurgency operations.

the ashoka chakra awarded captain eric tucker (2 maratha li) , colonel n. j. nair (16 maratha li), col vasanth venugopal (9 maratha li), lt navdeep singh (15 maratha li), 5 mahavir chakras , numerous other war , peace time gallantry awards bear testimony front-line leadership , courage of regiment’s officers, jcos , ncos.

gen j.j. singh (9th , 5th) became first chief of army staff maratha light infantry in february 2005. maratha light infantry regimental centre located in belgaum, karnataka.