THE MARATHA LIGHT INFANTRY

THE MARATHA LIGHT INFANTRY

The Maratha military qualities were brilliantly optimised in their historic campaigns against the Mughals and the British, under the leadership of Shivaji and succeeding rulers. Maratha armies, comprising both infantry and light cavalry with the Maratha naval power had dominated the military scene in India for three centuries. The Maratha Light Infantry is also one of the oldest. It's First battalion, also known as the Jangi Paltan, was raised in 1768 as part of the Bombay Sepoys. Its Regimental Centre is Belgaum, Karnataka and its insignia is a bugle and cords with a pair of crossed swords and a shield. They chose the bugle for their insignia, as it best represented the light infantry mode of combat by skirmishers, controlled by orders issued on the bugles. The insignia is worn with a red and green hackle. It motto is ‘Duty, Honour, Courage’ and its war cry is ‘Bol Shri Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Ki Jai’(Say Victory To King Shivaji).