Maratha Light Infantry: A Regiment Heavy With Gallantry

When the soldiers of the Maratha Light Infantry march down Kartavya Path on Republic Day, they carry much more than rifles, colours and ceremonial pride.

They carry more than 250 years of fighting history.

Raised in 1768, the Maratha Light Infantry is among the oldest and most distinguished infantry regiments of the Indian Army. Generations of its soldiers have fought across continents, mountains, deserts and battlefields, building a reputation founded on courage, mobility and an extraordinary willingness to close with the enemy.

Its soldiers are affectionately known as “Ganpats” — a name that has become inseparable from the Regiment's identity.

And few sounds capture that identity better than its famous war cry:

“Bol Shri Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Ki Jai!”

The Spirit of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj

The war cry is more than an invocation of a legendary warrior king.

It connects the modern Maratha soldier with the military traditions associated with Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj — speed, surprise, intelligent use of terrain, initiative and the determination to fight even when facing a stronger adversary.

These qualities remain deeply relevant to infantry soldiering even centuries later.

The weapons may have changed.

The battlefield may now include drones, satellites, precision missiles and electronic warfare.

But courage, initiative and fighting spirit remain timeless.

A Badge That Tells a Story

Look closely at the insignia of the Maratha Light Infantry and you can see the Regiment's history reflected within it.

The badge prominently features the bugle, an important traditional symbol of light infantry.

Historically, light infantry soldiers often operated dispersed ahead of larger formations as scouts and skirmishers. Unlike tightly formed infantry units that could receive shouted commands or drum signals, dispersed soldiers required another method of communication.

That method was the bugle.

Its calls could carry across the battlefield, directing troops to advance, assemble, withdraw or manoeuvre.

The bugle therefore represents much more than tradition. It is a reminder of the Regiment's origins as fast-moving, adaptable infantry.

Gallantry Written in Blood

The history of the Maratha Light Infantry is filled with acts of battlefield courage.

During the Second World War, two soldiers associated with the Regiment earned the Victoria Cross, then the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy available to Indian soldiers.

Naik Yeshwant Ghadge displayed extraordinary courage during fighting in Italy.

Sepoy Namdeo Jadhav also earned the Victoria Cross while fighting German forces during the Italian Campaign.

Their names remain part of India's military heritage.

But the story did not end with the Second World War.

After Independence, generations of Maratha soldiers continued to serve in India's wars, counter-insurgency operations and difficult deployments across the country.

Every generation inherited the same question from the one before it:

Can you live up to the badge?

Duty. Honour. Courage.

The Regiment's ethos can be understood through three powerful words:

DUTY • HONOUR • COURAGE

For a young Ganpat entering the Regiment, these words are not decoration.

Duty means putting the mission before personal comfort.

Honour means protecting the reputation built by generations before you.

Courage means continuing forward when fear tells you to stop.

That is what makes an old regiment special.

A soldier does not merely join a unit.

He inherits its victories.

Its sacrifices.

Its heroes.

Its expectations.

And every time the Maratha Light Infantry marches, whether on a ceremonial avenue or towards an operational objective, the soldiers wearing its badge carry one responsibility above all others:

To leave the Regiment's name even stronger than they found it.

That is the burden — and the privilege — of belonging to a regiment heavy with gallantry.

---

DeltaTac Salutes the Ganpats

At DeltaTac, we believe India's military history deserves to be remembered beyond textbooks and ceremonial occasions.

The stories, symbols and traditions of India's regiments represent generations of courage, sacrifice and service.

Naam. Namak. Nishan.

Some traditions are not merely remembered.

They are carried forward.