The fifth battalion of Maratha Light Infantry which is proud of being the only 'Royal’ battalion of the Maratha Regiment celebrated the completion of two hundred years of its raising in Rajasthan. The paltan raised as Bombay Finable by Capt Greene has a very rich history replete with examples of dedication and bravery. To commemorate this historic occasion, all serving and a large number of retired officers, JCOs, Other Ranks and families of martyrs participated in three-day celebrations at Kota.

The bi-centenary celebrations began with an impressive guard of honour given to the chief guest of the function, Lt Gen JJ Singh, GOC, 1 Corps and Colonel of the regiment. A wreath-laying ceremony was held at the unit war memorial where wreaths were laid by the Colonel of the Regiment and other senior officers of the regiment.

A First Day Cover was also released on the occasion by Lt Gen JJ Singh. This was followed by a felicitation to war widows of the unit, a special sainik sammelan, lunch at the JCOs Mess and a family welfare meet for the ladies.

A light-and-sound show was held depicting the glorious history of the battalion. The soldiers depicted the cultural heritage of the state of Maharashtra by performing traditional dances and items like lezim and malkhamb which made the spectators glued to their seats.

On this occasion, a motor cycle expedition led by Lt Vinay Sachan was flagged in. The expedition team covered a total distance of 4000 kms in 15 days, and was successful in creating awareness about AIDS, family welfare, literacy and conservation of environment among people residing in the interior villages of Rajasthan.

The history of this battalion since its raising speaks volumes about the sterling qualities of Maratha soldiers. It took active part in World War-I and World War-II which earned it the title of ‘Royal’. After independence, the Pakistanis tested the shine of the valour of these brave Marathas in all three wars. During the 1965 war, the battalion captured Gadra city, Naupatia, Khokropar and Dali. The 1971 war earned them a battle honour for their dynamic performance in the battle of Suadih in Bangladesh. Again, the battalion’s participation in operation Pawan in Sri Lanka was praiseworthy. It served there for two and-a-half years. The battalion has two post-Independence battle honours.

Besides being exceptional in the battlefield, the battalion has produced gems in the sportsfield too. Olympians-Bandu Patil and Shankar Laxman who captained the Indian hockey team and won the Olympic Gold Medal during the Tokyo Olympics in 1964 are from this elite battalion.