Latest news with #MadrasRegiment
United News of India
6 days ago
- General
- United News of India
Or 550 Agniveers inducted into army during POP at MRC, Wellington
Chennai, June 4 (UNI) A total of 551 Agniveers were inducted into the Indian Army in a dazzling and colourful Passing Out Parade (POP) held at the Madras Regimental Centre (MRC), Wellington, on Wednesday. They were attested into the Madras Regiment, a defence relesase said. The Agniveers will now move on to their next and most important phase of active service with their respective battalions, which are deployed across the length and breadth of the nation, including in some of the most hostile and difficult terrains. The Chief Guest for the passing out Parade was the General Officer Commanding, Karnataka and Kerala Sub Area, Maj Gen VT Mathew. The Passing Out Parade echoed the Regimental ethos 'Swadharme Nidhanam Shreyaha'. UNI GV 1845
Hindustan Times
25-05-2025
- General
- Hindustan Times
Tales of villages with legacies of military service
Inchal, Karnataka — Confluence of pride, patriotism In a tiny room in Karnataka's Inchal village, the banter wafts in the afternoon breeze. 'Madras Regiment,' says one veteran, his voice steady, shoulders proud. 'Armoured corps,' another replies, with the quiet confidence of someone who believes tanks trump infantry. It's less a disagreement and more a ritual — one that plays out among this group of men, bound not just by friendship, but service. Then, a quieter voice chimes in: 'This village has people in every arm — Army, Navy, Air Force, Border Security Force, Central Reserve Police Force — you name it.' Inchal, home to just over 7,000 people, has more than 400 who served or are still serving in the armed forces and paramilitary. Here, uniformed service isn't just a career, it's inheritance. As tensions flared between India and Pakistan earlier this month, Inchal followed every development with rapt attention, and a deep sense of personal connection. With over 100 villagers currently serving across the armed forces and paramilitary units, conflict echoed in almost every household. 'There's no fear in this village,' said retired havaldar Basavanneppa Jakati, who served over 20 years in the 7 Field Artillery. 'Most households have someone in the forces. We understand the job, its intricacies. The last thing a soldier needs is to worry about people back home. Instead, we send them strength.' Jakati remembers a time when three men from Inchal had joined the army in late 1980s. Their return in uniform — with stories of duty, discipline, and pride — pushed more people towards the forces. At the centre of that transformation is the Ex-Servicemen's Association, founded in 2006. The 200-strong group trains local aspirants in everything from recruitment procedures to life in the forces, ensuring that at least 10 young people join the services each year and becoming a catalyst for the residents of the village to join the military. Retired Subedar Virapakshappa Bagewadi, who spent his military career inside tanks — moving from the Vijayanta to the T-90s — remembers a time when the popular profession in the village was teaching. 'But then came the fascination for the uniform. I joined in the 1980s, and we were just ten. Today, we're over 400.' Tucked away on the outskirts of Belagavi district, Inchal is a quiet rural village in Saundatti taluk, located about 500km from Bengaluru and around 50km from Belagavi city. Surrounded by vast fields of sugarcane, maize, and jowar, the village embodies the unhurried rhythm of northern Karnataka's countryside, where narrow lanes weave through clusters of centuries-old temples and houses with long, sloped roods. Brigadier Yallangouda Mallur, the highest-ranking officer to come out of Inchal, was wounded during operations in the Poonch sector in 1999. 'Growing up, all I saw were neighbours in uniform,' he said. 'Joining the army wasn't just a dream—it felt like a natural step.' Even today, when Mallur returns home on leave, he visits schools, talks to students, and rekindles those early sparks in others. 'We don't just want to send soldiers anymore. We want to send officers.' But the pride in uniform isn't limited to those who wear it and extends to families. Ojappa Karikoppar, 57, has two brothers and a son-in-law in the armed forces. 'War, conflict—it doesn't scare us,' he said. 'We've got people in the services, and a whole village behind us.' His only dilemma? Whether his young granddaughter will grow up to be a teacher or a soldier. Apshinge, Maharashtra — Abode of bravehearts The narrow lanes of Apshinge are abuzz. Young men in fatigues jog past homes, elders gather under the big banyan tree discussing border tensions, and parents proudly talk of sons preparing for recruitment – not in government service or corporate firms, but the armed forces. Located off the Mumbai-Bengaluru highway in Karad tehsil, 15km from Satara district, Apshinge — often referred to as Military Apshinge — is home to around 3,000 people. Of the 350 families here, most have at least one member currently serving in the military. Now, in the wake of the India-Pakistan conflict, there is renewed determination coursing through the village. 'The mood is different this time. It's not just grief — it's a call,' said village sarpanch Tushar Nikam, whose brother is serving in the Indian Army. 'After the Pahalgam incident, the youth here are more determined than ever to join the forces. We are ready to send more of our boys to the borders. The spirit of sacrifice runs in our blood,' he added. Another villager, Rani Nikam, said her son Shravan is in Class 10 and preparing for defence recruitment exams. Her husband Sudheer Nikam was posted in the armyas a havaldar and died in 2022, while her father-in-law Suryakant Nikam, who also served in the army, died in an avalanche accident in Gangtok. 'We want our son to go into the army and contribute towards the nation,' he said. The legacy dates back over a century. A tall obelisk — the Vijay Stambh — built by the British in 1920 stands in the heart of the village, etched with the names of 46 soldiers from Apshinge who died fighting in World War I. Since Independence, 15 more men have laid down their lives in wars of 1962, 1965, 1971, and in Kargil, said village Nikam. Captain (retired) Shankar Deshmukh, said the village has 250 ex-servicemen. 'Everyone wants to contribute — to defend the country and honour the soldiers who lost their lives,' he said. According to Subedar Major (retired) Dadasaheb Jadhav, youngsters from the village have regularly joined the army due to a mix of pride and economic needs. 'The army offers stable employment, pensions, and benefits that are often more attractive than uncertain agricultural or local jobs. Military service also brings pride and social recognition to them . Working in the military is highly respected in the area,' he said. In 2024, a training centre was set up in the village to help guide youngsters in their quest to join military services. The government provided funds for the centre, which also boasts of a library. It currently has 120 students on the roll. Dadasaheb Jadhav, a farmer, has both sons — Amrit and Vilas — serving in the Indian Army. His nephews, too, are preparing to enlist. 'This is the time when the country needs us the most,' he said. 'We've faced wars before. We've seen what it means to lose someone to a bullet. But that doesn't scare us. It strengthens our resolve.' The Maratha Light Infantry, one of the oldest regiments of the Indian Army, has historically drawn large numbers from Apshinge, said ex -serviceman Ganesh Patil. About 20 officers from the village have held ranks of lieutenant colonel and above, said Major (retired) Shankarao Bhosale. Villagers from Apshinge began enlisting in large numbers during the two world wars under the British army. Later, many villagers served in the MLI, a regiment that has strong ties with Maharashtra. As dusk falls, the village flagpole stands tall, fluttering in the fading light. Young men train on the school ground, their feet pounding the earth in rhythm. And if the tremors of another India-Pakistan conflict are felt across the nation, they've only hardened the resolve in Apshinge — to continue a legacy of service. Gochhi, Haryana — Embodiment of valour, sacrifice On the outskirts of Haryana's Jhajjar town is a village of 900 households where serving the armed forces is not just a career, it's a tradition. A humble plaque on a stark white wall in the village of Gocchi honours the 149 men who served the British army during World War I. The village boasts of two men – captain Devinder Singh Ahlawat and second lieutenant Avtar Singh Ahlawat – who were awarded the Maha Vir Chakra and Vir Chakra after the 1971 war, but residents also boast about 50 who served as part of Operation Sindoor. At present, more than 250 soldiers from Gochhi are in the armed forces, and another 400 are veterans. Major General Sudhir Jakhar (retired), a third-generation soldier who led the 5th Battalion of the Rajput Regiment during the Kargil War, is one of them. 'My father Ajit Singh retired as colonel and my grandfather Jeet Ram was a subedar. A majority of my service was in Jammu & Kashmir. Many officers from Gochhi are deployed in J&K today,' he said. Located around 24km from the Jhajjar district headquarters, Gochhi is predominantly a Jat-dominated village, with agriculture being one of the main sources of livelihood. Subedar Dayanand Singh (retired) said almost every house in the village is associated with the armed forces for generations. 'Our village has produced the maximum number of commissioned officers in Haryana. Anju Ahlawat, who is the first woman officer from the state to reach the rank of lieutenant colonel, is also from Gochhi. One doesn't become a fauji merely by donning the uniform, it takes years of discipline and dedication towards the nation. We have been instilling these values in our children and they are passionate about carrying forward the tradition.' Local teacher Ramesh Kumar said shrinking landholdings and attractive benefits in the armed forces got young people interested a century ago. 'Landholdings were steadily decreasing so families started sending youngsters to serve in the British army before the First World War (1914-18). The culture took root as the veterans would guide successive generations to serve the armed forces. My grandfather, Hari Ram, and his brothers, Nathu Ram and Daya Ram, served the British army in WWI. Nathu Ram died in action. My father, Virender Singh, also served the army and retired as havildar in 1990. I was also selected in the Indian Air Force in 1989, but my father did not allow me to join as I was the only son,' he said. 'Whenever the government conducts a recruitment drive for the armed forces, hundreds of youngsters from our villages take part,'Subedar Dayanand Singh said. Another veteran, honorary subedar major Rajpal Ahlawat, said of 149 people from the village fought WWI and 11 perished. 'Gochhi is the only village in Haryana where two of its sons were feted after the 1971 war,' he said. Devinder Singh Ahlawat's aunt, Raj Kumari, said three generations of her family served in the armed forces. 'My nephew took six bullets on the chest while leading a Dogra company during the attack on the Dera Baba Nanak bridgehead on the night of December 5, 1971. He came under medium-machine gunfire from a concrete pillbox, but that didn't stop him from charging at it, grabbing the machine-gun barrel with his right hand and throwing a grenade into the pillbox. He managed to defend the holy town of Dera Baba Nanak,' she said with pride. Gahmar, Uttar Pradesh — Preparing heroes for the future The midday sun blazes overhead as a group of people gathers under a tin shed in Gahmar. Located along the bank of the Ganga in Ghazipur district of eastern Uttar Pradesh, this 'village of soldiers' – around 130km from Varanasi and about 40km from the Ghazipur district headquarters – has a population of nearly 100,000. Over 14,000 ex-servicemen currently live here. Currently, 7,000 people from Gahmar are serving in the forces. Though it is still called a village, Gahmar has slowly expanded into a town. It has a small market, four banks, a police station, two post offices, and a railway station. Many army veterans from the village preferred return and settle in Gahmar after retirement, contributing to its expansion. They also brought facilities to the village with the help of public representatives and government officials. Here, nearly every third household has someone in the armed forces, said former village head Durga Chaurasia, adding that the tradition started during WWII when over 200 residents joined the British Army. 'The atmosphere here encourages every youth to prepare for the armed forces,' said Chaurasia. According to locals, many villagers join the army because the village offers free physical training, covering a portion of the preparation cost. 'There is a lot of patriotism. Serving in the army brings a lot of respect. Tales have also passed on from one generation to another,'said Ritesh Chaurasia, a local. Every morning and evening, dozens of boys train on the village outskirts near the Ganga and run for 5-10km. 'The boys begin training as early as 16, soon after Class 10,' said Vikram Singh, an ex-Nayak of the Indian Army. 'Watching others train motivates the younger ones to follow.' Locals said that though there is no official centre to train the villagers, a retired army person often offers tips about physical training. The boys then enrol for coaching in Varanasi or Lucknow for the written exam.
