Bharat Rakshak

he British faced fierce resistance in some regions while easily conquering some others. The British officials sought 'martial races' accustomed to hunting or agricultural cultures from hilly or mountainous regions with a history of conflict. Still others were excluded due to their 'ease of living' or branded as seditious agitators.[3] The doctrine of 'martial races' postulated that the qualities that make a useful soldier are inherited and that most Indians, with the exception of the specified groups, did not have the requisite traits that would make them warriors.[4]

The British recruited heavily from the 'martial races' for service in the colonial army.[5] Sensing the inequalities and fierce loyalty to one's tribe or group of the diverse native peoples of the subcontinent, the British found opportunities to use it to their own great advantage. These already wide divides were a fertile breeding ground to inculcate pride in one's identity based on 'race'. This served the British in two ways. On the one hand it made sure that there was no repeat of the Indian rebellion of 1857 by ensuring there was no unity among the different subjects of the Raj. On the other hand it encouraged a sense of competition among the different 'races'.

A British general and scholar, Lieutenant-General Sir George MacMunn (1869–1952) noted in his writings "It is only necessary for a feeling to arise that it is impious and disgraceful to serve the British, for the whole of our fabric to tumble like a house of cards without a shot being fired or a sword unsheathed".[6] To this end, it became British policy to recruit only from those tribes whom they classified as members of the 'martial races' and the practice became an integral part of the recruitment manuals for the Army in the British Raj. According to Dr. Jeffrey Greenhut, "The Martial Race theory had an elegant symmetry. Indians who were intelligent and educated were defined as cowards, while those defined as brave were uneducated and backward."[7]

The British regarded the 'martial races' as valiant and strong but also intellectually challenged, lacking the initiative or leadership qualities to command large troops.[8] They were also regarded as politically subservient or docile to authority.[9] For these reasons, the 'martial races' theory did not apply in the case of officer recruitment, which was based on social class and loyalty to the British Raj.[10] One source calls this a "pseudo-ethnological" construction, which was popularised by Frederick Sleigh Roberts, and created serious deficiencies in troop levels during the World Wars, compelling them to recruit from 'non-martial races'.[11] In fact, Winston Churchill was reportedly concerned that the theory was abandoned during the war and wrote to the Commander-in-Chief, India that he must, "rely as much as possible on the martial races".[12] After Indian Independence, the Indian Army abandoned this theory and recruitment took place without discrimination.

Critics of this theory state that the Indian rebellion of 1857 may have played a role in reinforcing the British belief in 'martial races'. During this event some Indian troops (known as 'Sepoys'), particularly in Bengal, mutinied, but the loyal Pathans, Punjabis, Gurkhas, Kumaoni/Kumaunis and Garhwalis did not join the mutiny and fought on the side of the British Army. From then on, this theory was used to the hilt to accelerate recruitment from among these 'races', whilst discouraging enlistment of 'disloyal' Bengalis and high-caste Hindus who had sided with the rebel army during the war.[13] Some authors, such as Heather Streets, argue that the military authorities puffed up the images of the martial soldiers by writing regimental histories, and by extolling the kilted Scots, kukri-wielding Gurkhas and turbaned Sikhs in numerous paintings.[14] Richard Schultz, an American Jewish author, has claimed the Martial Race concept as a supposed clever British effort to divide and rule the people of India for their own political ends.[15]

The hillmen Kumaonis, Garhwalis, Dogras and Gorkhas were initially a great impediment to the establishment of the British Empire but once they gave their loyalty to the British they helped them greatly in their administration and were thus conferred the status of martial race. Kumaonis had helped the British in their efforts against the Gurkhas in the Nepal War. When they were observed by the British to be fighting from both sides — the British as well as the Gorkha side — their valour was given recognition by the British and they were included in the British Army. It is interesting to note that the 3rd Gorkha Rifles was known as the Kumaon battalion when it was formed and it included Kumaonis as well as the Garhwalis along with the Gorkhas. The Kumaonis, once accepted as a martial race, were themselves to be recruited in the Hyderabad regiment and displace the native troops, ultimately becoming the Kumaon Regiment after Independence of India......


The Marathas were classified as 'non-martial'after the 1857 rebellion(in which the Marathas of Kanpur and Jhansi played a key role, blatantly ignoring the military achievements of the Maratha Empire or the Maratha Regiment's contribution against the Turks during the First World War, when they were recruited by the British Indian Army.The two Victoria Cross winners were forgotten. However, the Jadhavs, the Dhangars and the Mahars considered by British as martial races belong to the Marathi community. Marāthā has three related usages: within the Marathi speaking region it describes the dominant Maratha caste or to the Maratha and Kunbi castes together; outside Maharashtra or generally it can refer to the entire regional population of Marathi-speaking people; historically, it describes the Maratha Empire founded by Shivaji in the seventeenth century and continued by his successors, which included many castes.[41]

The Mahars were recruited by the Marathi king Shivaji as scouts and fort guards in his army. They were also heavily recruited by the British East India Company, at one part forming one-sixth of the Company's Bombay Army. The Bombay Army especially favoured the Mahar troops for their bravery and loyalty to the Colours, and also because they could be relied upon during the Anglo-Maratha Wars. They achieved many successes, most notably on 1 January 1818, when 500 men of the 2nd Battalion 1st Regiment of the Bombay Native Light Infantry along with 250 cavalrymen and 24 cannon defeated 20,000 horsemen and 8,000 footsoldiers of the Maratha Army in what would be called the Battle of Koregaon. This battle was commemorated by an obelisk, known as the Koregaon pillar, which featured on the Mahar Regiment crest until Indian Independence. The Bombay Army also saw action in the Indian Mutiny of 1857, and two regiments (the 21st and 27th) joined the revolt under the British.

The South Indian troops who had proved their valour in the battlefields of central and south India were disbanded after 1857 to make way for more martial races. The recruitment of 'Madrassis' for infantry only took place during the Second World War when large numbers of troops were required to defend British Empire in the form of a newly raised Madras Regiment. The Nairs of Kerala were initially included in the list, however after the Nairs of Travancore rebelled against the British under Velu Thampi Dalawa, they were recruited in lower numbers.

The martial tradition amongst Sikhs seems to have its precepts in the militirisation of the Sikhs by the Sixth and Tenth Sikh Guru's.[42] The tenth Sikh Guru Guru Gobind Singh proclaimed that one Sikh was equal to sava lakh (one hundred twenty five thousand) and a fauj-a one man army.[43]

Why is so difficult for some people to call a spade a spade? The above mentioned "Martial Races" are what they are today largely due to the region of India where they come from. They have been in the way of invaders coming to Delhi to conquer India, or have have seen many many wars. It has become part of their culture and psyche. The British were not stupid - they recognized good warriors when they had to face them. The Sikhs were the only Indian force to almost defeat the British in the first Anglo-Sikh war (even the British historians admit this). It took one more war to defeat the Sikhs. The Marathas had an empire up to Delhi. The Gurkhas had their own kingdom. Why do Gurkhas still serve in the British army? Why did the British govt, only a few years ago consider raising a Sikh regiment from Sikhs living in the UK? (this idea was dropped after the "politically correct" in UK called it racist).
Every Indian contributes to our country. There are many many South Indians in the Indian IT and defence Industry (DRDO, HAL ..) and are contributing with their strengths.
Just look into which units of the Indian army get sent to the front in time of war (good old Google) and which units usually make up the marching contingent of the IA on Republic day. Why does the Indian govt. do this? The British did not create these "martial races" - they just gave them a name. These races and their fighting spirit was there long before the British even got there!
As someone suggested earlier , in the next war, India should hold back these "martial races" and send the other regiments to the front. There is only one way to prove or disprove this!

Why is so difficult for some people to call a spade a spade? The above mentioned "Martial Races" are what they are today largely due to the region of India where they come from.

The reader may note that during the period 1885�1911 when the ethnic composition of the British Indian Army changed from a Hindustani majority/Hindu/Non Muslim dominated army to a Punjabi Majority/Punjabi Muslim heavy army in 1911; no major war took place; that could prove that Punjabi troops or Punjabi Muslim troops were better than Hindu troops or the Hindustani troops, and the concept that the British changed the ethnic composition based on proven fighting ability in actual combat; has no connection with any reality of military history. Thus the �Martial Races Theory� was based more on political considerations than on any tangible or concrete military effectiveness or relative combat effectiveness in any war! In any case the pre 1947 Indian Army was never a Muslim majority army at any stage of its history. Many Britishers were crystal clear about the situational or historical relativity of the so called martial effectiveness even in the first half of the nineteenth century. Henry Lawrence a Civil Servant of the English East India Company thus summed up the whole business about martial effectiveness once he said �Courage goes much by opinion; and many a man behaves as a hero or a coward, according as he considers he is expected to behave. Once two Roman Legions held Britain; now as many Britons might hold Italy". On the other hand , the reasons why the British preferred the Punjabis in the army in preference to other races were rationalised by many Britishers by stating that the British preferred the Indian Army to be composed of �Martial Races�46.

The "Martial Races Theory" in reality was an Imperial gimmick to boost the ego of the cannon fodder. Various British writers like Philip Mason frankly admitted that the real reason for selective recruitment was political reliability in crisis situations which the Punjabis had exhibited during the 1857-58 Bengal Army rebellion.47 Another British officer thought that "Martial Races Theory" had a more sentimental and administrative basis rather than anything to do with real martial superiority. C.C Trench thus wrote, �Reasons for preferring northerners were largely racial. To Kiplings contemporaries, the taller and fairer a native, the better man he was likely to be�There was a general preference for the wild over the half educated native as being less addicted to unwholesome political thinking�Brahmins had been prominent in the mutiny, and their diet and prejudices made difficulties on active service48. The �Special Commission appointed by the Viceroy� to enquire into the organisation of Indian Army was more blunt in outlining the political reliability factor once it stated that "lower stratum of the Mohammadan urban population, the dispossessed landholders (many of them, off course, Muslims), the predatory classes, and perhaps the cadets of the old Muhammadan families (as)� the only people who really dislike British rule� 49 . The reason why the Punjabis whether Sikh Hindu or Muslim were more loyal to the British at least till 1919 lay in complex socio-political background of the province and the complex relationship between the Sikhs Hindus and Muslims of the province. Its discussion is beyond the scope of this work.

The fact remains that in the first world war the Punjabi case for priority race for recruitment to the army was once again reinforced when the Punjabi soldiers, Sikh Muslim and Hindu loyally served the British in France Mesopotamia Egypt Palestine and Gallipoli. Philip Mason thus wrote that the "Punjabi Muslims were steady as a rock� while �a faint question mark hung over the Pathans� 50. Such was the difference in reliability within the units that when two Pathan squadrons of 15 Lancers passively refused to fight against the Turks in Mesopotamia, the Punjabi Squadrons remained staunch and the Pathan squadrons were disbanded and replaced by Hindustani Hindu Jat Squadrons from 14th Murray Jat Lancers! The Hindustani/Ranghar Muslims were also further discredited once the 5th Light Infantry a pure Hindustani/Ranghar Muslim unit composed of Delhi region Hindustani Pathans, and Ranghar Muslims rebelled and seized Singapore for about a day in 1915.51 It was more a question of political reliability than being more martial that led to further Punjabisation of the army after the first world war. Thus in 1929 as per the �Report of the Statutory Commission on Indian Constitutional Advancement�, military ability was not evenly distributed in the entire population and, the capacity to fight was confined to the martial races! The commission ignored the fact that recruitment was done to fill ethnic quotas as decided by the Indian government and was not open to all classes! As per this commission�s report some 86,000 or some 54.36% Indian Army combatants out of a total of 158,200 were from Punjab province. These did include some Ranghar Muslims who were administratively Punjabi although Hindustani ethnically/culturally, but there is no doubt that the vast bulk of these men were ethnically Punjabi. The important part of the whole business was the fact that once 19,000 Nepali Gurkhas, who were in reality foreigners, included in the above mentioned total of 158,200 men are excluded the Punjabi share in Indian Army rose to 61.8%. The Pathans thanks to their political record in the First World War had been reduced to just 5,600 men 52 or just 4.02% out of which at least a thousand were non Pathans!

History was distorted to show that the Muslims were ruling the timid Hindu when the British snatched power from the brave Muslims by treachery! This was sadly not the case! In reality the Muslims were saved from total defeat by the British advent in India! A false image was formed by official propaganda right from 1947 that the Muslims were more martial than the timid Hindus were! It was a poor modification of the "Martial Races Theory" of the British, which was a purely imperialist theory to "Divide and Rule" India! But once Pakistan was defeated in 1971, all blame was heaped on Yahya and liquor, disregarding the fact that Yahya was merely the tip of the iceberg, and the irrefutable fact that many great commanders in history were absolutely incorrigible and compulsive womanisers and drinkers!

Yahya cannot be blamed for the muck that had been accumulating for more than two decades. Yahya�s intention to raise more pure Bengali battalions was opposed by Major General Khadim Hussain Raja, the General Officer Commanding 14 Division in East Pakistan, since the General felt that instead of raising new purely Bengali battalions, Bengali troops should be mixed with existing infantry battalions comprising of Punjabi and Pathan troops.37 Such was the strength of conviction of General Khadim about not raising more pure Bengali battalions that once he came to know about Yahya�s orders to raise more East Pakistani regiments, he flew to the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi to remonstrate against the sagacity of raising more pure Bengali units. Khadim�s advice that Bengali troops could not be relied upon in crisis situations should have been an eye opener for all in the GHQ. No one at least at that time took his advice seriously. It appears that the generals were convinced that the Bengali was too meek to ever challenge the martial Punjabi or Pathan Muslim

The Bengalis were despised as non martial by all West Pakistanis. However much later an interesting controversy developed in which the Punjabis and Hindustanis blamed each other for doing so! The Hindustanis blaming Aziz Ahmad etc and the Punjabis blaming many Hindustani ICS old foxes of the 1950s! There is no doubt that this exercise in Bengali degrading was neither totally or exclusively Punjabi led but a a true for all West Pakistanis business!

The foreign reader may note that Bengalis were despised as a non martial race from the British times. Sir Syed Ahmad Khan a Hindustani Muslim and an eminent Muslim leader of the North Indian Muslims in late 19th century made open fun of Bengalis in his various speeches, notably the one delivered at Lucknow in 1887. I.H Qureshi another prominent Hindustani Muslim and a post 1947 cabinet minister declared in a roundabout manner that the Bengalis were an inferior race. Ayub made various remarks implying that the Bengalis were an inferior race in his memoirs written in 1967.38.

It is a cultural rather than a racial feature. Something like how families of doctors tend to produce more doctors.

I am glad I challenged Rajrang and initiated a much-needed debate

Modern warfare is less about Martialness of a race and more about leadership at several levels, strategic and tactical planning and intelligent execution of plans , well trained men and teamwork etc. Indian Army is an institution ,

If you see MMS your idea of a Martial man should vaporise instantaneously unless I understood you wrongly as to what you mean by Martial qualities.

There is no need to take an excessively rigid stand on the martial traditions issue.

A society wherein battles are celebrated in ballads, and stories recounted at the dining table may well tend to produce more soldiers. Also, an environment of lawlessness may necessitate an ability to use weapons, e.g. the American west in the 19th century, or for that matter Punjab during the decline of the Mughals.

It is a cultural rather than a racial feature. Something like how families of doctors tend to produce more doctors.

MMS has supervised the biggest re-armament of Indian forces facing China since the aftermath of the 1962 war. However, if you call this dhoti shivering, then, I have no comments.

MMS has supervised the biggest re-armament of Indian forces facing China since the aftermath of the 1962 war. However, if you call this dhoti shivering, then, I have no comments.

Can you please quantify the statement in terms of budget numbers asked for by the military and provided for by MMS in context of percentages of GDP, over the past 7-8 years? The numbers will prove, if the testimony stands scrutiny. Also, just to be fair, you can compare and contrast with similar numbers in China over the same period to factor in threat and capability levels. To make it more fair, please make a list of procedural reforms of the the MMS govt in decision making of MoD that has resulting in a faster process for acquisitions etc.

MMS has supervised the biggest re-armament of Indian forces facing China since the aftermath of the 1962 war. However, if you call this dhoti shivering, then, I have no comments.

MMS can sanction 40 divisions - for all I care

cannon fodder without the 155 mm arty in numbers towed,truck and SP

Let him get that in the next 2 yrs and i will cut him slack

most nations do not have China and Pukeland ont heir borders Plus BD

Good to see that martial race theory as propagated by British convincingly debunked by wise BRFites.

But there is another thing which is known as a warrior mindset.And as per my opinion every Indian should try to cultivate this mindset.It is definitely not a genetic attribute as the british implied(with malice ofcourse).This mindset consists of attributes like courage,resourcefulness,critical thinking skills,mental and physical toughness,self discipline,integrity and above all a love for freedom.

When you look at these qualities , it is clear that you do not have to belong to a certain community or race to achieve them.Any human being with a functioning mind and body could do that.So why not move towards this goal(achieving a warrior mindset) as Indians and not as some caste or community.Trust me, in less than one generation the whole nation can be militarized and develop a warrior culture provided we set our sights on it(as Tamils in Sri Lanka showed us in 1980's and 1990's.Even the Sikhs themselves did the same in 17th century).And indeed we should do it.

It is true that in past warrior culture was more developed in some communities than others.The most important reason that I could think of is the existence of caste hierarchy where certain castes were supposed to do all the fighting and protect others.The other reason I could think of is that certain communities were settled on common invasion routes and hence were more inclined to see and take part in constant conflict.There were other reasons as well.

But today we exist as one country continuously moving beyond the paradigms of caste and race.Hence this old template is neither needed nor it is going to work in future.

Well what do we think of FM Kariappa or FM Sam Manecksaw, are they dhoti shivering types. They dont belong to martial Races and have give India 1948 and 1971.

But then Gen Sundarji did not win a war for India. It is easy to show martial qualities with intellectual ideas sitting in an office. Would he have put himself in the shoes of Bana Singh and fought on top of Siachen glacier? We do not know for sure.

The briturds did a real number on us didn't they? Even after 65 years the crap that they filled our heads with still lives on..

The martial race theory has been the subject of so many jokes on the pakis on BRF. Never thought I'd se it being actualy debated.

rohitvats wrote (page 85):

General K Sundarji, PVSM, ADC

Army Headquarters, New Delhi-110 001

1 Feb 86

Dear Brother Officer,

........

13. Let us all resolve that we will :-

(a) Shed the dead weight of mediocrity and strive for excellence, each one in his own sphere.

(b) Hold fast to all that is best in our traditions and the finest in values, while doing away with the useless and meaningless.

(c) Avoid ostentation.

(d) Not sell our souls for a good ACR and promotion.

(e) Constantly enhance and update our professional competence.

(f) Sensibly decentralise authority and responsibility.

(g) Permit maximum initiative to our subordinates, and accept a fair quota of honest mistakes as necessary payment for their professional growth and maturity.

(h) Encourage dissent and new ideas at the policy formulation and discussion stage and insist on implicit obedience in the right spirit, post-decision, at the execution stage.

(j) Cultivate a justifiable pride in ourselves, our units, formations, the Army and the Country.

(k) And finally, live up to the motto:

"The safety, honour and welfare of your Country come first, always and everytime. The honour, welfare and comfort of the men you command come next. Your own ease, comfort and safety come last always and everytime".

14. Before I close, a word to our professional cynics! I can almost hear some say, "Well, we have known all this for quite a while but what’s been done? I’ll believe that something is going to be done when I see something happening on the ground"! As a people, thus far, we have generally been waiting for initiatives from on top; for neatly gift-wrapped solutions from ‘authority’; we have waited for the ‘Sarkar’ or ‘Bhup Singh’ or whoever, to do it. I put it to you, that YOU have to do something about it too. We have everything -- the brains, the bravery, the technology, the skills, the ability -- all we have to do is to get YOU moving and ‘Get our Act together’ and there is no stopping us!

God Speed!

Yours sincerely,

General K Sundarji

even in the colonial times, it was the SDRE bengal and madras armies that defeated the martial races before the martial races were recruited to defeat the SDRE revolters...