Origin of Indian Army: Madras Regiment

The Madras Regiment is one among the oldest infantry regiment of the Indian Army, initiating in the period of 1750s. The regiment took part in several campaigns with both the then British Indian Army & the post-independence Indian Army.

Madras Regiment

About Madras Regiment

Warcry: Veera Madrassi, Adi Kollu, Adi Kollu (Brave Madrassi, Strike and Kill, Strike and Kill!)
Motto: Swadharme Nidhanam Shreyaha (It is a glory to die doing one’s duty)
Regimental Insignia: An Assaye Elephant posed upon a shield with two crossed swords
Founded: 1748

History of the Madras Regiment:

The Madras Regiment was originally formed as the Madras European Regiment in the period of 1660s by the British East India Company as the 2^nd company established in India. Although, it was formed as a battalion in the year 1748 under the command of Major Stringer Lawrence. The battalion got involved in almost all the battles against the French forces in the country.

The oldest Battalion in the Madras Regiment and also in the Indian Army was the 9^th Battalion, which was formerly known as the Nair Brigade (i.e. Nayar Pattalam, ‘Nair Army’).

It has been in service for almost over 300 years.
The army comprised of soldiers from Nair warrior clans although, after the 1940s, the non-Nairs were also permitted to join.
The ‘Nayar Army’ started incorporated into the Indian Army from April 1951.

The present strength of the Regiment:

The 1^st Battalion (former 73^rd Carnatic Infantry) became the First Battalion of the Mechanised Infantry Regiment.

Presently the regiment has a strength of twenty-one battalions as follows:

Battalion name	Details
2^nd Battalion	old 75^th Carnatic Infantry
3^rd Battalion	old 79^th Carnatic Infantry
4^th Battalion	old 83^rd Wallajahabad Light Infantry
5^th Battalion	Ferocious Five
6^th Battalion	old 2^nd Battalion or 2^nd Madras Native Infantry
7^th Battalion	old 28^th Madras Native Infantry
8^th Battalion	Gallant Guerrillas
9^th Battalion	former 1^st Travancore Nair Infantry and Princely State Forces
10^th Battalion	-
11^th Battalion	old Territorial Battalion
12^th Battalion	old Territorial Battalion
16^th Battalion	former 2^nd Travancore State Nair Infantry and Princely State Forces
17^th Battalion	former Cochin State Infantry and Princely State Forces
18^th Battalion	former 1st Mysore Wadiyar Infantry and Princely State Forces
19^th Battalion	former 2nd Mysore State Infantry and Princely State Forces
20^th Battalion	raised 2009
21^st Battalion	raised 2011
25^th Battalion	old garrison battalion
26^th Battalion	old garrison battalion
27^th Battalion	old garrison battalion
28^th Battalion	old coastal defence battalion
8 Rashtriya Rifles	-
25 Rashtriya Rifles	-
38 Rashtriya Rifles	-
54 Rashtriya Rifles	-

Besides the above 21 line battalions, the Madras Regiment consists of three Territorial Army battalions:

110^th Infantry Battalion located in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu
122^nd Infantry Battalion located in Kannur, Kerala
172^nd Infantry Battalion located in Campbell Bay, Andaman and Nicobar Islands

Some Operational Achievement of the Battalion:

The battalion actively involved in the Hyderabad Police Action (i.e. in the Operation Polo) during the year 1948 and was quite instrumental in restoring the peace and tranquillity in the riot-torn areas.
For the first time ever, the Regiment was deployed in the high altitude areas in the Sugar Sector in the Punjab& Himachal Pradesh and occupied the forward posts in the inhospitable terrain during the Indo-China War of 1962.
During the 1965 Indo-Pakistani War, the battalion situated at the Firozpur under the 65^th Infantry Brigade fought the popular Battle of Burki and played a key role in the capture of the Barka-Kalan and Ichogil Bund. The battalion was also honoured with one Vir Chakra, two Sena Medals, twelve Mentioned in the dispatches and even the theatre honour Punjab.
In the Nagaland, the battalion organised operations against the Naga The unit functioned extremely well and was even awarded one Sena Medal & two COAS commendation cards.
The 9^th battalion took part in the Operation Cactus-Lilly during 1971. The battalion, deployed under the 330^th Infantry Brigade at the Barmer, captured the Mahendra Ro Par & Fateh Ro Par on the Gadra City-Umraokot axis. During this operation, the unit suffered ten casualties. In another operation, during the phase of 1971 War, Captain Gopal Kumar Raman Pillai got awarded the Vir Chakra.
The battalion also served in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands from the period of 1990 to 1994 where it had the chance to undertake the anti-poaching operations in concurrence with the Indian Navy & the Indian Air Force. The Regiment was awarded one Vishisht Seva Medal and also four GOC-in-C Southern Command commendation cards throughout these operations.
During Operation Rakshak, the battalion performed counter-insurgency operations in the Rajouri and Bhadarwah Sectors. It neutralised almost more than 35 militants and captured a major quantity of the weapons, ammunition and also explosives including SAM missiles, UMGs and the sniper rifle. The Regiment was awarded two Shaurya Chakra, two COAS commendation cards, three Sena Medals and two GOC-in-C commendation cards.
While participating in the Operation Meghdoot, the Regiment served at the world's highest battlefield from the year of 2000 to 2001. It inhabited the AGPL (Actual Ground Position Line) in the Siachen. Throughout this operation, the battalion suffered 2 casualties because of the adverse weather conditions.
During the Operation Parakram, the Regiment was operationally deployed at the Turtuk, Handanbrog, Baramulla, Dras and Kargil.