PUNE: Lieutenant General Ashok Ambre, Quartermaster General of the Indian Army, and the seniormost serving officer of the 1 Maratha Light Infantry (Jangi Paltan) which is celebrating the completion of 250 glorious years since raising, on Wednesday asked the soldiers to be prepared for war and adopt modern technologies.

To commemorate this historic milestone and to celebrate the glory and service to the nation, a ceremonial parade was organised on Wednesday at the Aundh Military Station (Shivneri Brigade). Lt Gen Ambre reviewed the parade. 

“There will be shorter warning periods and hence you should be always prepared for war. The brave soldiers of the battalion have always made the Army proud”,” he exhorted the soldiers.  

The Veer Naris (war widows) and next of kin of the martyrs of the battalion were felicitated during the event to commemorate their supreme sacrifice in service to the nation. A wreath-laying ceremony was organised as a solemn memorial service in the honour of the gallant martyrs who laid down their lives for the glory of the battalion. In addition, a release of special first-day cover by the Army Postal Service and numerous in house events were also organised.

HISTORY OF JANGI PALTAN
Jangi Paltan, the third oldest battalion of the Indian Army, was raised on August 4, 1768 as 2nd Bombay Sepoys. In recognition of the sustained operational performance and victories in the battlefield, the battalion was conferred with the Nom de Guerre ‘Jangi Paltan’ in 1788. The Battalion, in the 250 years of its glorious history, has been awarded 15 battle honours, Six theatre honours and one Chief of Army Staff unit citation including one Victoria Cross earned by Sepoy Namdeo Jadhav during crossing of the Senio River, in April 1945.