Martial emaciation of the Indian people was undertaken by the colonial British regime in India, over a prolonged period of time, instilling a sense of inferiority complex in a major part of Indian populace. They used two strategies substantially to ensure the same, first by banning Indian martial arts like Kalaripayattu that is considered the source of Kung Fu, Silambam, Thang-Ta, Mardani Khel (As a martial art it was banned but kept alive in the form of a folk game), Gatka so on and so forth.
The second strategy was to teach Indians a history full of foreign conquests but an absence of native bravery and achievements, both these strategies reinforced each other and ensured that surprisingly small number of British were able to rule one of the largest populations of the world. At the height of the British Empire, there were only 20,000 military and civil British personnel in India.
Loss of Freedom
“Great Maratha” Maharaja Mahadji Scindia had created the “largest” Europeanised but Swadeshi army in India “Fauj-i-Hind”. But when Mahadji Scindia passed away, British sensed a big opportunity to conquer the nerve centre of Indian body politic Delhi which was then under Scindia control. The last pan Indian empire to face the British before eventual colonisation, were the Marathas, it was after defeating Maharaja Daulatrao M. Scindia in a bloody battle, that British took Delhi, the crown jewel of India in 1803.
The Battle of Delhi took place on 11 September 1803, between British troops under General Lake, and the Marathas of Scindia’s army under General Louis Bourquin and Ravsahab Wable Sardar, Marathas showed excellent feats of valour but lost, because of the unexpected treachery of their French mercenary General Louis Bourquin, who chose continental solidarity over professional loyalty. 3000 Marathas of Scindia army attained martyrdom, the Mughal Shah Alam Sani was happy to free himself from Scindia’s prison, and General Lake’s letter dated 17 September 1803 tells how the British forces had been welcomed by the Mughal prince’s escort into the Red Fort.
Slowly the British strengthened their control over the Indian subcontinent, Indians were recruited increasingly in the British Indian army, it became the backbone of the colonial British empire around the world. Colonialism led to more colonialism, British Indian Army became the sword arm of the British empire. As per the British Broadcasting Corporation The British Indian Army contributed 1.5 million servicemen in World War One. A total of 74,000 died and up to 100,000 were injured.
In World War Two, there were 2.5 million servicemen and 87,000 died and up to 150,000 were injured. The soldiers were Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Gurkhas, and Indian Christians. Making the Indian Army, Swadeshi and decolonized mentally was a necessity for an independent Indian nation.
Rise of The Doctor
Dr. Balkrishna Shivram Moonje pioneer of military education in India, served as the All-India President of the Hindu Mahasabha from 1927 until he passed the leadership on to Veer Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, Dr. Moonje played an important role along with Maharaja Jiwajirao M. Scindia in the creation of a Swadeshi mindset in the Indian Army which as mentioned before was essential for an independent Indian nation.
Though he was born at Bilaspur, currently in Chattisgarh state but like Scindia and Savarkar he had a Marathi ancestry. He completed his Medical Degree from Grant Medical College in Mumbai in 1898 and was employed in Bombay Municipal Corporation as a Medical Officer on a handsome salary.
Dr. Moonje eventually understood that what he was doing then was not his calling, it was elsewhere, he decided to fight for his country’s emancipation and became a freedom fighter, became close to fellow Marathi, Bal Gangadhar Tilak the first mass leader “Lokmanya” of Indian freedom movement, who was influenced by the Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations which in it’s present form came from Scindia State, reached Pune and thanks to Tilak was used as a method to fight for Indian freedom in which Dr. Moonje assisted him.
During his days as a freedom fighter Dr. Moonje on 5th December 1931, noted in his diary “England is going to make a mess of India by dividing and sowing seeds of animosity between Hindus and Muslims…England will not hand over power before causing the utmost of ruin to India. Hindus appear to be doomed unless another Shivaji is born.”
Scindia and Dr. Moonje
Speech of Maharaja Jiwajirao Madhorao Scindia published in Jayaji Pratap newspaper.
Dr. Moonje’s biggest contribution to India was through his vision of developing Swadeshi military both ideologically and practically. He took initiative in starting Indian Military Academy at Dehradoon as the first Indian Academy in 1936, and he wanted to Indianise Indian Army as soon as possible and for that, In 1935 He established Central Hindu Military Education Society at Nashik with the aim of Indianisation of Army (Indian Defence) and started ‘Bhonsala Military School’ in 1937. The establishment of this school was not at all an easy task, but thanks to the, in time help of, Maharaja Jiwajirao M. Scindia it was done.
The total estimated cost of the Bhonsala Military school was 3 Lakh rupees, as of July 22nd, 1936, and Dr. Moonje did not have the entire amount, there was one man he trusted and thought would believe in his vision and help him, and his name was Maharaja Jiwajirao M. Scindia the Maratha Maharaja of Gwalior State. When asked by Dr. Moonje if he would like to contribute? Maharaja Jiwajirao Scindia of Gwalior whose ancestor, Maharaja Mahadji Scindia is known for creating “Fauj-i-Hind” donated 1,00,000 Rs alone, and thanks to that the vision of Dr. Moonje attained fulfilment.
Finally the school was inaugurated in 1938 and the opening ceremony was performed by Maharaja Jiwajirao M. Scindia. Amidst prolonged and deafening cheers Dr. Moonje announced, Maharaja Scindia’s princely donation of Rs. 100,000 to the Military School and his desire to associate himself with the school by nominating two of his ministers on the Board of Management, Dr. Moonje held His Highness’ generosity and philanthropy as an example to be emulated by the Princes and the people of India.
Welcoming Maharaja Scindia, Dr. Moonje recalled with pride the heroic traditions of the Scindia dynasty which against heavy odds did everything for Hindu Renaissance, Hindu Culture and the Military Regeneration of the Hindus He added that the boys of the Military School felt special satisfaction in having an exalted representative of the illustrious dynasty to perform the opening ceremony of the institution, so that they when they grew up in to youth be the architects of the future destiny of Hindustan.
Maharaja Jiwajirao M. Scindia said in his speech, “This school, it is hoped, will enable us to train our youth in the art of war so that they may be able to take the proper place in the defence of our motherland.” Thanks to the joint efforts of visionaries like Dr. Balkrishna Shivram Moonje and Maharaja Jiwajirao Madhorao Scindia today India has the second largest army in the world, and army which took the largest surrender of an enemy since World War II, the author is referring to the surrender of over 93,000 Pakistani troops in-front of Indian Army in 1971.
We hope that under the able leadership of our Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Indian Army will become the most powerful Army in the world soon and fellow Indians will learn more about the extraordinary feats of valour that our defence forces have shown in the past and continue to show.
–Mr. Arunansh B. Goswami
Scindia Research Centre, Gwalior.
