History
The Sikh Light Infantry comprises the Mazhabi and Ramdasia Sikh soldiers; well known for their dauntless daring, courage, loyalty and tenacity, is one of the oldest Regiments of the Army. It traces its origin to the middle of the 19th century when the first Mazhabi soldiers were recruited into the British Indian Army. The first Corps of Mazhabi Sikh Pioneers, the fore bearer of the Sikh Light Infantry, was formed in 1850. The British had recognised the great fighting qualities and prowess of these soldiers in the Anglo-Sikh Wars. The stubborn and sustained resistance offered by them and their ability to maintain themselves frugally amazed them. The British had admiration for the Mazhabi as they made capital soldiers. Maharaja Ranjit Singh also had a great admiration for their bravery and enlisted the Mazhabis freely into the khalsa army; Which he nurtured into an excellent instrument of war. Being afraid, however, to form the Mazhabis into a separate corps, he attached a Mazhabi company to existing battalions.
Soldiering has been a way of life for the Sikhs of Punjab for centuries. After the Indian rebellion of 1857 the Bengal army regiments were replaced by the Punjabis as the major source of manpower for the British Army in India, but their loyalty had to be carefully nurtured. The British made many mistakes, at first failing even to recognize the religious significance of the Sikhs' beards and long hair. Performing well in World War I, the 23rd Sikh Pioneers, 32nd Sikh Pioneers and 34th Sikh Pioneers were then disbanded in 1933, a traumatic experience for the community. However, the Sikh Pioneers were re-raised for the Second World War, becoming the Mazhabi and Ramdasia Sikh Regiment before being renamed the Sikh Light Infantry in 1944. The reconquest of Burma was essentially an Indian Army campaign. It was here that the Sikh Light Infantry was deployed. The fledgling regiment tasted blood and earned its first battle honours. Most of the Sikhs in the Light Infantry consist of Mazhabi, and some Ramdasia Sikhs.
The two homogeneous Sikh regiments are the Sikh Light Infantry and the Sikh Regiment, the former with 18 regular battalions and together totalling 36 battalions that account for a significant proportion of Indian Army's infantry.
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