From Mallareddy Palli to the Front Lines: The Legendary Valor of India's Muslim Troops
Indian Muslims serving in the armed forces during the conflict in 1965 were honoured with several of the nation's highest military honours for gallantry. In 1965, during the Battle of Poonch, predominantly Muslim soldiers from the Rajput Regiment were victorious over the Pakistani Army and were able to take control of the region. The Param Vir Chakra was presented to Company Quartermaster Havildar Abdul Hamid as a token of gratitude for his brave acts during the Battle of Asal Uttar.
Air Commodore Idris Hasan Latif was promoted to the position of Chief of the Indian Air Force before he eventually retired after being awarded the Param Vishist Seva Medal for his service in the 1971 Bangladesh liberation struggle.
In certain parts of India, such as certain villages, it is traditional for at least one son to enlist in the Indian Army. In the Prakasam district of Andhra Pradesh, one of the villages where this phenomenon is observed is called Mallareddy Palli. In this region, the majority of the population identifies as Muslim. It is stated that the sons born in this village are brave and fearless and that they protect their country. Every boy of fighting age in this hamlet is conscripted and taken to the frontier to battle with the adversary. Every young man in this town gets up early and immediately gets to work in order to fulfil his lifelong ambition of joining the Indian Army.
Mallareddy Palli Village is home to numerous valiant troops who fought in the Indo-Pak Wars, Kargil War, and India-China War. The old here encourage the youth to serve their country by joining the military, and they support their efforts to continue this tradition.
There are 86 households that make their home in the village of Mallareddy Palli, and out of those homes, 130 young people have been assigned to guard the frontiers of the country. One of the most notable characteristics of this community is that its young people continue their service in the armed forces even after achieving higher levels of schooling.
There are no available official figures on the percentage of Muslims serving in the Indian armed forces. In the late 1990s, Mulayam Singh Yadav, who had previously served as India's Minister of Defense, declared that barely 1% of the country's armed forces consisted of Muslims. The number that was once present is unrecognisable compared to this current one.
Due to the fact that Muslims served as a primary source of the uprising for Indian independence, the British colonial government viewed its Muslim members in the military services with a high level of distrust. Despite the distrust, the percentage of Muslims serving in the Indian Army reached approximately 30 per cent just as the sun was setting on the British Raj. According to the minister of state for the defence at the time, this number had dropped to two per cent in a mere six years after it had initially been recorded. Prime Minister Nehru expressed serious concern and actively pursued measures to increase Muslim participation in the military.
There are no available official figures on the percentage of Muslims serving in the Indian armed forces. In the late 1990s, Mulayam Singh Yadav, who had previously served as India's Minister of Defense, declared that barely 1% of the country's armed forces consisted of Muslims. The number that was once present is unrecognisable compared to this current one.
In 2010, it came to light that Muslims accounted for 3% of those killed in the attack on the American military and 6% of the martyrs. The Indian Army said that in 2010, various actions resulted in the loss of 15 officers, 13 junior commissioned officers, and 159 men. Twelve of the soldiers who died in the line of duty were Muslims, which represents 6.41% of the total number of martyrs. Another fact worth noting is that ten of the twelve individuals served in the infantry unit of the Army.
The latest Agnipath scheme of the Indian government has raised protests from the majority of the ex-armed forces personnel and aspirants. The Agnipath scheme is a new initiative established by the Government of India on 14 June 2022 for the recruitment of non-commissioned officers into the three military services. The recruits will serve for four years, including six months of training followed by three and a half years of deployment. After retirement, individuals will be able to apply to remain in the armed services, and up to 25 per cent of those who apply will be selected for the permanent cadre. Personnel who retire after four years of service will not be entitled to a pension but will instead get a lump sum of about 11.71 lakhs.
In contrast to the majority, Muslim clerics encouraged the youth to participate in the programme. In June, the appeal was made from mosques in several regions of Uttar Pradesh before Friday prayers. The clergy also provided information about the programme, emphasising that applicants must have passed the Class 10 and Class 12 examinations.
The Indian Army is a secular organisation, and all officers and soldiers, regardless of religion, caste, creed, or gender, serve the nation with pride.
Girish Linganna
Aerospace & Defence Analyst
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If you have a conscience, apologize to the people: R Ashoka slams Yathindra over Nalwadi comparison
Bengaluru: Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka launched a scathing attack on MLC Dr. Yathindra, demanding that he retract his controversial statement comparing Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to the late Maharaja Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar. Ashoka urged Yathindra to apologize to the people of Karnataka if he had even a shred of conscience and any respect for the Mysuru royal lineage.
In a strongly worded social media post on Sunday, Ashoka stated, “Comparing Siddaramaiah to Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar is nothing short of absurd. Where is Nalwadi, who was bestowed the title of ‘Rajarshi’ by Mahatma Gandhi himself, and where is Siddaramaiah, who has stooped to being a puppet in the hands of fake Gandhis for the sake of power?”
He continued his critique by contrasting the enduring legacy of Nalwadi, remembered fondly by Kannadigas for his people-centric development, with what he termed as Siddaramaiah’s failure to manage Karnataka’s economy, burdening every household with debt.
Ashoka highlighted several stark differences, while Nalwadi built Mysore University over a century ago, Siddaramaiah is shutting down nine universities due to lack of funds. Nalwadi famously sold his family’s gold to build the KRS dam, whereas Siddaramaiah is accused of grabbing 14 sites meant for the public. Nalwadi established Bhadravati Iron & Steel Plant, Sandalwood Soap Factory, and Mysore Paper Mills. In contrast, Ashoka claimed Siddaramaiah's governance drove away industries, investors, and entrepreneurs. Nalwadi pioneered reservations for the backward classes long before it became mainstream. Siddaramaiah, Ashoka alleged, is reducing social justice to a gimmick by sticking labels on doors in the name of surveys.
While acknowledging Yathindra’s emotional attachment to his father, Ashoka emphasized that comparing Siddaramaiah to a visionary like Nalwadi was “laughable, baseless, and a gross insult” to the late king.
In his concluding remarks, Ashoka slammed the government for ignoring farmers’ needs despite an early monsoon. He accused the administration of being caught up in internal power struggles and negligence, forcing farmers into despair. “This government will not be spared from the curse of the farmers,” he warned.
