MARTIAL RACE – A FRAUD OR REALITY

Martial race – the warrior race as per claimed.

In his writing, British general and scholar Lieutenant-General George MacMunn (1869–1952) mentioned that the British regarded the ‘martial races’ as bold and strong but also intellectually inferior, lacking the initiative or leadership qualities to command large military formations. They were also regarded as politically subservient or docile to authority.

Some authors, such as Heather Streets, argue that the military authorities puffed up the images of the martial soldiers by writing regimental histories, and by extolling the kilted Scots, kukri-wielding Gurkhas and turbaned Sikhs in numerous paintings. Richard Schultz, an American author, has claimed the martial race concept as a supposedly clever British effort to divide and rule the people of India for their political ends

Who was included in that group?

However, the loyal Rajputs, Jats, Pashtuns, Sikhs, Gurkhas, Kumaunis and Garhwalis did not join the mutiny of 1857 and fought on the side of the British Army. From then on, this theory was used to the hilt to accelerate recruitment from among these ‘races’, whilst discouraging enlistment of ‘disloyal’ troops and high-caste Hindus who had sided with the rebel army during the war.

Tribes and groups designated as martial races- In British colonial times

French postcard depicting the arrival of 15th Sikh Regiment in France during World War I. The post card reads, “Gentlemen of India marching to chasten the German hooligans”14th Murray’s Jat Lancers (Risaldar Major), c. 1909, by AC Lovett (1862–1919)

The list of Military castes cited in the 1891 census general report. British-declared martial races in the Indian subcontinent included some groups that were officially designated instead as “agricultural tribes” under the provisions of the Punjab Land Alienation Act of 1900. These terms were considered to be synonymous when the administration compiled a list in 1925. Among the communities listed as martial were:

Ahir
Arain
Awan
Baloch
Brahmins
Dogra
Gakhar
Gaur Brahmin
Gurjars
Janjua
Jat
Kamboh
Khokhar
Labana
Mahton
Mughal
Saini
Pathan
Rajputs
Rowthers
Qureshi
Sial
Syed
Communities that were at various times classified as martial races include:

Sudhan Pathan
Bhumihar Brahmins
Garhwali
Gowdas
Gurkhas
Kumaoni
Kurmi
Marathas
Mohyal Brahmin
Naga people
Mukkulathor
Nairs
Vellalar

Author: Master Vikrant RohinMaster Vikrant Rohin is an international author, and more than four countries’ schools are using his books in the core curriculum of education. He is the author of twenty different subject books. History, Economics, Chemistry, Physics, English, Biology, Geography etc. Most of his students hold high-ranking positions in the public and private sectors. He has cracked the world’s toughest exam, the "Civil Services Examination (UPSC)," eight times. Always a topper in academics, he was also a top-class sportsman, a state boxer, and a basketball player.