Sikh Soldiery and the Raj

The East India company had no idea of the Sikhs till the 19th century. After the Battle of Plassey(1757) the Company was the paramount power in India, except the North where The Sikh empire had been established by Ranjit Singh. This was their first interaction with the Sikhs and resulted in the treaty of Amritsar(1809) where the river Sutluj became the border between British India and the Sikhs.

This peace endured for about 3 decades, but after the death of Ranjit Singh the Sikh or Khalsa Fauj was egged on by the rulers to invade British India. The Generals and the leaders of the Durbar were in league with the British and thus the Sikh army was fighting the English with one arm tied behind its back. However in the two Anglo Sikh wars the Sikh soldiers shook the British army as never before in India. A historian who was an eyewitness of that period Joseph Cunningham has recorded in his History of the Sikhs that the Sikhs lost because of their leaders and not for their fighting qualities.

But these wars had a profound effect on the British officer cadre, who decided to incorporate the Sikhs in the Army of the Raj.

Sikhs in the British Indian Army-the Raising

In 1849 the Punjab was annexed and the last Maharajah Duleep Singh, a minor was sent to England. The annexation of the Punjab opened the doors to the British to recruit Sikh soldiers. The Sikhs also accepted to join the Comapany's army as they were looking for work and livlihood. Thus in 1856 the first regular Sikh battalion was raised by Captain Thomas Rattray. This regiment was known as Rattray’s Sikhs.

The Sikh regiments were soon in the thick of things as the 1857 Mutiny broke out. The Sikhs sided with the English and had the distinction of winning their first battle honors during this war. They also helped reduce the fortress( Red Fort) at Delhi.

The Martial Race

The British did not create the concept of the martial race. This concept existed for centuries right from the times of the Greeks. But the British applied this concept in India and classified the Sikhs as a martial race.This tag of a martial race had its effect and the British began to give preference to Sikhs for recruitment in the British Indian army. Thus, though the Sikhs had a overall population in India of only about 2%, yet their representation in the Army was close to 20-25%. Also the Sikh soldiers were give one extra promotion compared to other Indian soldiers in the service of the Raj.

The Sikhs and the North West

The Sikhs were used in the 3 Anglo Afghan wars. Though the British did not win any decisive victory the role of the Sikh soldiers further endeared them to the British. In fact on 12 Sept !897, just 21 Sikhs faced a Muslim tribal force of 10,000. All the Sikhs died and were posthumously awarded the highest military decoration of that period. Both houses of Parliament also stood up and honored the Sikhs.

World Wars

.Great Britain was enveloped in 2 World wars. The hard pressed British increased recruitment in India. It is on record that the Sikhs served the British Indian Army with distinction in both the World Wars. They also won the maximum number of military awards. Another fact that must be noted was that nearly 100,000 Sikhs died fighting for the crown.

The British also used the Sikhs in the Police at Hongkong and Shanghai.

Last Word

The British have always respected and appreciated the fighting qualities of the Sikhs. Prince Charles was inclined to raise a Sikh battalion on the lines of the Gurkha battalion, but the proposal fell through. The Sikhs have been soldiers of the highest caliber and for close to a hundred years have had a close association with the British. This is one of the cherished pages of history.