A team of officers and soldiers of the Maratha Light Infantry Regiment Centre (MLIRC) completed a successful Fort to Fort Cycle Expedition in Belagavi recently.
It was part of the celebrations to mark the historic significance of the capture of Kondana Fort (now Sinhagarh) by Tanaji Malusare, Subhedar of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, in the 16th century.
The team included one officer, 10 of other ranks and two veterans. It was led by Major Sandeep. The team members covered a distance of almost 550 km and seven forts to culminate the expedition at the famous Sinhagarh Fort.
The forts selected for the expedition have historical and cultural significance.
A total of seven forts, from Torna (the first fort captured by Shivaji at the age of 16) to Sinhagarh (a symbol of Maratha resistance to the Mughals), were covered.
The other forts are Pratapgarh (where Shivaji Maharaj famously defeated the Adil Shahi general Afzal Khan), Rajhansgarh, Vallabhgarh, Ajinkyatara and Panhala, which were administratively important fortresses to guard a southern aggression by the Mughals.
The cycle expedition was conducted with a threefold aim of spreading awareness of great Indian military leaders and fight for Swarajya, reaching out to veterans and motivating the young generation by showcasing the values of patriotism embodied by both historical figures and modern day soldiers.
The team interacted with approximately a thousand veterans and an equal number of locals and schoolchildren. The team members received an overwhelming response from veterans, locals and schoolchildren alike.
The expedition was flagged off at Sinhagarh Fort by Lieutenant General P.J.S. Pannu (retired officer) and other dignitaries who greeted the team with cheers and personally interacted with them.
The expedition served as a testament to the spirit of unity and highlighted the efforts by the regiment towards nation building, said a release.
