Indian State Forces Battalions 1947

v.1.0 April 28, 2012

Mandeep Singh Bajwa and Ravi Rikhye

This account lists Indian State Forces infantry battalions in the period 1947-48. These battalions came under Indian Army command on accession of the princely states to the Union of India in 1947. They belonged to the nominally autonomous princely states and were provided to the British-Indian Army by the state rulers. While most ISF bns had unique titles the British tended to style them as ‘State Infantry’ for ease of reference.

 

These battalions were regularized in 1951; their new designations are provided.

1 Patiala Rajindra Sikh Infantry

15 Punjab

 Jind Infantry

13 Punjab

 Mewar Infantry

Alwar Jai Paltan 

Bharatpur State Infantry

Kota Umed  Infantry                                            

These 4 battalions were amalgamated into 9 Grenadiers

1 Mysore State Infantry

18 Madras

Nabha Akal Infantry

14 Punjab

1 Travancore State Infantry

9 Madras

2 Patiala Yadvindra  Infantry

16 Punjab

2 Hyderabad State Infantry

22 MLI

See note

2 Mysore State Infantry

2 Travancore Nair State Infantry

16 Madras

3 Mysore State Infantry

4 Gwalior Infantry

14 Kumaon

Now 5 Mech

Baroda

20 MLI

Now 10 Mech

Tripura Manikya Rifles

Assam Rifles

Bikaner Sadul  Infantry

19 Rajput

Cochin State

17 Madras

Indore Infantry

15 Kumaon

J & K State Forces Infantry

See note below

Jodhpur Sardar Infantry

battalion

20 Rajput      claims 1212 AD World's oldest infantry

 

Kohlapur Raja Ram Infantry

19 MLI

Kutch, Saurashtra SF

7 Grenadiers

Now 9 Mech

Saurashtra  SF                   

18 Raj Rif

Now 11 Mech

 

 

 

Sawai Man Guards

17 Raj Rif

 

 

 

 

Mandi, Suket, Chamba, Sirmaur ISF

16 Dogra

Raised 1949

 

 

 

Bikaner Ganga Risala

13 Grenadier

See Note below

 

 

                               

Jammu and Kashmir Infantry State Forces

1 through 9 battalions Jammu and Kashmir Infantry State Forces were absorbed by the Indian  similar numbered battalions of the Jammu and Kashmir Rifles on the state’s accession to India in October 1947. The battalions had to be rebuilt because the Muslim troops deserted to Pakistan, and many of the Hindu and Sikh troops were killed, wounded, prisoner, or MIA during the uprising which preceded Kashmir’s accession to the Union.

Bikaner Ganga Risala

Bikaner Ganga Risala (amalgamated with Jaisalmer Defence Battalion, an Indian Army battalion)   became 13 Grenadiers .

Jodhpur Sardar Infantry

20 Rajput is now 24 Mech (R&S) The claim to be the world’s oldest inf bn is pretty contentious and is not recognized by the Army or serious historians.

Hyderabad State Forces

In the case of Hyderabad, the largest princely state in the Union, there were two sets of forces. One was the Indian contingent provided to the Indian Army, including 9 Deccan Horse and the Kumaon Regiment. The other was the state forces. Of the 15 battalions all but one  were disbanded when in 1948 the Indian Army invaded Hyderabad state after the refusal of the Nizam to integrate with the Union. The exception was 2nd Hyderabad State Infantry which became 22 Maratha Light Infantry.