Satara's Apshinge village boasts of 'Har Ghar Soldier'

Satara's tiny Apshinge -- also known as the 'army village' -- is renowned for its huge contribution to the country's military establishments in its more than four centuries of existence but, arising from a need to conquer hunger pangs, and survive the local economic challenges.

Over the centuries, Apshinge gained national fame for dedicating at least one person to serve in the armed forces, with many sacrificing their lives in the service of the 'Matrubhoomi' (Motherland).

At the entrance, there is a War Memorial, which bears the names of those who were martyred in different wars, chronologically, with the grateful British rulers engraving a proclamation - 'The only military village in the country!' - a permanent and historic stamp on its service credentials.

However, this distinct honour and sacrifice emerged out of different compulsions as Apshinge and its surroundings had barren soil, rocky land, with little or no irrigation facilities for agriculture, thus pushing the youngsters to the sole profession of army service in those days, Nationalist Congress Party Satara Lok Sabha MP, Shriniwas D. Patil, told IANS.

"There was also a gender imbalance, with a higher male population in that region, and coupled with poor farming opportunities, many took to the military service for a living, they were compensated well and the whole tradition started," said Patil, whose wife Rajani's 16 relatives were/are in the armed forces.

Thus, 'armed' with a professional alternative, Apshinge folks have served the Maratha army, the British Indian Army, Azad Hind Sena and now the Indian Army with distinction, participating in World War I and World War II, the India-Pakistan and the India-China wars.

During World War I, 46 bravehearts from Apshinge made the supreme sacrifice, four in the 1962 India-China war, two in the India-Pakistan war in 1965 and one in the 1971 war that led to the birth of Bangladesh in 1971. Many of their kin still live in the village.

Prior to that, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's Azad Hind Fauj had four fighters from Apshinge, and back in history, many defended Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's kingdom through his armies in different places.

"Almost each home has given a soldier or an officer or a martyr to the country. The kids here live in an ambience of military ranks, uniforms, medals or honours, pictures of heroes or martyrs hanging in their rooms, and they grow up well-versed with army culture, discipline, protocols and rigours, which inspires others," said a forest official from Satara, Rohan Bhate-Shah.

Bhate-Shah's freedom fighter grandfather Kalyanji J. Shah alias Babubhai Masurkar, was honoured with a Copper Plate (Tamra Patra) on behalf of the then PM Indira Gandhi to mark the Silver Jubilee of I-Day in 1972, in Satara.

Apshinge attracted and hosted scores of dignitaries, including the then Governor of Bombay Province John Colville, Viceroy of India Lord A. P. Wavell, former Governor-General of India Lord Louis Mountbatten, India's first Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal (Gen.) K. M. Cariappa, and more.

Located around 17 kms from Satara town, Apshinge is populated by around 3,000 people, and currently over 1,600 are serving in the armed forces. Almost 90 percent of the youths were recruited to protect Great Britain during World War I.

Though there is no formal military academy here, the armed forces seemingly act as a 'magnet' for the youngsters here with generations from some families serving the army and the nation even today, said Bhate-Shah.

On Independence Day on Monday, Mumbai's Sri Shanmukhananda Fine Arts & Sangeeta Sabha (SSFASS) will honour 75 war heroes from Apshinge at the hands of Lt. Gen. H. S. Kahlon, the GOC, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Goa.

"Apshinge children get military training during school, so we shall set up a state-of-the-art gymnasium to enhance the physique and performance of those desirous of joining the armed forces," SSFASS President Dr. V. Shankar told IANS.

The SSFASS will also redevelop the existing school building, construct a community hall with facilities for army men and other amenities, he added.

"On I-Day, the SSFASS shall confer 'Shanmukha Shaurya Ratna Award' to Apshinge village with a cash prize of Rs. 500,000, a citation and mementos, 25 War Widows of Martyrs shall be felicitated with Rs. 200,000 reward and 75 students will render the full (five stanzas) of the National Anthem," SSFASS Spokesperson K. A. Viswanathan added.

Today, prosperity smiles on Apshinge, the village has modern facilities, a sense of 'army camaraderie' and helpful nature among the people, even cultivation has improved in the vicinity with modern techniques, but the centuries old tradition of serving the Motherland continues.