In line with national sentiment, Indian Army all set to shed colonial past

New Delhi, Sep 21: The Indian Army in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's directions has initiated the process to do away with the colonial practices and names of the units and the regiment in the force. The new reform is being led by Indian Army Chief General Manoj Pande.

"Some of the legacies practices which require a review like customs and traditions from the colonial and pre-colonial era, army uniforms and accoutrement, regulations, laws, rules, policies, unit establishment, institutes of colonial past, English names of some units, renaming the name of buildings, establishments, roads, parks, an institution like Auchinleck or Kitchener House," a document by the Army read according to news agency ANI.

The report while quoting officials said that while doing away with the British colonial legacy it is essential to move away from the archaic and in-affective practices. The Indian Army also needs to review these legacy practices to align with the national sentiment in consonance with the five vows that the PM had asked the people to follow.

Names and insignia such as Unit, Crest of Colonial times, along with officers' mess procedures and traditions and customs would be reviewed the report said. The list of items that are being reviewed include the pre-independence theatre/battle, honours, awarded by British to quell the Indian states and freedom and affiliation with Commonwealth Graves Commission, the ANI report said while citing an official.