Professional Documents
Culture Documents
(chakrabarti.kaustav@gmail.com)
Contrary to the popular imagination of the peaceable Jew content with carrying
on with his business as usual, the Bene Israel community of Jews in India proved
to be the very best in their military ardour, serving with equal aplomb in the
native and the colonial armies. This paper tries to highlight the military traditions
At the beginning of the eighteenth century, the Bene Israel were almost wholly
concentrated in a small coastal strip of about 1,000 sq. miles slightly to the south
of Bombay (presently Mumbai).1 This area was in part under the rule of the
chieftain, the Pant Sachiv of Bhor, and partly under the Muslim Nawab of
Janjira.2
The earliest reference to the martial traditions of the Bene Israel could be found
in the defence services of the Abyssinian ruler of Janjira and of Kanhoji Angre,
the pirate admiral of the Marathas. Some of the Bene Israel soldiers rose to
prominence in the armies of the Peshwa. They occupied forts and fortresses in
1
Benjamin J. Israel, The Bene Israel of India Some Studies, Orient Longman, Bombay,
1984, p.17
2
Ibid
the Deccan commanding strategic positions. Some were in charge of the
3
It is a conjecture that Bene Israel soldiers might have served in Shivajis army. Kanhoji
Angres fleet consisted of some notable Bene Israel Commanders (vide Appendix)
But though the services of the Bene Israel were duly recognized by the Angres and the
Peshwas, and though there are Bene Israel families who retain to this day their
surnames derived from these military associations e.g.?, it was not till they began
enlisting in the British Indian Army that the Bene Israel found a comparatively free
scope to rise to their height.4 The British East India Company then held only the Island
of Bombay and there is reason to believe that the Bene Israel had already begun
enlisting in the Companys forces, first in their marine and then also in their infantry.5 In
1746, the Divekar family was the first Bene Israel family to move to Bombay.6This is
incorrect. Actually, the Awaskar family were the first and the Divekars may have come
in 1746 but that was after the Awaskars and others. Their five sons enlisted in the army
7
of the East India Company.This is mentioned later as 1760 in fn 17. Encouraged by
their success more families moved to Bombay of whom many enlisted with the East
India Company.8 As early as 1755, the Company acquired on the mainland a depot
called Fort Victoria which also operated as a recruiting ground for the Bombay Army.9
This army was soon to be organized into a regular force large enough to be able not
only to defend Bombay, but also to take the offensive on the mainland.10 Indeed by the
middle of the century the Bombay Army was almost continuously engaged against the
4
I.A. Ezekiel, Martial Traditions Of the Bene Israel Community, India And Israel, No.8,
February 1949, p.18
5
Benjamin J. Israel, The Bene Israel of India Some Studies, op.cit, p.17
6
Rachel Rukmini Israel, The Jews of India Their Story, Mosaic Books, New Delhi, New Delhi,
p.15
7
Ibid
8
Ibid
9
Benjamin J. Israel, The Bene Israel of India Some Studies, op.cit, p.17
10
Ibid
Marathas, Mysore and various princelings in the coastal Karnataka.11 The Bene Israel
began enlisting in substantial numbers, often under the caste name of Israel, and it is
at this time that evidence appears of residence by Bene Israel in Bombay, repetition of
this sentence and it is of this time that evidence appears of residence by Bene Israel in
Bombay.12 Throughout most of the nineteenth century, the Bene Israel served in many
regiments of the army and their services were well recognized.13 They distinguished
themselves in such campaigns as the Maratha Wars, the Mysore Wars, the Sind Wars,
the Punjab Wars and others, and won the respect and appreciation of their European
superiors as well as the good will of the Indian rank and file.14
When the British East India Company began to recruit for the Bombay Army in the mid
eighteenth century, it drew a good response from the Bene Israel community primarily
because of the fact that it had served in the pre-British Indian armies, drawing upon the
long traditions of service under the Marathas and the Nawab of Janjira. Benjamin Israel
points out that owing to their superior education and merit, the Bene Israel earned quick
promotions to officer ranks far out of proportion of their number in the regiments.15 This
is what a Committee Report On The Fighting Efficiency of the Native Army had to say
11
Ibid
12
Ibid
13
Joan G. Roland, The Jewish Communities of India Identity In A Colonial Era, Transaction
Publishers, New Brunswick, 1998, p.22
14
Ibid
15
Benjamin J. Israel, The Bene Israel of India, quoted in Roland, op.cit, p.22
Of Jews and Christians, there are in the 22 Regiments 413. Jews are very intelligent
and generally very well educated, and this class has hitherto produced many good
native officers. Many Jews are also good clerks and artificers.16
A new chapter of military service in the long martial traditions of the Bene Israel was
opened in 1760 when the five Divekar brothers joined the British Indian army. Samuel
Ezekiel Divekar was promoted Native Commandant in 1775.17 See also S. Weil India's
Encouraged by the success of this family, more and more Bene Israel youth began to
enlist in the services of the East India Company. For well over a century, this
inconsiderable community of less than 12,000 souls supplied more than 50 percent of
the Indian officers of the British Indian Army.18 They saw action right up to the Khyber
Pass and beyond in the North, Burma in the East, Mysore and Hyderabad in the South
and Abyssinia and Persia in the West.19 Men from this community fought in the First,
Second and the Third Maratha War, the First and the Second Mysore War, the First and
16
Extract Report of a Committee On the Reorganization of the Bombay Army dated
Mahabaleshwar, 9th June, 1892(Enclosure to Military Dispatch From India No.243 of 8th
November 1893), Military Collection File 279/4, India Office Record Reference:
IOR/L/MIL/7/12781(The British Library, UK)
17
Dr. Shalva Weil, The Bene Israel of India, Courtesy:
http://www.bh.org.il/communities/Archive/BeneIsrael.asp (9.2.07)
This is the correct link accessed today. The other doesn't open.
http://www.bh.org.il/database-article.aspx?48701
18
I.A. Ezekiel, Martial Traditions Of the Bene Israel Community, India And Israel, No.8,
February 1949, p.18
19
Ibid
Second Afghan War and the First and Second Burma War.20 They witnessed the
decline and the collapse of the Peshwa regime, the surrender of Gwalior, Indore and
Baroda (presently Vadodara), the subjugation of Gujarat, Kathiawar and Sind.21 They
were present at the capture of King Thibaw of Burma and saw the final annexation of
that country. They contributed in no small measure in joining up and cementing the
thousand fragments in which the country was then split up.22 And, in bringing it under a
single hegemony, albeit foreign, they contributed to the consolidation of the land into a
united nation of which the free and independent India of today is the final flowing.23
Bold and courageous while advancing, cool and collected when ordered to retreat, the
Bene Israel soldiers, on the admission of their British officers, were consistently loyal in
carrying out the most hazardous orders of their superiors and concernful considerate?
of the interests of their colleagues and subordinates while in action.24 While thus
participating in the consolidation of India, the Bene Israel played a vital part in
establishing peace and order in this stupendous territory. India in the 18th century was in
a chaotic situation. There was widespread social degeneration. Neither in the hills nor in
the plains were life and property safe. The roving bands of Pindaris swept down on
villages and indulged in the most reckless incendiarism, plundered crops and
properties, kidnapped women and children, and made life in rural India virtually a
nightmare. The Pindaris were predatory hordes who were attached to the (Maratha)
20
Ibid
21
Ibid
22
Ibid
23
Ibid
24
Ibid
regular army in their expeditions for devastating and plundering the countryside through
which they passed.25 They were not paid by the government.26 On the contrary they
were paid a tax called Palpati to the general to whose army they were attached in return
for the protection they received from him.27 They avoided fighting regular enemy forces
rendevouz.28 Thugs constituted another menace to the peace of the country. In the
absence of railway and bus services, people did not have anything except the slow-
moving bullock cart. Thousands traveled on foot. Travel from Bombay to Poona took
more than a fortnight.29 Against the background of the collapse of law and order in the
territories of the collapsing Indian dynasties, for which the British were also responsible,
the Thugs found a fertile field for an incessant campaign of murder and loot. They
and Muslims formed part of the thugee bands. It was against this backdrop that the
Bene Israel soldiers played a vital role. Bene Israel military officers shouldered more
than their share of burden in fighting the Pindari menace, in breaking up and destroying
the thugee bands, and subjugating the Bhils and Ramosis, and other tribes. The British
knew where to get men for their military; they could appreciate their worth.30 No wonder
they built up the far-flung empire.31 No wonder also that the British paid such high
25
Lt. Col. H.C. Kar, Military History of India, Firma KLM Pvt. Ltd., Calcutta, 1980, p.546
26
Ibid
27
Ibid
28
Ibid
29
I.A. Ezekiel, Martial Traditions Of the Bene Israel Community, op.cit., p.18
30
Ibid, p.19
31
Ibid
32
tributes to Bene-Israel soldiers. He has done what few can boast of having done,
declared another British officer regarding his Bene Israel colleague33. For well over a
century this inconsiderable community of less than 12,000 souls supplied more than fifty
percent of the Indian officers of the British Indian Army, and saw action right up to the
Khyber Pass and beyond in the North, Burma in the East, Mysore and Hyderabad in the
Bene Israel soldiers also proved their mettle against the war-like tribes of the North-
Western frontier Province (presently in Pakistan) like the Afridis as also against their
counterparts in the North-East of India.35 The Bene Israel fought wars overseas,
1880.36 They were recipients of awards for gallantry and citations of merit.37 These
military careers opened new vistas and facilitated the process of enlightenment and
cultural advancement.38 They also remained steadfastly loyal to the British during the
Great Revolt of 1857. Owing to their superior education and merit, the Bene Israel stood
32
Ibid
33
Ibid
34
Ibid, p.18
35
See Appendix for individual profiles of Bene Israel veterans Fn in wrong place
36
Ezekiel Musleah On the Banks of the Ganga the Sojourn of the Jews of Calcutta, Christopher
Publishing House, Massachusetts, 1975, p.386
37
Ibid
38
Ibid
out and earned promotion to officer ranks out of all proportion to their numbers on the
Notwithstanding their meritorious service, the British effected a change in their army
policy that led to a decline in the Bene Israel enlistment. The Bengal armys system of
promotion by seniority replaced the Bombay armys policy of promotion by merit and,
because of their small numbers, the rate of promotion of Bene Israel personnel declined
sharply.40 In the first place, promotions on strict seniority as followed in the much larger
Bengal Army replaced promotion by merit which had prevailed in the Bombay Army,
and as a consequence, the rate of promotions of Bene Israel personnel fell sharply
owing to their small numbers.41 Then growing caste consciousness within the
regiments led the authorities to make the Bombay regiments predominantly Maratha or
Rajput in character, virtually excluding smaller communities like the Bene Israel which
were not numerous enough to man a whole regiment.42 Thus there could be only one
officer out of each one hundred caste members.43 Initially as Clive and his successors
recruited an army for the East India Company, considerations of racial ability mattered
little.44 Many regiments, especially in the southern armies, accepted all recruits and
intermixed them without concern for caste or religion.45 The Bengal army after 1800 in
39
Benjamin J. Israel, op.cit, p.18
40
Joan G. Roland, The Jewish Communities of India Identity In A Colonial Era, Transaction
Publishers, New Brunswick, 1998, p.22
41
Benjamin J. Israel, op.cit, p.18
42
Ibid
43
Ibid
44
T.R. Metcalfe, Idelogies of the Raj, Cambridge University Press, New Delhi, 1995, p.126
45
Ibid
large part confined its recruitment to the higher castes, above all Brahmins and Rajputs,
and it drew the bulk of its soldiery from rural Oudh and Bihar.46 After 1857 the mutinous
Bengal regiments were disbanded, and the recruiting grounds shifted to the north, to the
area from Delhi across the Punjab to the frontier.47 Simultaneously, mixed regiments
by race and sept and clan.48 With little chance of becoming officers, the Bene Israel
did not want to remain in the lower ranks with relatively low pay.49 By the third quarter of
Reflecting on this situation, the Bene Israelite, a community newspaper implied that an
organized Jewish communal structure such as existed in the Great Britain and the
United States might be helpful.51 By the end of the century, very few senior Bene Israel
officers remained in active service.52 The small numbers are indicated by an annual
return showing the class composition of the armed forces of India as of January 1,
1906. Of a total of 222, 402 in the Indian army, Imperial Service, military police and
militia, there were thirty seven Jews: four native officers, fourteen non-commissioned
46
Ibid
47
Ibid
48
Ibid
49
Benjamin J. Israel, op.cit, p.18
50
Ibid
51
For full text of the document, see Appendix
52
Joan G. Roland, The Jewish Communities of India Identity In A Colonial Era, Transaction
Publishers, New Brunswick, 1998, p.23
53
Ibid
In response to the policy of exclusion practiced by the then colonial government, the
Bene Israel made several petitions on behalf of the Anglo-Jewish Association. It might
be explained that until 1918, no Indian could hold the Royal Commission.54 The highest
rank an Indian could reach was Subedar Major (in the earliest days styled Native
were very sparingly granted to Indians and several extraneous considerations governed
selections.56 The "Indianisation" of the British Indian Army began with the formation of
the Prince of Wales Royal Indian Military College at Dehradun in March 1912 with the
purpose of providing education to the scions of aristocratic and well to do Indian families
and to prepare selected Indian boys for admission into the Royal Military College,
Sandhurst. Indian officers given a King's commission after passing out were posted to
one of the eight units selected for Indianisation. Political pressure due to the slow pace
of Indianisation, just 69 officers being commissioned between 1918 and 1932, led to the
formation of the Indian Military Academy in 1932 and greater numbers of officers of
Indian origin being commissioned57. It was only on the outbreak in 1939 of World War II
that the Bene Israel could to a small degree, renew their connections with the armed
forces in higher rank and which has provided India with a Vice-Admiral (Vice-Admiral
Samson) and a Major General (Major General Samson). Lt. Col Ephraim Jhirad died
during the 1971 Indo-Pak war which resulted in the liberation of Bangladesh alongside
54
Benjamin J. Israel, op.cit, p.19
55
Ibid
56
Ibid
57
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Army (20.04.2012)
the birth of a new nation. He is buried at the Jewish cemetery in New Delhi.58 See Joan
Roland "Military Prowess" in S. Weil ed India's Jewish Heritage pp. 116-7 with useful
additional information.
In a nutshell it may be said that despite their numerical inferiority, the Bene Israel
community of India served the country extraordinarily well during the pre-British, the
British period as well as the post-independence period in almost all capacities in the
respective armed forces, and what they lacked in numbers, they made it up with their
quality and sheer dedication to the cause to which they committed themselves. The
Bene Israel were perhaps unique among the Jews of the world in having for over a
century so large a proportion of their manpower in the armed forces of their country.59
58
I am indebted to Rabbi Ezekiel Isaac Malekar, Rabbi of the Judah Hyam Synagogue in New
Delhi, for this bit of information.
59
Benjamin J. Israel, op.cit, p.19
Acknowledgements :
Rabbi Ezekiel Isaac Malekar, Honorary Secretary, Judah Hyam Synagogue, New
Delhi
Appendix
The Jewish National and University Library, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem,
Givat Ram, Israel
Soldier in the service of the East India Company and second founder of the Beni-Israel
congregation of Bombay; born at CochinHe was a native of the Konkan. I am sure you
copied this correctly but it is inaccurate. in 1730; died there in 1797. He enlisted in the
East India Company's army about 1760, and rose to the rank of native commandant in
the Sixth Battalion. While serving in the second Mysore war, under General Matthews,
he was taken prisoner with several other Beni-Israel by Tippu Sahib, and he and his
companions were about to be executed; but when they stated that they were Beni-
Israel the mother of Tippu Sahib, who was familiar with that name in the Koran,
begged their lives; and Divekar and his companions were cast into prison. He made a
vow that if he were released he would devote his life to reviving Judaism among the
Beni-Israel of Bombay; and on escaping in 1795, he went to that city, and by his
exertions induced the Beni-Israel to build a synagogue and adopt the ritual and Jewish
observances current in Cochin. A synagogue was erected in 1796; but Divekar died
the following year in his native place, whither he had gone to obtain scrolls of the Law
and from there to Bombay and then established Shaar Rahamim synagogue, or first
established the synagogue and then went to Cochin, where he died. Some say he is
Beni-Israel soldier; born near Bombay, India, about 1790. He entered the Fourth
Bombay Regiment on Feb. 2, 1811. In 1813 he served with the Poona Brigade under
Colonel Cooke, and in 1814 was engaged in Katyawar and on the banks of the Runn
against the Waghurs; in 1815 in Guzerat, at Bhuj, in Katyawar and Ookamundul; was
present at the capture of the forts of Anjor, Kunkote, Dhingkee, and Joonkee; in 1816
was at Jamnuggur and Dwarka, and at the taking of Dcesa, Palampur, Veerumpur,
and Kurrunjah; in 1817-18 served in the whole of the campaign in Malwa in pursuit of
Holkar, and in 1819 was at the capture of the forts of Newtee and Raree in the
southern Konkan. From 1821 to 1827 he was employed on various field services in
Guzerat, at the taking of the fort Limbuj, and at Dongerpur, and subsequently in the
Bhorupkar was promoted to the rank of a jemidar Jan. 9, 1828, and to that of subedar
on Dec. 28, 1833; was appointed subedar-major on Jan. 1, 1839; was admitted to the
Second-Class Order of British India, with the title of bahadur, on March 24, 1841; and
Courtesy:
http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=1015&letter=B&search=Jacob%20Bapuji%
20Israel (11.2.07)
Appendix
Aaron Charikar was appointed Nayek or Commander of a Fleet by Kanoji Angria about
the beginning of the seventeenth century. He performed his duties so satisfactorily that
he received some land in Inam (literally reward) from that Chieftain. The Charrikars held
the most important and responsible post of Naik or Commanders of Angrias Fleet until
it was burnt by the Peshwa in 1793. Like the Churrikars, it is said that another Bene
Israel family, the Kurrulkars, were commanders of the janjira fleet. Bene Israel
commanders were issued sanads (royal decrees announcing special favours). His
Royal Highness Baburao Angria issued one such sanad in 1802 in favour of Aaron
Naik bin Tanaji Naik in addition to Bhowji Naik bin Succoji Naik
Source: Hayeem Samuel Kehimkar, The History of the Bene Israel of India, Dayag
Appendix
Subedar-Major and Honorary Captain Samuel Isaac Sardar Bahadur, a veteran of
many wars, was born in Bombay in 1820, and reached the Biblical age of 92 years.
Captain Samuel was in possession of the Punjab and Abyssinian medals, and of many
Source: India and Israel, February, 1949, No.8, the Ben Zvi Istitute for the Study of
Havildar Abraham Bamnolkar saw active service during World War I and during the
enrolled ten years later and served again during the whole of World War II
Source: Ibid
Subedar Major Bahadur Ezekiel Benjamin Malekar (who) was taken prisoner by
Tippoo Sultan during the Mysore War but was released at the intervention of Tippoos
mother who came to know that he was a Bene Israel. He was rewarded the Star of India
Source: Ibid
Subedar Major Sardar Bahadur Moses Benjamin Malekar was born in 1830. He
joined the military in 1851, served in various military operations all over the country and
died in Bombay in 1897 when he was give a military funeral with full honours. He was
Source: Ibid
Mr. Simon Judah (1867-1944) served in an Indian unit with the British army on South
Africa during the Boer War of 1899. Previously he had served on the North-West
Frontier.
Source: Ibid
Drum-Major Eliezer Moses rising from the ranks saw twenty-five years service with the
Bombay Volunteer Rifles; the Indian Defence Force and Bombay Battalion of the Indian
Source: Ibid
Appendix
Known as the moral ballast of the Indian navy among colleagues for his integrity and
Khadakvasla, Naval Advisor in the Indian High Commission in London and commander
of the Indian Fleet in 1965, Chippy Samson was commissioned in the Royal Indian
Navy and saw action during World War II. Admiral Samson got a direct commission as
lieutenant to the Royal Indian Navy in 1939. After serving in the Mediterranean, the Red
Sea, the Bay of Bengal, his was the last ship out of Rangoon, the capital of Burma,
when it fell to the Japanese. He commanded the Sutlej off the coast of Karachi when
India won Independence After retirement from active service, he devoted his time and
energy towards bolstering the countrys naval defences through overseeing warship
supervising the launch of the programme to construct the Leander Class frigates,
including the illustrious INS Nilgiri. Samson was more honoured and respected in
industrial circles, than any other defence officer, before or thereafter. A legendary figure
Source(s): Excerpted from Keith Flory, The Navys Moral Ballast, The Statesman
(Kolkata), 2008
http://www.rediff.com/news/2003/sep/11spec.htm (10.5.12)
Appendix
Wing Commander Rahamim Varulkar was born in 1959, and was commissioned in the
Indian Air Force as a Pilot Officer in the Accounts Branch on 4th June 1982. He was
deputed to various important Fighter Bases as well as various Equipment Depots during
the years of his gloriousi service of 25 years. He was also posted to an important
Transport Base responsible for VIP and VVIP movements. As a senior Officer in the
rank of Wing Commander, he had the distinction of working as the Chief Administrative
Officer at the apex Accounting Office of the IAF, which is by itself a unique feature
amongst all the three services. During the course of his service as an accounts officer,
he was also multi -tasked to perform as the Adjutant as well as the Administrative
Officer of some of the important units and also performed as the Security Officer of
some of the very important bases. He was also responsible as a Jury Member of an
important Court Martial. His exemplary performance as a Security Officer, at an
important frontier base at the western Borders, while tackling the terrorists, earned him
a Commendation from the Air Officer Commanding in Chief of the Western Air
Command. He had also participated in the 1999 Kargil Conflict, while being posted at an
important base on the western frontiers and earned a medal for the same. He took
voluntary retirement from the Indian Air Force on the 31st March 2007 after working for
almost 25 most memorable and worthwhile years of his service life. He is extremely
proud to have been associated with such an elite and great service of the Nation.ii Wing
Compiled & Edited by Nissim Moses-Bene Israel Heritage and Genealogy Research Lt.
General Russell Jacob Mordecai (Borgaonkar) was the highest ranking Bene Israel
Officer in the Indian Army. He is the Grandson of the Late Khan Saheb Jacob
Mordechai-Deputy Chief of Military Accounts Pune and son of Jacob Mordechai Kaisar-
E-Hind.
General Russell Mordechai and his brothers and sisters were very unfortunate in losing
both their parents very early in life, but through the care of their aunt Mrs. Eppie Judah
were very successful in weathering the storm and achieving success in their respective
lives. Gen. Russell Mordecai studied in some of the best schools & colleges in India
such as Bombay Scottish School, St. Ornellas in Poona and Christ Church High School
in Jabalpur and then at St. Aloysius College. He joined the Indian Military Academy at
Dehra Dun in July 1959, and was Commissioned in the Engineers Corps (The Bombay
Sappers) of the Indian Army on 11 June 1961. Despite a very serious accident while
serving with the Border Roads Organization in NEFA he recovered after very long
rise to become the Director General of that Organization of that very Organization
achieving the rank of Lt. General of that very Organization and served in this
Appointment for over four years. He retired after 42 years of Service in the Indian Army,
as Commandant of the College of Military Engineering, in the year March 2001. Lt.
General Russell Mordecai was basically a Combat Engineer in the Indian Army. He was
Instructional and Staff Assignments. He was a luminary of The Defence Services Staff
College Wellington, The College of Combat Mhow, (now called The War College) and
The National Defence College New Delhi. His civil qualifications include an Engineer
Degree, M.Sc. (Defence Studies), Fellow of the Institute of Engineers (FIE), and Fellow
of the Indian Institute Bridge Engineering (FIIBE). He has also been a Member of a
large number of Professional bodies. Lt. Gen. Russell Mordecai has been awarded
both the Param Vishist Seva Medal (PVSM) and the Ati Vishist Seva Medal (AVSM) by
the President of India, the President of India, the highest and second highest award,
awarded in recognition of a Distinct Performance, and for rendering Service of the most
exceptional order. The Indian Road Congress (IRC) Medal for the best Paper on
Maintenance, instituted by the Central Public Works Department (CPWD). The State of
President of India.
Courtesy: Mr. Nissim Moses, Israel (Ashkenazy didn't write this, only Moses)
Appendix
Bio-Brief
The Bene Israel Officer Who Laid The Foundations of Defence Equipment Development
& Production Self Sufficiency in India Major General Jonathan Reuben Samson
Bhonkar-PVSM- IC887 Compiled & Edited by Nissim Moses-Bene Israel Heritage and
Genealogy
College in Electrical and Mechanical Engineering, joined the army in Dec 1940. He was
one of the first Indian officers who were inducted in the erstwhile Directorate of
evaluation of stores produced for the services by the Ordinance Factories. His sincere &
untiring efforts laid the firm foundation for the growth of the Inspection and Development
Organization in the Defence set up. Before August 1947 he held various appointments
in India and abroad including Iraq, Iran, Egypt and Greece. From 1947 to 1958 he held
development of weapons and other armament stores produced in the various ordinance
considerably augmented to take on the tasks from the services. He displayed dynamism
Controller
Research & Development. Some of the noteworthy developments since then are the
creation of a Naval Science and Technological Laboratory, Textiles and Stores and
Stores Research and Development Organization at Kanpur, Aerial Delivery Research &
Manali. Due to the Constant Drive to make the country self sufficient in defence stores
the indigenization program was followed with great vigor in the whole of the Research &
Development Organization and through his effort this organization has helped to save
the country a considerable amount of foreign exchange. His contribution in the Growth
of Establishments for Electronics has also been significant and through his support
many strategic items. Throughout Major General Jonathan Reuben Samson Bhonkar
received from the President and Secretary of the Bene Israel Benevolent Society of
Bombay representing that the effect of the re-organization of the Bombay Army on the
class squadron and Company is to preclude the Jews in India from serving in the (?)
armyiii heretofore.
The enlistment of Jews does not appear to have been altogether stopped, but they are
Anglo-Jewish Association
Bloomfield House
India Office
8 March 1898
I am directed to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 18th February, with which
your forwarded copy of a letter from representatives of the Bene Israel Community in
In reply I am to say that the subject is one in which the Secretary of State in Council
could only consider on a representation made through the Government of India and the
Bene Israel Benevolent Society should address the authorities in that country
accordingly.
The Right Hon. Lord George Hamilton, M.P. Her Majestys Principal Secretary of State
for India
My Lord
I am directed by the Council of the Anglo Jewish Association to submit to your Lordship
a copy of the letter which has been received by the Association from the representatives
of the Bene Israel Community in Bombay. It appears from the letter that in consequence
of a general order of the Government of India the regiments of the Bombay Army have
now been reorganized by class squadrons and class companies in such a manner to
Government of India and that it may be found possible to remove any disability with
regard to serving in the Indian Army, under which the Community in question may
suffer.
M. Duparc
Secretary
Appendix
Copy of the Letter from the Anglo-Jewish Association on behalf of the Bene-Israel
Sir,
We have the honour to enclose a copy of the General Order by the Government of
India No. 311 dated 22 March 1895. Identifying with the approval of the Right
Honourable Secretary of State for India that all Regiments of the Bombay Army will in
future be organized by class, squadron and class emphasis, we beg to represent the
case of the Bene- Israels of Bombay Presidency for the serious consideration of the
Anglo-Jewish Association, with a fervent hope that you all will be kind enough to
consider the matter and endeavour to remove the disabilities of our co-religionists
From the time of the settlement of the Bene-Israels in India in the Bombay Presidency
(there are no Bene Israels in the Bengal and Madras Presidencies) they have been
enlisted in the Native Regiments and many of them have shown their devoted ness and
loyalty by serving gallantly in the wars and mutinies that have occurred in the country,
and risen to the ranks of Jamadars, Subedars, Bahadoors and Sirdar Bahadoors. . Most
of them have served and do now serve in the Staff of the Regiments as Pay and
Musketry writers, Pupil Teachers, Instructors etc. and are soon promoted as Naiques
and Havildars even before the Mahomedans and Hindus attain these positions.
The Bene Israel performed most distinguished services in the war with Tippoo Sultan of
Mysore and obtained pensions. The recent General Order published by the Secretary of
State for India is consequently considered a great hardship by the Bene Israel.
Companies exclusively of them; but the number of Bene Israels being limited, they
cannot collect an adequate number of men to form even a single Company. But the
Bene Israels are usually identified with Hindus and Mahomedan peasantry for all Civil
purposes by the Government and they might be allowed the same military positions with
regard to Military matters. They might be promoted according to merit identifying them
with those sections of the Indian people-Mahomedans, Hindus, Punjabis, Jats etc in
whose regimental division they may be enrolled. This special act of favour will be
nothing more thasn simple justice to one of Her Most Gracious Majestys most loyal
subjects.
We humbly beg that you will be pleased to wait on the Secretary of State for India and
represent our above stated case to him with your wonted eloquence and cogency of
argument and we feel assured that the Bene Israel Community will be freed from the
restrictions we have brought to your notice. By doing us this favour, you will confer a
Begging to be pardoned for the liberty we have taken of intruding on you with this matter
being of utmost importance to our co-religionists who are employed in the Indian
Regiments.
We beg to remain
Sirs
dated Mahabaleshwar, 9th June, 1892(Enclosure to Military Dispatch From India No.243
of 8th November 1893), Military Collection File 279/4, India Office Record Reference:
IOR/L/MIL/7/12781
Of Jews and Christians, there are in the 22 Regiments 413. Jews are very intelligent
and generally very well educated, and this class has hitherto produced many good
native officers. Many Jews are also good clerks and artificers.
and buglers, they being, as a rule, quite the best musicians; but they are not be got in
sufficient numbers. This class has also given us some excellent native officers; but
Goanese are generally of inferior physique and hence no have been enlisted ordinarily
for the ranks. Moreover, it is only the extra pay as musicians and buglers which has of
Few, if any, Jews are found amongst the musicians or buglers, but many are employed
as clerks and artificers. To make a hard and fast rule that no writer of any class is to be
promoted to the rank of native officer, appears too arbitrary; for many writers have
turned out excellent native officers, efficient in every respect, and there appears to be
no reason for their not being so, since in the Bombay Army they are not usually
specially enlisted as clerks, but, as other sepoys have to pass their drill, attend parades
and musketry drills, and perform the courses of Musketry and Military Company training,
- in fact do all duties like any other soldiers other than guard duties. It is merely from the
fact of their greater intelligence and better education than the others that they become
clerks in Regimental Offices. Those who make it their aim of advancement in the
service, think they have a better chance of attaining their object by studying in the
Regimental school, and those who are the most successful in qualifying in the English
tests for reading, writing and arithmetic, are those who are selected as clerks. If the,
their promotion to the rank of native officer is to be barred, there will be less inducement
for men to qualify as clerks, the standard of education in the Native Army will be
lowered, and there will be a difficulty in carrying on the work in Regimental offices. It is
not always the best writer that makes the best native officer, but many writers have
made efficient native officers, and if a writer is by class and in other respects considered
entirely suitable for the position of a native officer, he should not be passed over for
Christians and Jews and the low caste Hindus, except for the duties of bandsmen,
buglers, drummers and clerks, therefore the number of these in a regiment in future will
be limited. As their enlistment for the above duties seems to be an absolute necessity,
we think that in the case of Christians and Jews their promotion to the rank native officer
should not be entirely prohibited, but should be permitted on special application to Army
Source: Ibid
i
As told in his own words by email correspondence to the author
ii
In his own words
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Handwriting illegible
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Handwriting illegible
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Contents illegible