#military training India

[manasastuff-blog]

The Best Army Training Center in Vizag#trending#viral

Manasa Defence Academy stands out as India's best army training centre, providing top-tier training programs designed to prepare students for a successful military career. Located in a prime area, the academy offers state-of-the-art facilities, experienced instructors, and a rigorous curriculum that covers all aspects of army training. Whether you're aspiring to join the Indian Army or looking to enhance your military skills, Manasa Defence Academy is the ideal choice. We’ll take you through the academy's comprehensive training modules, student success stories, and the unique features that make it the top army training centre in India. Stay tuned to find out why Manasa Defence Academy is the best option for your army training needs.

Call: 7799799221

Website:www.manasadefenceacademy.com

#BestArmyTrainingIndia #ManasaDefenceAcademy #ArmyTrainingCentreIndia #TopDefenceAcademy #MilitaryTrainingIndia #ArmyCareer #BestArmyAcademy #IndianArmyTraining #DefenceAcademyReview #StudentSuccessArmy#trending#viral

[trimurtieducation]

Explore how military schools focus on developing leadership skills in their cadets.

In the realm of education that goes beyond boundaries institutions, like Trimurti Pawan Pratishthan truly stand out due to their dedication to nurturing well rounded individuals. At the heart of their philosophy lies an approach to developing leaders through military education. In this blog post we will delve into how Trimurti Pawan Pratishthan focuses on fostering leadership abilities in its cadets.

Training Programs for Leadership:

Military schools comprehend that leadership is not a trait but a skill that can be nurtured. At Trimurti Pawan Pratishthan cadets partake in programs specifically designed for leadership development, which include team building exercises, workshops and hands on experiences aimed at simulating real life situations where leadership skills are vital.

Discipline as the Foundation:

Discipline serves as the cornerstone of any education and Trimurti Pawan Pratishthan places importance on instilling discipline in its cadets. From maintaining uniforms to adhering to a schedule every aspect of their daily routine contributes to cultivating disciplined leaders.

Practical Leadership Exercises:

Recognizing that theoretical knowledge alone is inadequate Trimurti Pawan Pratishtan offers cadets opportunities to apply their leadership skills in practical scenarios. Field exercises, command assignments and leadership roles, within the school community empower cadets to make decisions effectively manage resources and lead their peers with confidence.

One unique benefit of attending a school is the mentorship offered by experienced military personnel. At Trimurti Pawan Pratishthan cadets are fortunate to receive guidance from mentors who possess a wealth of knowledge and experience. These mentors provide insights and life lessons that greatly contribute to the cadets development, as leaders.

Ethical Leadership Emphasis:

In addition to leadership skills, Trimurti Pawan Pratishthan places a strong emphasis on ethical leadership. Cadets are not only taught how to lead effectively but are also instilled with a sense of ethics and moral values. Integrity, accountability, and respect form the foundation of the leadership principles imparted at the school.

Leadership in Academics and Extracurricular Activities:

Trimurti Pawan Pratishthan goes beyond the parade ground, encouraging cadets to take leadership roles in academics, sports, and cultural activities. Whether leading a project team or captaining a sports team, cadets learn to apply leadership skills in diverse situations, preparing them for the challenges that lie ahead.

Conclusion:

In the hallowed halls of Trimurti Pawan Pratishthan, the seeds of leadership are sown, destined to grow into mighty trees that will shape the future of our society. Through a holistic approach that integrates military principles, discipline, mentorship, and a focus on ethical leadership, the school ensures that its cadets emerge as confident, responsible, and effective leaders. Trimurti Pawan Pratishthan stands as a beacon of excellence, dedicated to nurturing leaders who will make a lasting impact on the world.

https://trimurtieducation.com/

[if-you-fan-a-fire]

"THESE ARE THE TROOPS, who'll shoulder a big share of the fighting when the time comes to push the Jap out of occupied areas in the Far East. With oriental war cries on their lips, infantrymen of the Chinese Expeditionary Force hurdle a wall in the obstacle course at American training centre in India. They carry bolt-action rifles. (U.S. Army Air Force photo from NEA)"

Kingston Whig-Standard. June 9, 1943. Page 5.

[metamatar]

To counter what they view as a rising tide of prejudice, the HAF and other Hindu American groups have turned to American Jewish organizations, which they have long seen as “the gold standard in terms of political activism,” as Maryland State Delegate Kumar Barve said in 2003. Since the early 2000s, Indian Americans have modeled their congressional activism on that of the American Jewish Committee (AJC) and AIPAC; Indian lobbyists have partnered with these groups to achieve shared defense goals, including arms deals between India and Israel and a landmark nuclear agreement between India and the US. Along the way, these Jewish groups have trained a generation of Hindu lobbyists and advocates, offering strategies at joint summits and providing a steady stream of informal advice. “We shared with them the Jewish approach to political activism,” Ann Schaffer, an AJC leader, told the Forward in 2002. “We want to give them the tools to further their political agenda.” Shukla told Jewish Currents that the HAF continues to work closely with the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and the AJC, whether by “being co-amici curiae on briefs to the US Supreme Court,” or by “lending our support to one another’s letters to Congress.”

[...] Faced with rising scrutiny over India’s worsening human rights record, Hindu groups have used “the same playbook and even sometimes the same terms” as Israel-advocacy groups, “copy-pasted from the Zionist context,” said Nikhil Mandalaparthy of the anti-Hindutva group Hindus for Human Rights (HfHR). Hindu groups have especially taken note of their Jewish counterparts’ recent efforts to codify a definition of antisemitism—the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition—that places much criticism of Israel out-of-bounds, asserting that claims like “the existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavor” constitute examples of anti-Jewish bigotry.

[...] In 2003, Gary Ackerman—a Jewish former congressman who was awarded India’s third-highest civilian honor for helping to found the Congressional Caucus on India—told a gathering of AJC and AIPAC representatives and their Indian counterparts that “Israel [is] surrounded by 120 million Muslims,” while “India has 120 million [within].” Tom Lantos, another Jewish member of the caucus, likewise enjoined the two communities to collaborate: “We are drawn together by mindless, vicious, fanatic, Islamic terrorism.”

Driven by that sense of shared purpose, the AJC and AIPAC helped train new Indian American political groups—such as the Indian American Political Action Committee and the United States India Political Action Committee—to achieve their aims in Washington. The AJC hosted seminars on political activism in DC and New York; it also brought several delegations of Indian Americans to Israel to meet with members of the Israeli government and military. “We’re fighting the same extremist enemy,” the AJC’s capital region director Charles Brooks told the Forward in 2002.

[morbidology]

Zanjeer was a Labrador retriever who trained at the Dog Training Center of the Criminal Investigation Department in Pune, India. Following his training, he was enlisted in the Mumbai Police Bonn Detection and Disposal Squad in December of 1992. During his service, Zanjeer helped to recover 11 military bombs, 57 country-made bombs, 175 petrol bombs and 600 detonators. Moreover, he assisted in detecting the bombs during the 1993 Mumbai bombings, averting three more planned attacks.

Due to his outstanding performance, Zanjeer was honoured with a full state funeral after perishing from cancer on the 16th of November, 2000.

[world-of-wales]

HAPPY 42ND BIRTHDAY TO HRH THE PRINCE OF WALES, WILLIAM ARTHUR PHILIP LOUIS ♡

On 21 June 1982, Prince William was born to Diana and Charles, then known as Prince and Princess of Wales in St Mary's Hospital, London, at at 21:03 BST. He was born during the reign of his paternal grandmother Elizabeth II and was the first child born to a Prince and Princess of Wales since Prince John's birth in July 1905.

The little prince's name was announced on 28 June as William Arthur Philip Louis. Wills was christened in the Music Room of Buckingham Palace by the then Archbishop of Canterbury, Robert Runcie, on 4 August.

William studied at Jane Mynors' nursery school and Wetherby School in London before joining Ludgrove. He was subsequently admitted to Eton College, studying geography, biology, and history at the A-level.

The Prince undertook a gap year taking part in British Army training exercises in Belize, working on English dairy farms, and as part of the Raleigh International programme in southern Chile, William worked for ten weeks on local construction projects and taught English.

In 2001, William enrolled at the University of St Andrews, initially to study Art History but then changed his field of study to Geography with the support of the love of his life Catherine Elizabeth Middleton who he met while at school.

Will and Cat fell in love during their time at uni, and married at Westminster Abbey on 29 April 2011. The couple have three adorable cupcakes Prince George (b.2013), Princess Charlotte (b.2015) and Prince Louis (b.2018). The family of five divide time between their official residence, Kensington Palace and their two private residences - Amner Hall & Adelaide Cottage.

After university, William trained at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. In 2008, he graduated from the Royal Air Force College Cranwell and joined the RAF Search and Rescue Force in early 2009. He transferred to RAF Valley, Anglesey, to receive training on the Sea King search and rescue helicopter, which made him the first member of the British royal family since Henry VII to live in Wales.

During his active career as a Search and Rescue Pilot, William conducted 156 search and rescue operations, which resulted in 149 people being rescued. He then served as a full-time pilot with the East Anglian Air Ambulance starting in July 2015, donating his full salary to the EAAA charity.

Working with all branches of the military, he holds the ranks of Lieutenant Colonel in the Army, Commander in the Navy and Wing Commander in the Air-Force

Upon their wedding, WillCat became HRH The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, The Earl and Countess of Strathearn and Baron and Lady Carrickfergus. He became the heir apparent on 8 September 2022, receiving the titles of the Duke of Cornwall & The Duke of Rothesay. William & Catherine were made The Prince and Princess of Wales by Kimg Charles on 9 September 2022. Additionally, William also became the Prince & High Steward of Scotland, Earl of Chester, Earl of Carrick, Lord of the Isles, and Baron Renfrew.

As well as undertaking royal duties in support of The King, both in the UK and overseas, The Prince devotes his time supporting a number of charitable causes and organisations with some of his key areas of interest being Mental health, Conservation, Homelessness, Sports and Emergency Workers.

He has undertaken several overseas trips representing the monarch, covering a wide array of countries like Australia, Canada, Namibia, Malaysia, South Africa, Tanzania, Pakistan Italy, Jordan, Kuwait, France, India, The Bahamas, Belize, Afghanistan etc ; He is also is also a founder of various initiatives like United For Wildlife, Heads Together, Earthshot and Homewards.

[probablyasocialecologist]

To say Israel’s economy is built on war and oppression is no more an exaggeration than to say that Israel’s science, technology, and industrialization have been built for the primary purpose of safeguarding western interests in the region of the Middle-East and North Africa (conveniently cleaved in half by the Zionist entity) as well as globally. First, as a cost-saving measure, an Israel industrialized around its own arms industry reduces the quantity of the still astronomically high amount of direct military aid from the west, while also appeasing Israel’s neighbors. Second, Israel’s export of weapons and other oppressive techniques served to cover up the dirty work of the western ruling class. Israel is the world center of counter-insurgency training and weapons provision, from the former Rhodesia and Pinochet’s Chile, to Marcos’s Philippines and Modi’s India today—neocolonial regimes that welcome the west to plunder its peoples and lands. Third, an economically and technologically advanced Israel propagates the ideology of developmentalism. Just as victims of capitalist exploitation are blamed for their own failure to correctly apply the bootstraps, victims of imperialist plundering are shown to be essentially backward, i.e., “racially/culturally inferior,” further justifying their subjugation by the west and occupation by “an army with a state.” In effect, Israel is part and parcel of US imperialism, as “the purest expression of Western power, combining militarism, imperialism, settler colonialism, counterinsurgency, occupation, racism, instilling ideological defeat, huge profitable war-making and hi-tech development into a manticore of destruction, death, and mayhem.”

Erica Jung and Calvin Wu, A Mirror of Our Immediate Future: On Green Imperialism and Palestine

[ketrindoll]

List of russian lies in the UN or during diplomatic speeches:

1. In January-February of 2022 russia claimed in the UN that they will not invade Ukraine, that they have no plans to invade Ukraine, and evidence of upcoming invasion are lies made by the US or others.

End of the same month russia launched a full-scale invasion.

2. Russia claimed in the UN that the reason they attacked Ukraine was to fight some "local nazis" and that they are indeed good guys fighting Ukrainian hatred. That, however, does not explain why: a) russia opposed the grain deal until Turkey threatened to make it work one way or the other, showing their intention to starve hundreds of millions of people in neutral countries for no reason whatsoever, b) russia refused to allow UN or Red Cross etc to observe the conditions of POWs or to open humanitarian corridors for people to escape from Mariupol or other conflict zones, with thousands of witnesses reporting abductions, filtration camps, and shelling of retreating civilians, c) russia claimed to only want to protect local russian population, yet completely destroyed whole cities in majorly-russian-speaking Eastern Ukraine, like Mariupol (satellites showing mass graves), and bombing mainly civilian targets - schools, hospitals, theatres, a shopping mall during peak hours, a train station where people waited for evacuation, apartment buildings, etc. Currently we can see that there is no effort on the russian-controlled side of Dnipro river to help people in flooded areas, with videos and citizen testimonies reporting shelling of all disaster aid attempts, d) russia claimed that they only hate the "nazi" Ukrainian government, yet they openly shelled Ukrainian power grids during winter, for no other reason than to leave innocent civilians with no gas or electricity.

3. Russian state TV, public figures like Solovyov, former President and Prime Minister as well as head of security council of russia Medvedev openly stated either on national TV or in their social media pages that they want to "exterminate" Ukrainians. That the whole country should not exist, that Ukrainian language is fake, etc etc. This is genocidal speech and it is not limited to Ukraine either. The Baltic States, Poland, etc also received such claims - that they "do not exist" that they "belong to russia" or that they "should be invaded". Makes it very obvious who the imperialistic, colonist aggressor actually is. Medvedev also repeatedly threatened Western European countries with missile or even nuclear attack, yet they claim to only be "defending themselves".

4. Lavrov got laughed at during a summit in India for claiming that "russia was invaded by Ukraine". Do I even need to explain why this is a lie? If I do, check 1st point again. Or just turn on your brain.

5. Then there's more sci-fi nutjobby official russian claims (or lies) about - bioweapons in Ukraine, pidgeons carrying disease or weapons to russia, Ukraine having some super-soldiers, or even dark magic, as indicated by russian Ministry of Defense changing the goal of their "special military operation" from "denazification" to "desatanization".

And that's just a few of the main ones. More is discussed in the latest UN meeting, you can watch the video on their official website.

So, knowing all of this, why the fuck would you believe ANYTHING they say? Especially about the destruction of dam?

Russia has repeatedly shown aggressive attitude towards neighbouring countries, claimed their wish to occupy them, russian officials called for extermination of whole nationalities, and both President putin and Belova have enough evidence against them for ICC to issue a warrant for them for GENOCIDE AND WAR CRIMES.

If you still believe in russia, despite anything they themselves say, you're either a genocide-supporter or unbelievably stupid.

[manasastuff-blog]

BEST DEFENCE INSTITUTE IN INDIA#trending #army #nda#navy The Best Defence Institute in India is where your future in the armed forces truly begins. With top-notch training programs, experienced instructors, and a proven track record of success, this institute offers everything you need to excel in your military career. Whether you're aspiring to join the Army, Navy, or Air Force, this institute provides the tools and guidance necessary to achieve your goals. In this video, we'll take you through what makes this institute the best choice for your defence training, including exclusive insights into their training methods, facilities, and success stories from former students. Don’t miss out on this chance to discover how you can unlock your full potential and secure a bright future in the armed forces. Call:7799799221

Website:www.manasadefenceacademy.com #BestDefenceInstitute#ArmedForcesTraining#MilitaryCareer#DefenceAcademyIndia #EliteTraining#IndianArmy#JoinTheForces#MilitarySuccess#DefenceInstituteIndia #UnlockYourFuture

[got-ticket-to-ride]

Paul's train of thought when writing Helter Skelter (Recorded 18 July, 9–10 September 1968): "ok we have a slide. I'll write about that one sexually and they won't get it, these stupid mf. Bottom, top, turn, ride, love you. Easy. And if they ask, I'll attribute it to the downfall of the roman empire"

"(because that's basically what's happening with John and me right now). they'll eat that one up as always."

"AND IT'S GOING TO BE HELLA POETIC."

When I get to the bottom, I go back to the top of the slide

Where I stop, and I turn, and I go for a ride

'Till I get to the bottom, and I see you again

Yeah, yeah, yeah!

[Bridge]

Well, do you, don't you want me to love you?

I'm coming down fast, but I'm miles above you (Aaaaah)

Tell me, tell me, tell me, come on, tell me the answer (Aaaaaaaaah)

Also as an additional detail: If Paul was comparing his relationship with John to the rise and fall of the Roman Empire. We all know why that collapsed. Main reason being, they became too big and were infiltrated, also war (military losses).

"Well, do you, don't you want me to love you?" Is definitely John coded after their fight in India.

[trimurtieducation]

Physical Fitness and Military Training: The Core of Maharashtra's Defense Academies

Joining a military school in Maharashtra can be an exciting and transformative experience for young students. However, it’s not uncommon for students to experience homesickness, especially during holidays and initial days away from home. Coping with homesickness is an essential aspect of personal growth and adaptation. In this blog, we will explore effective strategies to help military school students deal with homesickness and make the most of their educational journey at Trimurti Pawan Pratishthan.

What does being Homesick mean?

Being homesick refers to the feeling of longing or sadness experienced when a person is away from their familiar and comfortable home environment. It is a common emotional response that individuals may experience when they are in an unfamiliar place, such as being away at school, traveling, or living in a different city or country. Homesickness is characterized by a strong desire to return home and be with family or loved ones, and it can be accompanied by feelings of loneliness, nostalgia, and a sense of disconnection.

Homesickness is a natural human emotion, particularly when going through significant life changes or being separated from familiar routines and support systems. It is important to recognize that homesickness is a temporary feeling and can be overcome with time and adaptation to new surroundings. For many people, homesickness gradually subsides as they become more familiar with their new environment and develop meaningful connections with others. Coping strategies such as staying connected with loved ones, engaging in activities, seeking support, and focusing on the positive aspects of the new situation can help individuals manage homesickness effectively and embrace their new experiences.

Effective Strategies that Aid Military School Students in Coping with Homesickness

1. Stay Connected

Maintaining regular communication with family and friends can ease feelings of homesickness. Encourage students to use technology to call, video chat, or message loved ones during designated times. Additionally, organizing care packages or exchanging heartfelt letters can provide emotional support and a sense of connection.

2. Engage in Activities

Participating in various school activities and extracurriculars can divert the mind from homesickness and foster a sense of belonging. At Trimurti Pawan Pratishthan, we offer a range of engaging activities, from sports and arts to leadership programs, encouraging students to explore their interests and talents.

3. Seek Support from Friends and Mentors

Encouraging camaraderie among peers is vital at a military school. Students can lean on each other for support and understanding, as they share similar experiences. Our experienced mentors and faculty at Trimurti Pawan Pratishthan also provide a nurturing environment for students, offering guidance and companionship.

4. Embrace the Learning Experience

Help students reframe their mindset about homesickness. Remind them that it is normal to miss home, but they are also embarking on a journey of growth and self-discovery. Encourage them to focus on the learning experience, the opportunities to develop life skills, and the chance to become future leaders.

5. Create a Familiar Space

In dormitories or living quarters, allow students to personalize their space with familiar items from home. Familiar bedding, photos, or cherished belongings can provide comfort and a sense of familiarity in an unfamiliar environment.

Our Efforts to Solve Homesickness at Trimurti Pawan Pratishthan

At Trimurti Pawan Pratishthan, we understand that homesickness is a natural part of the transition to military school life. Our dedicated faculty and mentors work closely with students to create a supportive and nurturing environment. Through engaging activities, camaraderie, and personalised guidance, we empower students to overcome homesickness and embrace the unique learning experience.

Join Trimurti Pawan Pratishthan and empower your child to thrive academically, emotionally, and socially in a secure and caring environment. Enrol now to shape their future as leaders of tomorrow!

https://trimurtieducation.com/

[abdullahbroshairif]

New England college-aged brothers Daxton and Brandon White were -art tomb a little too much. Their dad always joked, when they misbehaved, “I’m gonna sell you to the Sheik.” And , throughout their lives, the boys always laughed at that. As IF their dad could, or would, sell them off to live with a Middle Eastern royal. Well, Dax and Bran’s first semester grades were pitiful. Seemed like the brothers couldn’t stop partying enough to make their way to class and went to the gym every day instead.

Bill White had done some work overseas, as a military contractor. And Bill was beginning to think his sons needed a lesson of perspective. So Bill, early on, before he was even married, found himself rubbing (hairy) elbows with the Arab elite, back in the Gulf War days. In fact, Bill had spent time with Sheik Qadar. Sheik Qadar had even come into possession of an ancient changing stone.

One day the boys got picked up from the gym by their dad’s companies’ “fixer,” Mr. Nadir. Nadir took the boys to the airport and shipped them off, first to the city Bursa, Turkey, where they lived each day as a new hairy Arab. Then they were taken overseas to the Caribbean to wake up daily as black man who lives their lives as online influencers personal training the wealthy arabic vacationers. Next, the boys were shipped of the UAE where they did the same, learning arabic with their thick Eastern Caribbean accents. Gosh, it was getting difficult for them to remember English after becoming so used to speaking Arabic. Lastly, they were sent to India where Daxton and Brandon completely forgot being white Americans, but were able to remember their lives as Caribbeans and Arabs.

Dakaar and Brishaan now are being picked up by a man they’ve never met, Mr. nadir, to be taken back to America. Oh, so sad how the boys were crying and scared, not wanting to leave their homeland of India. Dakaar soothes his younger brother and tells him, in Hindu “we’ll be okay, brother. We must obey this new life with our new master in America”

The trick is on Bill, who assumed his sons would eventually regain their life as his white American sons… three years later the Indian brothers are just as unable to attend school, since they only English they now know are the names of the machines in the gym and the only counting they can do is May decidable by the numbers on the side of weight plates and dumbbells. Bill is doing his best, though, to teach his boys English. They get tutored by handsome blonde university men every day.

💚💚💚

[bitletsanddrabbles]

But What If I Wasn't Rich?

Right. So. With revisions on Stolen Child going well, I've tried to start gearing up for my next big project, which is what I'd planned on working on this month. It's a very different tone - lots of zany hijinks with a group of idiots going through the jungles of India looking for biologically impossible flora - so I figured it shouldn't need too much in the way of research, especially since I'm avoiding politics like the plague. Don't know how much I'll manage, mind, since the only reason I can think of for Thomas's cousin to be in Bombay is military, but I'm pretty confident I can just say that and let my historically well informed audience fill in their own blanks while I concentrate on more important things, like cobras that spit hydrochloride acid at people*.

For all of that, though, I am having problems right off the bat with the research. Why? Because I need to get a disgraced-with-no-reference Thomas from Downton Abbey to Bombay, and I need to do it via a land route (or mostly at any rate), because he needs to start the whole thing off by crashing into someone in a train station. I suppose it could technically be at a port, but the train station just seems more likely given that the person in question is trying to get to the Congo.

This should not be difficult to figure out, right? A couple of Google** searches and you're done.

Well, not so much. When I search for how to get from England to India in 1920, the search engines seem to think I'm curious about immigration in the late 1800s. The closest I've come is an article that outlines the sea route around Cape Horn that was utilized the early 1900s...and stops there.

There was one (1) Reddit thread that popped up from someone with a similar problem who had the route mostly mapped but was just missing a bit in the middle. It started with the Orient Express.

Okay! Time to look up the Orient Express! And we get...

An absolute ton of information on the very big, very famous luxury liner of trains! Yes'sir, the Orient Express got you from Paris to Istanbul in style like you wouldn't believe! All of the rich people were lining up to bask in the lap of luxury as they made this cross land trip!

...

...which was probably beyond the budget of a newly sacked valet...

Pretty certain.

So we start looking for other ways to get from Paris to Istanbul in 1920 and apparently you could...walk? Or something? Maybe hitch hike?

Yeah, there's nothing. I can not come up with a search that does not tell me about the Orient Express, but unless Thomas ties himself to the roof, I don't see him getting aboard that one.

So! Are there any travel experts out there who have insight? Or people who have faced this issue in their fanfiction? Researchers with a hyper fixation on Agatha Christie? Banana cream pie? I'm kinda hungry, I could go in for some banana cream pie.

Heck, I'd settle for a less politically volatile reason for Thomas's cousin to be in residence, although I'm going to have to at least touch on the BEF*** for plot reasons.

*our fauna is as biologically impossible as our fauna

**or, well, Duckduckgo, but that doesn't roll off the tongue as nicely

***at least I assume that's who was stationed there. Again really, really not interested in politics. At all. Ever. Plague on the planet.

[whencyclopedia]

The Armies of the East India Company

The East India Company (EIC) was first England's and then Britain's tool of colonial expansion in India and beyond. Revenue from trade and land taxes from territories it controlled allowed the EIC to build up its own private armies, collectively the largest armed force in South and South East Asia.

The EIC mixed British and Indian soldiers (sepoys), hired regular regiments of the British Army, and funded its own navy, the Bombay Marine. The vast resources of the company allowed it to eventually employ over 250,000 well-trained and well-equipped fighting men. This force expanded the EIC's domains, seeing off competition from Indian princely states, pirates, and other European trade companies.

From Trade to Imperialism

The East India Company was founded as a joint stock company by royal charter on 31 December 1600. Initially, the company limited itself to trade from centres or 'factories' it set up at already established ports belonging to the Mughal Empire (1526-1858) in India. From 1668, Bombay (Mumbai) became the EIC's main trade hub after it was acquired from the Portuguese Empire. By the end of the century, the EIC had a major presence at Madras, Calcutta (Kolkata), and Hughli in Bengal amongst others. These early arrangements were entirely peaceful, but the EIC wanted more control and more power that would give even greater returns to its private investors.

It was in the mid-18th century that the EIC gained the right through a royal charter to raise its own army, principally in order to protect its assets like warehouses and man its fortifications. From 1757, the EIC used this army in an aggressive campaign of conquest. The EIC thus began to control territory of its own, and in 1759, it took over the major port of Surat completely. Essentially, the EIC was now the "sharp end of the British imperial stick" (Faught, 6). A key step in this transformation from trader to imperialist was victory against Shah Alam II, the Mughal emperor, and Mir Qasim, Nawab of Awadh at the Battle of Buxar in 1764. In a 1765 peace treaty, Shah Alam II awarded the EIC the right to collect land revenue (dewani) in Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa. This was a major development and ensured the company now had vast resources to fund an army for further territorial expansion.

Men like Robert Clive (1725-1774) carved out an empire in the EIC's name. Clive of India, as he was popularly known, rose from clerk to Governor of Bengal and secured a famous victory in June 1757 at the Battle of Plassey against the forces of the Nawab of Bengal. Clive defeated a larger enemy force where the wealth of the EIC was seen in the disparity of artillery pieces: 50 against the EIC's 171. More territory came after the Four Anglo-Mysore Wars (1767-99) and the two Anglo-Sikh Wars (1845-49). These territories had to be protected against various Indian princely states, the Mughal Empire, the Marathas, the Mysores, and rivals such as the Dutch East India Company (VOC), founded in 1602, and the French East India Company, founded in 1664. These European bodies had armies as well-equipped as the EIC forces, and so the British expansion was not entirely a smooth one. For example, the French twice took possession of Madras and controlled large parts of southern India. It is no surprise then, given these challenges, that by the end of the 18th century, the EIC was spending half its income on military personnel and hardware.

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