Hayat Ashraf

The Battle of Koregaon, also known as the Battle of Bhima Koregaon, is a significant event in Indian history that took place on January 1, 1818, near the village of Koregaon Bhima in present-day Maharashtra, India. The battle was fought between the British East India Company's forces, composed mostly of Mahar (Dalit) soldiers, and the Peshwa-led Maratha Empire. The British East India Company had engaged in conflicts with various regional powers across India during the expansion of British colonial rule. In 1817, the Peshwa of the Maratha Empire, Baji Rao II, sought to challenge British dominance in the region and launched an attack on Pune, which was then under British control. In response, the British assembled a force consisting of around 800 soldiers, including around 500 Mahar soldiers who were considered "low-caste" at the time. The Mahar soldiers fought alongside other units of the British army against the Peshwa's forces at Koregaon Bhima. Despite being heavily...