Pune: Historic Name ‘Khadki’ Restored To Cantonment After 200 Years
Pune: Historic Name ‘Khadki’ Restored To Cantonment After 200 Years
Pune, September 1o, 2025: The Ministry of Defence has officially reinstated the original name of one of India’s oldest military stations — Khadki Cantonment — replacing the colonial-era spelling “Kirkee” that had remained in use for over 200 years.
A gazette notification issued on August 29 confirmed the change, reconnecting the cantonment with its roots in the Battle of Khadki, fought on November 5, 1817, between British and Maratha forces. The outcome of this battle reshaped the political landscape of western India and paved the way for British dominance.
Amol Jagtap, Senior Director of the Principal Directorate of Defence Estates, Southern Command, who first initiated the process in 2017 as CEO of the Khadki Cantonment Board, explained: “The British altered the name because they found ‘Khadki’ difficult to pronounce. Restoring the original name is not just about correcting records but also about honouring the institutions that emerged after the historic battle.”
The cantonment was established soon after the battle to secure British control over Pune, the Maratha capital at the time. It became one of the earliest permanent garrisons in western India, hosting artillery, cavalry stables, and ordnance depots. Over time, it developed into a hub of military infrastructure, including the Central Ammunition Depot, Ordnance Factory Khadki, and the Kirkee War Cemetery, where over 1,600 Commonwealth soldiers are buried.
The area is also home to sprawling colonial-era bungalows, leafy avenues of banyan and gulmohar trees, and the Bombay Engineer Group (BEG) — one of the Indian Army’s oldest engineer regiments, with a legacy dating back to the 18th century. Its sappers have served with distinction in both World Wars and UN peacekeeping missions.
Today, Khadki continues to be a crucial centre for India’s military, housing workshops, depots, schools, hospitals, and sports facilities that serve soldiers and their families. Its parade grounds remain active with regular drills, echoing its martial past.
It took more than 75 years after independence to officially restore the name. The Battle of Khadki has immense historical importance for Pune, and this change acknowledges that legacy.
