An Indian foot soldier or private in a European-commanded military unit during British India, especially one serving under the British.
From Hindi 'bargī' or Urdu origin, referring to a soldier in Indian armies, particularly during the British colonial period. The term became common in English military documentation of 19th-century India.
The word 'bargir' is a linguistic artifact of British colonialism—these Indian soldiers formed the backbone of the British Empire's military in Asia, yet today the term is almost forgotten, existing mainly in historical military records and scholarly texts.
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