Colonel (retd) Anil Athale, military historian who has specialised in the martial history of the Marathas, will speak on the occasion on the tactical warfare by the Marathas under Mahadji's command that led to a total and humiliating defeat of the East India Company's army despite the latter's superior fire power.

On January 16, 1779 the East India Company's representative, Farmer, formally surrendered to Mahadji and Nana Phadnis. A treaty was signed on the Maratha terms after their total defeat at Wadgaon-Maval on Mumbai-Pune road, about 50 km from Pune, on January 14 when the Marathas pounced upon the highly demoralised and retreating army of the Englishmen with their supplies from Mumbai totally cut off and with absolutely no supplies available locally.

The local Pratisthan of Wadgaon has invited the citizens' trust formed by The Indian Express, Pune - Express-Nagarik Wadgaon Vijaystambh Pratisthan - to erect a suitable memorial at the village to commemorate the brilliant victory of the Indian army over the Europeans.

The theme of the memorial will be that Indians are second to none in the world in professionalism in any field of activity. This will be the appropriate message for the future generations in the days of globalisation when young Indian professionals will have to take on those from abroad for supremacy in every field on the Indian soil.

Leading Marathi producer Ajey Jhankar has also announced his new venture - a full-length feature film on the battle of Wadgaon - with the biggest ever movie budget in any regional language. Present at the ceremony on Saturday will be, former director general of the Army Service Corps (ASC), Indian Army, Lt.Gen.(retd) Y.D. Sahasrabuddhe, and founder director of Symbiosis Society S.B.Mujumdar.