The Military Band of the Mahar Regiment originally belonged to the erstwhile Bhopal State. In 1950, the band was transferred to the Mahar Regiment along with men and instruments.

The band participated in the Republic Day celebrations in Delhi in 1952, for the first time. The band continues to take part in the Republic Day celebrations every alternate year. In 1957, the band was selected to participate in the opening ceremony of National Industrial Exhibition in New Delhi. In addition, the band had also participated in Rashtrapati Bhavan duties in 1964, 1967, 1984, 1989 and 1996 ceremonial duty at Amar Jawan Jyoti in 1978, 1993 and 1999, Asian Games in 1982 and Non-Aligned Meet in New Delhi in 1983. The band also had the privilege of recomposing the national anthems of various participant countries and received a letter of appreciation from the Chief of Army Staff.

The band was presented a gold medal by BHEL, Bhopal in 1973, for the excellent music played for their function. The brass band of the Regiment attended SAF Games in Calcutta in 1987. Brig M R Nikam is presently the Centre Commandant and Sub Maj S B Gurung, the Band Master.

INS Sarvekshak built by Goa Shipyard Limited was commissioned in the Indian Navy at Kochi by Mr Ved Prakash Goyal, Minister of Shipping.

The ship is ninth in the series of the Navy’s hydrographic survey fleet which reflects the technological advancement of Indian shipbuilding industry. The indigenously designed and constructed INS Sarvekshak has superior design features and is equipped with the latest survey and hydrographic equipment, machinery, navigational and communication aids and sensors. These are ideally designed to meet the stringent international/ISC 9002 digital survey accuracy standards in shallow and deep waters required for the production of electronic navigational charts and publications in a highly competitive hydrographic world. This further reinforces the Navy’s sustained commitment to indigenisation.

Powered by two diesel engines which deliver 2,400 BHP each, the ship has a top speed of 16 knots. Equipped with state-of-the-art hydrographic survey aids, the ship can undertake full-scale coastal and oceanic hydrographic survey of ports and harbours and collection of oceanographic and geophysical data.