The President's Body Guard
The President's Bodyguard (PBG) is an elite household cavalry regiment of the Indian Army. It is senior-most
in the order of precedence of the units of the Indian Army. The primary role of
the President's Bodyguard is to escort and protect the President of India which is why the regiment is based in the Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi, India. It is equipped as
a mounted unit, with horses for ceremonies at the presidential palace and BTR-80 vehicles for
use in combat. The personnel of the regiment are also trained as paratroopers
and nominally are expected to lead in airborne assaults in the role of
pathfinders. The regiment is the successor of the Governor General's Bodyguard of the British Raj.
The first bodyguard to be raised in India was in 1773
when European troops, already recruited into the East India Company's service as infantry, were
earmarked for the role. Since the army of the East India Company had no cavalry
of any kind at that point of time, two troops of dragoons and
one troop of hussars were
raised - the latter becoming the personal bodyguard of the Governor-General. These were however
disbanded in the reorganisation of the army by Robert Clive after
his return to India in 1765. By 1772, the Company did not have a single
cavalryman in service.
President's Bodyguard (PBG) is the oldest surviving mounted
unit and the senior most regiment of the Indian Army. It was raised by
Governor-General Warren Hastings in September 1773.
Hastings handpicked 50 troopers from the Moghal Horse, a unit which
was raised in 1760 by local sirdars. In the same year, the Raja Cheyt Singh of
Benares provided another 50 troopers that took the strength of the unit to 100.
The first commander of the unit was Captain Sweeny Toone, an officer
of the East India Company, who had Lieutenant Samuel Black as his subaltern.
The establishment of the unit was as follows:
·
1 Captain
·
1 Lieutenant
·
4 Sergeants
·
6 Daffadars
·
100 troopers
·
2 Trumpeters
·
1 Farrier
The Bodyguard was the only corps of cavalry in the Bengal
Presidency until 1777 when two regiments of cavalry were
transferred to the Company by the Nawab of Oudh.
Both the regiments were raised in 1776.
Name
The name of the regiment has changed throughout its
history:
|
Year |
Name |
|
1773 |
Governor's Troop of Mughals |
|
1784 |
Governor-General's Bodyguard |
|
1859 |
Viceroy's Body Guard |
|
1944 |
44th Divisional Reconnaissance Squadron |
|
1946 |
Governor-General's Bodyguard |
|
1950 |
President's Bodyguard |
The strength of the
regiment varied throughout its history. The minimum strength of the unit was 50
when it was raised in 1773 but the precise maximum strength of the unit is not
known. The President of India's website claims a number of 1,929 just before the
First Sikh war but some historians believe the number to have been 469.
According to the book “Historical Records of the Governor General's Body
Guards”, published in 1910, the maximum strength of the unit was 529 all ranks
on 12 Feb 1844, just before the first Sikh War. In addition to 529 all ranks,
orders were also issued to attach two Rissalahs of Irregular Cavalry, taking
the strength of the unit to 730 all ranks. The present strength of the regiment
is 4 officers, 20 junior commissioned officers (JCO) and
198 sowars (cavalrymen).
The ethnic composition of the unit also
kept on changing. Recruitment started with Muslims (Moghals) from Awadh
(Eastern U.P.) when the Bodyguard was raised in 1773. By 1800, Hindus (Jats and Rajputs)
were allowed to join the GGBG along with Muslims but the area of the
recruitment remained the same: Awadh & Bihar. In 1800, the recruitment pool
was changed from the Bengal Presidency to the Madras Presidency & the GGBG
was reconstituted with troopers from the Madras cavalry for the next 60 years.
During this period South Indian Castes formed the bulk of the unit. After
the Great Mutiny of 1857, the center of recruitment
of the Indian Army was shifted from Awadh & south India to North India. The
GGBG was no exception & Sikhs were enlisted for the first time in Aug 1883
and Punjabi Muslims in October 1887. The recruitment of Brahmins & Rajputs
ceased in 1895. After that, the proportions of recruits was fixed at 50% Sikhs
(Malwa & Majha) and 50% Muslims (Hindustani & Punjabi).
Currently, Hindu Jats, Sikh Jats and Rajputs are
taken in equal numbers, primarily from the states of Punjab, Haryana and
Rajasthan. The minimum height necessary for enlistment is 6 feet. Before
Independence the average height of the troopers was 6 feet 3 inches. Because of
the appearance of the men, a popular acronym for GGBG was ‘God's Gift to
Beautiful Girls'.
Battle honours
The President's Bodyguard has the
following battle honours:
·
Java
·
Ava
·
Maharajpoor
·
Moodkee
·
Ferozeshah
·
Aliwal
·
Sobraon
all of which, except for "Java",
are considered to be repugnant (i.e.
earned during the British subjugation of India) and cannot be carried on regimental colours.
In 1779, the East India Company started issuing standards to Indian
cavalry regiments. In 1800, GGBG was presented with its first Standard by Marquess Wellesley at
the conclusion of his Review of the Body Guard. In 1815, the Countess of Moira &
Loudon presented a standard to the newly raised squadron. Two more Standards
were presented to the newly raised squadrons of the Body Guards in 1844, when
the strength of the regiment was highest. Standards were abolished in regiments
of Indian Cavalry in 1864 & in 1931, a Guidon was presented to the Body
Guards, which was last carried on escorts in 1936.
Two Silver state trumpets with banners were
presented to the Bodyguard by the Lord Reading in 1923, on the 150th
anniversary of the raising of the unit. One banner represented the Star of India with the battle honours
of the regiment, and the other banner carried the coat-of-arms of
the viceroy. Each successive viceroy presented
a banner to the Bodyguard upon assuming office; the banners of previous
viceroys being kept in the custody of the regiment. The practice continues in
effect until the present day with each President of the Republic of India in
turn presenting a silver trumpet to the regiment - although the coat-of-arms of
the Viceroy is replaced by the monogram of the President.
The first trumpet with banner of the
President of the Republic of India was presented by Rajendra
Prasad on 14 May 1957. It had a maroon background with the
emblem and crest in gold thread. The design incorporated the initials of
Rajendra Prasad in Devanagri script in the centre and four emblems in gold
in all four corners of the banner, from the Personal Standard of the President.
Prasad's personal standard was presented to the regiment on 18 Jan 1958 by the
President himself. In Nov 1958, President Prasad presented a new Regimental
Standard to the PBG, the previous Regimental Standard having been laid up after
India became a republic. The old regimental standard rests in the Regiment's
Officer's mess.
When the second President of India, Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan assumed
office, he presented his banner to the PBG on 21 Oct 1962. His banner had a
grey background with emblem and crest in gold thread. The design incorporated
his initials in Devanagari script in the center and four emblems in gold in the
four corners, from the Personal flag of the President. The new President's
Standard of the Body Guard and the Regimental Standard were awarded by
President Radhakrishnan on 11 Nov 1963. The Regimental Standard is dark blue in
colour with the regimental crest in the centre surrounded by lotus flowers and
Ashoka leaves. Five scrolls on either side of the crest record the regiment's
Battle Honours and the standard bears the motto “Bharat Mata ki Jai”.
In 2003, the President's
Bodyguard had an establishment of 7 officers, 15 NCOs, and 140 enlisted men,
for a total strength of 180 men. Throughout its history, the Bodyguard has
varied in size from 50 men when first raised, to 1929 men in 1845. However, it
was usually around squadron size, or about 130 men.
By tradition, the CO has always been of Brigadier or Colonel rank. He is assisted by Majors, Captains, Risaldars and Daffadars. Soldiers hold the ranks of Sowar or Naik. Recruitment to the Regiment in India now is in equal share, to Sikh Jats, Hindu Jats and Rajputs, with officers and administrative staff from all over India.
Comments
Post a Comment