President's Bodyguard | |
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Active | 1773 – present |
Country | ![]() |
Allegiance | India |
Branch | ![]() |
Type | Household cavalry |
Role | Ceremonial during peace; Armoured reconnaissance & parachute pathfinders during war. |
Size | 222 (4 officers, 20 JCOs & 198 soldiers) [1] |
Part of | 50th Parachute Brigade |
Motto(s) | Bharat Mata Ki Jai (Victory to Mother India) [1] |
March | Sare Jahan se Accha [1] |
Equipment | BTR-80 |
Commanders | |
Colonel of the regiment | Colonel Amit Berwal [2] |
Ceremonial chief | President of India |
Insignia | |
Identification symbol | PBG |
The President's Bodyguard (PBG) is an elite household cavalry regiment of the Indian Army. It is the senior-most regiment 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. 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 as pathfinders. The regiment was previously the Governor General's Bodyguard of the British Raj.
The President's Bodyguard was previously the Governor General's Bodyguard of the Presidency armies and the British Indian Army. The Governor-General's Bodyguard was raised in September 1773 by Governor-General Warren Hastings from a handpicked 50 troopers of the Moghal Horse, itself raised in 1760 by local sirdars. In the same year, Maharaja Chait Singh of Benares provided another 50 troopers, raising 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.
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During the Partition of India, British Indian Army was divided 2:1 between the Dominions of India and Pakistan. Muslim personnel of the regiment were transferred to the Pakistan Army to form the Governor General's Bodyguard in Pakistan. The rest of the regiment, comprising the Sikhs, Jats and Rajputs remained with the Indian Army. The Viceroy's gold-plated buggy was coveted by both India and Pakistan. Its fate was decided by a coin toss between Colonel Thakur Govind Singh (India) and Sahabzada Yaqub Khan (Pakistan) and India won the buggy. [4]
The regiment would be renamed the President's Bodyguard when India became a republic on 26 January 1950.
The name of the regiment has changed throughout its history:
Year | Name |
---|---|
1773 | Governor's Troop of Moghuls |
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 President's Bodyguard is open to only Jats, Rajputs and Jat Sikh castes which are taken in equal numbers 33.3 percent from the states of Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan. [5] [1] The basic height requirement for enlistment is 1.84 metres (6 ft 0 in). [1] The regiment also has an operational role and has small unit on rotation to high altitude area, such as, Siachin, East Ladakh and Sikkim. The NCOs, JCOs and Officers of the regiment are trained tank-man, paratroopers, and horse-riders. There are 100 horses in the regiment.
The President's Bodyguard has inherited the following battle honours: [6]
all of which, except for "Java", are considered to be repugnant and cannot be carried on regimental colours.
The President's Bodyguard has seen action in all of independent India's major wars. It rendered yeoman service in the capital and helped reinstate confidence in the general public in the aftermath of the Partition of India.
After independence, Humber and Daimler armoured cars formed the mounts of the regiment and were deployed in the defense of Chushul at heights above 14,000 ft during the 1962 Sino-Indian War. [7] [8]
The regiment participated in Operation Ablaze in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965. The regiment served in Siachen glacier, where it has been serving till date with a section (6-20 troops) led by a JCO. A detachment of the regiment was a part of the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) to Sri Lanka during 1988–89, and Indian contingents to the UN Peace Keeping Forces in Somalia, Angola and Sierra Leone.
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 India 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 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 Presidential Standard of India. Prasad's personal standard was presented to the regiment on 18 January 1958 by the President himself. In November 1958, President Prasad presented a new Regimental Standard to the regiment, the previous Regimental Standard having been laid up after India became a republic. The old regimental standard rests in the Regiment Officer's mess.
The second president of India, Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan presented his banner to the regiment on 21 October 1962. His banner, with a grey background with emblem and crest in gold thread, incorporated his initials in Devanagari script in the center and four emblems in gold in the four corners, from the presidential standard. The new President's Standard of the Body Guard and the Regimental Standard were awarded by President Radhakrishnan on 11 November 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 JCOs, and 140 enlisted men, for a total strength of 180. 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 commanding officer has always been a brigadier or colonel. Recruitment to the regiment in India is now 1/3 each from Sikh Jats, Hindu Jats, and Rajputs, with officers and administrative staff from all over India. [9] [10] [5] Its current commanding officer is Colonel Anoop Tiwari and the second-in-command is Lieutenant Colonel Ramakant Yadav. [11]
S.No | Rank and Name | Parent Regiment | From | To |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Captain Sweny Toone | – | 1773 | 27 Jan 1777 |
2 | Major H. Briscoe | – | 27 Jan 1777 | 6 Apr 1778 |
3 | Captain W. Palmer | 3 Native Infantry | 6 Apr 1778 | 30 Apr 1782 |
4 | Lieutenant T. Polhill | 1 Native Infantry | 30 Apr 1782 | 4 Jul 1782 |
5 | Lieutenant S. Turner | 12 Native Infantry | 4 Jul 1782 | 18 Mar 1799 |
6 | Captain C. Fraser | 7 Bengal Native Cavalry | 18 Mar 1799 | 15 Apr 1800 |
7 | Captain H.C. Montgomery | Madras Establishment | 15 Apr 1800 | 1 Sep 1802 |
8 | Major F.A. Daniell | Madras Establishment | 1 Sep 1802 | Feb 1806 |
9 | Captain G.H. Gall | 8 Bengal Native Cavalry | Feb 1806 | 21 Jun 1818 |
10 | Captain W.H. Rainey | 4 Bengal Light Cavalry | 21 Jun 1818 | 14 Oct 1820 |
11 | Captain R.H. Sneyd | 1 Bengal Cavalry | 14 Oct 1820 | 3 Mar 1827 |
12 | Major E.J. Honywood | 7 Light Cavalry | 3 Mar 1827 | 3 Apr 1834 |
13 | Captain C.D. Dawkins | 2 Light Cavalry | 3 Apr 1834 | 18 Dec 1845 |
14 | Captain T. Quin | 4 Light Cavalry | 18 Dec 1845 | 25 Jun 1846 |
15 | Lieutenant E.G. Crossman | 45 Native Infantry | 25 Jun 1846 | 16 Jan 1847 |
16 | Major W. Mayne | 37 Native Infantry | 16 Jan 1847 | 11 Apr 1851 |
17 | Major W.A.A. Thomson | 9 Light Cavalry / 4 Bengal European Cavalry | 12 Apr 1851 | 4 Mar 1862 |
18 | Colonel G. Delane | 6 Light Cavalry | 4 Mar 1862 | 13 Nov 1874 |
19 | Major H.P. Peacock | 3rd European Light Cavalry | 13 Nov 1874 | 9 Jan 1878 |
20 | Major G.C. Jackson | 2nd Bengal European Cavalry | 9 Jan 1878 | 13 Dec 1883 |
21 | Captain C.W. Muir | 6 Bengal Cavalry | 13 Dec 1883 | 6 Jan 1889 |
22 | Captain R.C. Onslow | 10 Bengal Lancers | 7 Jan 1889 | 7 Jan 1894 |
23 | Major J.G. Turner | 4 Cavalry | 7 Jan 1894 | 21 Jul 1898 |
24 | Major R.E. Grimston | 6 King Edward’s Own Cavalry | 21 Jul 1898 | 2 Mar 1904 |
25 | Captain H.N. Holden | 5 Cavalry | 2 Mar 1904 | 2 Mar 1909 |
26 | Lieutenant V.A.S. Keighley | 18 PWO Tiwana Lancers | 2 Mar 1909 | 1 Apr 1915 |
27 | Captain W.A.S. de Gale | 22 Cavalry | 1 Apr 1915 | 16 Jun 1917 |
28 | Captain A. Brooke | 18 PWO Tiwana Lancers | 16 Jun 1917 | 5 May 1922 |
29 | Major E.G. Atkinson | 15 Lancers | 5 May 1922 | 13 Sep 1927 |
30 | Major M.D. Vigors, DSO, MC | Hodson’s Horse | 13 Sep 1927 | 29 May 1931 |
31 | Captain W.R.B. Peel | 19 Lancers | 29 May 1931 | 4 Oct 1936 |
32 | Major H.I. Mostyn-Owen | 19 Lancers | 4 Oct 1936 | 20 Oct 1943 |
33 | Major J.R.L. Tweed | IAC | 20 Oct 1943 | 18 Dec 1945 |
34 | Major P. Massey, MC | Baluch Regiment | 18 Dec 1945 | 31 Dec 1947 |
35 | Major Thakur Govind Singh | 61 Cavalry | 31 Dec 1947 | 24 Sep 1950 |
36 | Major S.K. Bharat Singh | 2 Lancers | 25 Sep 1950 | 27 Apr 1954 |
37 | Major S.G. Srinivasan | 1 Horse | 28 Apr 1954 | 14 Jul 1957 |
38 | Major Mohammad Mirza | 61 Cavalry | 1 Aug 1957 | 15 Nov 1962 |
39 | Major S.K. Pudumjee | 1 Horse | 16 Nov 1962 | 11 Oct 1966 |
40 | Major Surat Singh | 1 Horse | 12 Oct 1966 | 7 Sep 1971 |
41 | Major P.K. Mehra | 61 Cavalry | 8 Sep 1971 | 24 Apr 1975 |
42 | Major V.P. Singh | 61 Cavalry | 25 Apr 1975 | 22 Sep 1980 |
43 | Colonel H.S. Sodhi, VSM | 61 Cavalry | 23 Sep 1980 | 30 Sep 1987 |
44 | Colonel M.S. Sandhu | 82 Armoured Regiment | 14 Apr 1988 | 8 Jan 1991 |
45 | Colonel Aditya Singh | 9 Horse | 9 Jan 1991 | 21 Jun 1994 |
46 | Colonel D.C. Katoch | 76 Armoured Regiment | 22 Jun 1994 | 28 Oct 1995 |
47 | Colonel K.M.S. Shergill | 17 Horse | 29 Oct 1995 | 4 Oct 1999 |
48 | Colonel G.S. Malhi | 5 Armoured Regiment | 5 Oct 1999 | 19 Jul 2002 |
49 | Colonel Bhawani Singh | 61 Cavalry | 20 Jul 2002 | 30 Aug 2005 |
50 | Colonel A.A. Mahmood, VSM | 16 Cavalry | 31 Aug 2005 | 20 Nov 2008 |
51 | Colonel A. Bhanot | 89 Armoured Regiment | 21 Nov 2008 | 23 Jun 2011 |
52 | Colonel T.S. Mundi | 46 Armoured Regiment | 24 Jun 2011 | 23 Mar 2015 |
53 | Colonel Dhiraj Chengappa | 1 Horse | 24 Mar 2015 | – |
S.No | Rank and Name | Parent Regiment | From | To |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Lieutenant W. Mercer | 2 Bengal Native Cavalry | 1784 | 1796 |
2 | Captain H.C. Montgomery | Madras Establishment | 1799 | 1800 |
3 | Lieutenant F.A. Daniell | 4 Madras Native Cavalry | 15 Apr 1800 | 1 Sep 1802 |
4 | Lieutenant G.H. Gall | 8 Bengal Native Cavalry | 1 Sep 1802 | 13 Mar 1806 |
5 | Lieutenant W.G.A. Fielding | 7 Bengal Native Cavalry | 13 Mar 1806 | 15 Feb 1812 |
6 | Lieutenant C.S. Waring | 7 Bengal Native Cavalry | 15 Feb 1812 | 1813 |
7 | Cornet G.J. Shadwell | 2 Bengal Native Cavalry | 14 May 1813 | 27 Jan 1821 |
8 | Lieutenant H.L. Worrall | 1 Bengal Light Cavalry | 27 Jan 1821 | 1 Sep 1825 |
9 | Lieutenant J.D. Dyke | 4 Bengal Light Cavalry | 6 May 1825 | 9 Sep 1825 |
10 | Lieutenant C.D. Dawkins | 2 Light Cavalry | 9 Sep 1825 | 3 Mar 1827 |
11 | Lieutenant W. Wingfield | 10 Bengal Light Cavalry | 23 Mar 1827 | 15 Nov 1831 |
12 | Lieutenant J. Hamilton | 9 Bengal Light Cavalry | 15 Nov 1831 | 3 Apr 1834 |
13 | Lieutenant J.A.D. Fergusson | 6 Light Cavalry | 17 Jun 1834 | 20 Dec 1842 |
14 | Lieutenant W. Mayne | 37 Native Infantry / Bengal Irregular Cavalry | 20 Dec 1842 | 10 Feb 1844 |
15 | Lieutenant N.B. Chamberlain | 16 Native Infantry | 10 Feb 1844 | 13 Mar 1845 |
16 | Lieutenant W. Fisher | 10 Light Cavalry | 13 Mar 1845 | 18 Dec 1845 |
17 | Lieutenant T.T. Tucker | 8 Bengal Light Cavalry | 7 Jan 1846 | 5 Mar 1846 |
18 | Lieutenant G.D. Pakenham | 4 Bengal Light Cavalry | 5 Mar 1846 | 12 Apr 1851 |
19 | Lieutenant H.A.I. Ellis | 1 Bengal Light Cavalry | 12 Apr 1851 | 4 Jun 1852 |
20 | Lieutenant H. Durrant | 5 Light Cavalry | 4 Jun 1852 | 11 Apr 1853 |
21 | Lieutenant H.P. Peacock | 3 Bengal European Cavalry | 6 Oct 1859 | 3 Mar 1862 |
22 | Lieutenant H.B. Lockwood | 4 European Light Cavalry | 11 Mar 1862 | 12 Feb 1863 |
23 | Lieutenant T.F.C. Rochfort | 4 Bengal European Cavalry | 12 Feb 1863 | 20 Dec 1864 |
24 | Lieutenant W.A. Lawrence | 21 Hussars | 20 Dec 1864 | 2 Mar 1869 |
25 | Lieutenant T. Deane | 21 Hussars | 20 Jan 1868 | 2 Mar 1869 |
26 | Captain C.W. Muir | 6 Bengal Cavalry | 19 Jan 1877 | 18 Oct 1878 |
27 | Lieutenant D.A.W. Thuillier | 17 Bengal Cavalry | 22 Oct 1878 | 13 Jun 1881 |
28 | Lieutenant R.C. Onslow | 10 Bengal Lancers | 24 Jun 1881 | 9 Apr 1886 |
29 | Lieutenant J.G. Turner | 4 Cavalry | 9 Apr 1886 | 26 Mar 1891 |
30 | Lieutenant R.E. Grimston | 6 King Edward’s Own Cavalry | 9 Apr 1891 | 24 May 1893 |
31 | Lieutenant W.R. Birdwood | 11 Bengal Lancers | 24 May 1893 | 21 Nov 1898 |
32 | Captain I.G. White | 16 Bengal Cavalry | 21 Nov 1898 | 26 Mar 1900 |
33 | Lieutenant G.N. Hood | Central India Horse | 26 Mar 1900 | 1 Oct 1900 |
34 | Captain H.N. Holden | 5 Cavalry | 26 Oct 1900 | 1 Mar 1904 |
35 | Captain V.A.S. Keighley | 18 PWO Tiwana Lancers | 28 Apr 1904 | 2 Mar 1909 |
36 | Captain V.C.P. Hodson | 10 Hodson’s Horse | 2 Mar 1909 | 15 Apr 1913 |
37 | Captain I.R.V. Shirston | 11 King Edward’s Own Lancers | 16 Apr 1913 | 17 Apr 1917 |
38 | Captain E.V.F. Seymour | 9 Hodson’s Horse | 9 Sep 1918 | 3 Jan 1919 |
39 | Captain G.B. Harvey | 5 Cavalry | 11 Mar 1919 | 1922 |
40 | Captain R.T. Lawrence, MC | 4 Hodson’s Horse | 1922 | 1925 |
41 | Captain A.I.B. Anderson | 15 Lancers | 1925 | 1927 |
42 | Captain H.I. Mostyn Owen | 19 Lancers | 1927 | 7 Jan 1928 |
43 | Captain J.W. Davidson, MC | Probyn’s Horse | 7 Jan 1928 | 14 Oct 1930 |
44 | Captain W.R.B. Peel | 19 Lancers | 14 Oct 1930 | 5 Jun 1931 |
45 | Captain T.G. Atherton | Royal Deccan Horse | 5 Jun 1931 | 5 Jun 1935 |
46 | Captain C.R. Budgen | 3 Cavalry | 5 Jun 1935 | 6 Mar 1939 |
47 | Captain R.G. Hammer | 21 Prince Albert Victor’s Own Cavalry | 25 Feb 1943 | 5 Jan 1946 |
48 | Lieutenant P.A.O. Marriot | 21 Prince Albert Victor’s Own Cavalry | 25 Feb 1943 | 5 Jan 1946 |
49 | Captain H.C. Badhwar, MBE | 3 Cavalry | 23 Feb 1946 | 31 Oct 1946 |
50 | Captain S. Mohammad Yakub Khan | 18 Cavalry | 13 Nov 1946 | 17 Nov 1947 |
51 | Captain K.G.S. Bedi | Skinner’s Horse | 17 Nov 1947 | 18 Aug 1948 |
52 | Captain S.K. Bharat Singh | 2 Lancers | 1 Nov 1948 | 24 Sep 1950 |
53 | Captain S.G. Srinivasan | 1 Horse | 4 Jan 1951 | 27 May 1954 |
54 | Captain M.K. Bhawani Singh | 3 Cavalry | 3 May 1954 | 21 Nov 1962 |
55 | Captain H.S. Sodhi | 61 Cavalry | 22 Nov 1962 | 22 May 1966 |
56 | Captain R.K.S. Kalaan | 61 Cavalry | 23 May 1966 | 22 Dec 1969 |
57 | Captain T.S. Shergill | 9 Horse | 23 Jun 1969 | 16 Dec 1971 |
58 | Captain Bijendra Singh | 14 Horse | 18 Feb 1972 | 24 May 1975 |
59 | Captain Aditya Singh | 9 Horse | 25 May 1975 | 25 Jun 1978 |
60 | Captain Hardeep Singh | 17 Horse | 1 Jul 1978 | 5 Dec 1982 |
61 | Captain P.S. Bedi | 83 Armoured Regiment | 6 Dec 1982 | 26 Mar 1987 |
62 | Major Rakesh Passi | 12 Armoured Regiment | 27 Mar 1987 | 1 Apr 1990 |
63 | Major Y.K. Singh | 61 Cavalry | 2 Apr 1990 | 13 Aug 1992 |
64 | Major A.A. Mahmood | 16 Cavalry | 14 Aug 1992 | 5 Jun 1995 |
65 | Major Bhawani Singh | 61 Cavalry | 6 Jun 1995 | 23 Aug 1998 |
66 | Major S.S. Rathore | 61 Cavalry | 24 Aug 1998 | 5 Sep 2001 |
67 | Major Bhanu Pratap Singh | 51 Armoured Regiment | 6 Sep 2001 | 3 Mar 2004 |
68 | Lieutenant Colonel Sanjay Bhatia | 49 Armoured Regiment | 4 Mar 2004 | 18 Feb 2008 |
69 | Lieutenant Colonel Ravinder Narwal, SM | 46 Armoured Regiment | 19 Feb 2008 | 26 Jun 2010 |
70 | Lieutenant Colonel Mahendra Singh | 2 Lancers | 27 Jun 2010 | 29 May 2012 |
71 | Lieutenant Colonel Amit Bhardwaj | 52 Armoured Regiment | 30 May 2012 | – |
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