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.

History

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.

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.

On January 27, 1950, the regiment was renamed the President’s Bodyguard.

Names 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

Strength and ethnic composition 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. The basic height requirement for enlistment is . 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 about 100 horses in the regiment. This includes parade horses, polo ponies, and coach horses.

Battle honours The President's Bodyguard has inherited the following battle honours: Java Ava Maharajpoor Moodkee Ferozeshah Aliwal Sobraon

all of which, except for "Java", are considered to be repugnant and cannot be carried on regimental colours.

Operational history 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.

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.

Standards, guidons & banners 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".

Present status

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 1,929 men in 1845. However, since 1950, it has 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. Its current commanding officer is Colonel Amit Berwal and the second-in-command is Lieutenant Colonel Angad Singh Thind.

Gallery

Commandants 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 –

Adjutants