By Devasis Chattopadhyay
India celebrates her 75th Republic Day. Different states and Union Territories are marking this special day with celebrations. Like all previous Republic Days, on New Delhi’s Kartavya Path (erstwhile Rajpath), this year too, a group of finest horsemen attired in exquisite red coats, elegant golden sashes, and magnificent turbans would accompany our President to the stage and give the order for the national anthem to begin for commencing the Republic Day celebrations. These horsemen are called the President’s Bodyguard (PBG) – the elite and senior-most household cavalry regiment of the Indian Army.
Most people don’t know that this regiment officially and proudly traces its roots and history in the Governor-General’s Bodyguard (GGBG) raised by the Governor-General of Fort William (alternatively called Governor-General of the Bengal Presidency) Warren Hastings of the British East India Company (EIC) in Kolkata in 1773. While forming the GGBG in September 1773, Warren Hastings had handpicked 50 troopers from the erstwhile Mughal Horse, a unit which was raised in 1760 by the local sardars of then Bengal Presidency loyal to the EIC after the victory of the English in the Battle of Plassey over Nawab of Bengal Siraj-ud -Daulah and his French allies on 23 June 1757. Later, Raja Cheyt Singh of Varanasi provided another 50 horsemen for the regiment that took the strength of this unit to 100.
The cavalry saw immediate action after its formation when it was deployed against the Sanyasis (the Monks) while they started a rebellion in Bengal in 1773. A reminder of this rebellion is in the novel Anandamath, written by India’s first modern novelist Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay at a later date. Our National Song – Bande Mataram – is a part of this book.
The next campaign of the GGBG was against the Rohillas in April 1774. The GGBG was also present during the war against Tipu Sultan in Mysuru in between 1790 and 1792. In 1843, during the battle for the succession that erupted in Gwalior after the death of Maharaja Jankojirao Scindia (ancestor of current central aviation minister of India – Jyotiraditya Scindia), GGBG took an active part to provide settlement. Internationally too, the unit had taken part in various military campaigns including those of World War I and II.
South Kolkata’s Ballygunge Maidan (Military) Camp, which still exists, opposite to the St. Lawrence High School on the posh Ballygunge Circular Road was mainly created in the early 19th century as the permanent home for the GGBG servicemen and their horses. When the capital of colonial India was shifted to New Delhi in 1911, the GGBG shifted its base out from the Ballygunge Maidan Camp too.
With our independence came the partition of the nation. It also divided the armed forces in a 2:1 ratio between India and Pakistan. GGBG was no exception. The Muslim members of the unit went to Pakistan; and Sikhs, Jats, and Rajputs stayed within the Indian Army. The title of the regiment remained GGBG till 26 January 1950, when India became a republic. Thereafter, GGBG became the President’s Bodyguard – in short – PBG.
After the division of other assets of the regiment, when it came to the gold-plated buggy of the British Viceroy, which too was a part of this unit’s assets, both India and Pakistan claimed it. To decide the fate of the buggy, both sides tossed a coin and India got the buggy. The President of India uses the buggy during ceremonial occasions even now. The erstwhile Indian President Ram Nath Kovind took the historic buggy ride from the Rashtrapati Bhavan to the Parliament House for his oath-taking ceremony, as did his predecessor Pranab Mukherjee during his oath-taking ceremony. Both the past Presidents used this buggy to attend the Republic Day parades as well.
After Ballygunge Maidan Camp became the permanent cantonment for this elite army unit, The Calcutta Gazette (1784 – 1818) , one of the first newspapers in India published form Kolkata founded by Francis Gladwin, and later controlled by Arthur Muir, Herbert H. Harrington, and Edmond Morris, reported in 1802, that various veterinary surgeons and specialised horse-minders were appointed to strengthen the cavalry for the first time in the country. Detailed pedigree registry of the horses were started to be maintained for the unit as well.
In his book ‘Historical Records of the Governor-General’s Body Guard’ Lt. V.C.P. Hodson had provided a partial unofficial regimental history of the gorgeously attired bodyguards from 1773 to 1908. Rest of the history is available in various official records of the Indian government.
The PBG completed its 250th anniversary last year, and in its truest military tradition, teaches us the importance of embracing India’s plurality while celebrating India’s 75th Republic Day. (IPA Service)
(Devasis Chattopadhyay, the author, is a Reputation Strategist, a Columnist, and a Kolkata history buff)
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