President ' s Bodyguard ( India ) The President ' s Bodyguard 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 Bhawan in New Delhi , India . It is equipped as a mounted unit , with horses for ceremonies at the presidential palace and BTR - 60 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 . History . 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 dragoon s and one troop of hussar s were raised - the latter becoming the personal bodyguard of the Governor . 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 Body Guard ( PBG ) is the oldest surviving mounted unit and the senior most regiment of the Indian Army . PBG was raised by Governor Warren Hastings in Sep 1773 . Hastings handpicked 50 troopers from the ‘ Moghal Horse ' , which was raised in 1760 by local sirdars , Sirdars Mirza Shahbaz Khan & Sirdar Khan Tar Beg . In the same year , Raja Cheyt Singh of Benaras provided another 50 troopers that took the strength of the unit to 100 . The first commander of the unit was Capt . Sweeny Toone , an officer of the Honourable East Indian Company ( HEIC ) , who had Lt . 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 Ferrier GGBG was the only Corps of cavalry in the Bengal presidency till 1777 when two Regiments of Cavalry were transferred to the HEIC by Nawab of Oudh . Both the regiments were raised in 1776 . Titles . President ' s Body Guard ' s title kept on changing with the passage of time : - 1773 - 1780 The Governor ' s * Troops of Moghals . Other titles in use were Troops of Body Guard , Governor ' s Troops of Bodyguards , Troops of Horse guards , Troops of Black Cavalry , Body Troop . 1784 Governor General ' s Body guards ( GGBG ) 1859 His Excellency the Viceroy ' s Body Guards * * 1944 44th Divisional Reconnaissance Squadron ( GGBG ) 1946 Governor General ' s Bodyguard 1947 After independence , the unit got split between Governor General ' s Body Guard , India & Governor General ' s Body Guard , Pakistan . 1950 The President ' s Body Guard , India . In Pakistan the title remained GGBG till 1956 . Strength and ethnic composition . Strength of the regiment varied throughout its history . Minimum strength of the unit was 50 when it was raised in 1773 but the precise maximum strength of the unit is not known . President of India ' s website claims a number of 1929 just before the First Sikh war but some historians believe the number to be 469 . As per the book “ Historical Records of the Governor General ' s Body Guards ” published in 1910 , 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 . Ethnic composition of the unit also kept on changing . It started with Muslims ( Moghals ) from Awadh ( Eastern U . P . ) when it was raised in 1773 . By 1800 , Hindus ( Rajput & Brahmins ) were allowed to join GGBG along with Muslims but the area of the recruitment remained the same , Awadh & Bihar . In 1800 , the recruitment pool was changed from Bengal Presidency to Madras Presidency & GGBG was reconstituted with troopers from Madras cavalry & for next 60 years , South Indian Castes formed bulk of the unit . After the Great Mutiny of 1857 , center of recruitment of Indian Army was shifted from Awadh & south India to North India . GGBG was no exception & Sikhs were enlisted for the first time in Aug 1883 & Punjabi Muslims in Oct 1887 . Recruitment of Brahmins & Rajputs ceased in 1895 . After that , the recruitment was fixed at 50 % Sikhs ( Malwa & Majha ) & 50 % Muslims ( Hindustani & Punjabi ) . Currently Jat , Sikhs & Rajputs are taken in equal number primarily from the states of Punjab , Haryana & Rajasthan . Minimum height necessary to be enlisted is 6 feet . Before independence the average height of the troopers was 6 feet 3 inches . Because of the personality & appearance of the men , popular acronym of GGBG was ‘ God ' s Gift to Beautiful Girls ' . Battle honours . The President ' s Bodyguard has the following battle honour s : all of which , except for " Java " , are considered to be repugnant and cannot be carried on regimental colours . Operational history . PBG first saw action in 1773 - 74 when it was deployed against Sanyasis – a band that ravaged the countryside in the guise of mendicants . Its next campaign was against Rohillas in April 1774 in the battle of St . George where Rohillas were defeated completely . The unit was also present during the 3rd Mysore War ( 1790 – 92 ) against Tipu Sultan . During this campaign , it successfully thwarted an assassination attempt on the life of Governor General Lord Cornwallis . In 1801 , a detachment consisted of 1 Native officer & 26 other ranks went to Egypt to ride the horses of experimental horse artillery . It marched for 120 miles in the desert in the height of summer . All their horses died & they had to place the guns on camels . They never saw action in Egypt as Alexandria had capitulated by the time , they arrived there . But all these campaigns did not bring any Battle Honour to GGBG . They earned their first Battle Honour ‘ Java ' in 1811 during the conquest of the island . At present PBG has the unique distinction of being the only surviving unit to carry this honour . In 1824 , a detachment volunteered to sail over kaala paani ( Black War , at that time , Hindu soldiers would refrain from sailing over sea for the fear of losing their caste ) to take part in the first Burmese War and earned their second Battle Honour ‘ Ava ' . Body Guards received their third Battle Honour ‘ Maharajpore ' for the battle of Maharajpore in 1843 when British intervened in the battle for the succession that erupted in Gwalior after the death of Maharaja Scindia . PBG fought all the main battles of the First Sikh War & earned four Battle honours . During the 1857 mutiny , Lord Canning himself asked the officers and other ranks to serve without arms as a precautionary measures , which they did in good faith and later , they escorted Lord Canning to the grand Darbar at Allahabad where on 1 Nov 1858 , it was proclaimed that India will be governed by the Crown and title of Viceroy was conferred on the Governor General . During the WW1 , Lord Harding offered the Body Guards as Divisional Cavalry for the Meerut Division , which was going to France . But it was decided that the best use of the Body Guards would be working as trainers for raw remounts of cavalry & artillery . Thus for the entire period of the WW1 , GGBG worked as remount training center . However , a detachment of the unit was sent to France as a reinforcement of 3rd Skinner ' s Horse . During the World War 2 , for a brief period of time , GGBG served as 44th Division Reconnaissance Squadron . Independence came with partition of the nation and armed forces were also divided in 2 : 1 ratio between India and Pakistan . GGBG was no exception , so Muslim elements of the unit went to Pakistan & Sikhs and Rajput elements stayed with India . The title of the Body Guard remained GGBG till 26 January 1950 when India became Republic & GGBG became President ' s Body Guard . The first commandant of the regiment was Lt . Col . Thakur Govind Singh and his adjutant was Shibzada Yakub Singh , who decided to join Pakistan Army . After the division of other assets of the regiment , when it came to gold plated buggy of the Viceroy , both India & Pakistan wanted it . To decide the fate of the buggy , Col . Singh & Sahibzada Yakub Singh tossed a coin & India got the buggy . After the independence , PBG saw action in all the major wars . It rendered yeoman service in the capitol & helped reinstating confidence in general public . In 1962 Indo - China war , PBG armoured cars were the first one to be airlifted to Chusul . It participated in Operation Ablaze in 1965 indo - Pak war . The regiment served in Siachin glacier where it has been serving till date . A detachment of the regiment was a part of the Indian Peacekeeping Forces to Sri Lanka during 1988 - 89 & Indian contingents to UN Peace Keeping Forces to Somalia , Angola and Sierra Leone . Other bodyguard units . Before Independence , there were three more Body guard units , one for each Presidency . These units were called Governor ' s Body guard ( and not Governor General ' s Body Guards ) . All these units were disbanded in 1947 . Governor ' s Body Guard , Madras . This was the senior most regiment among the three Governor ' s Body Guard regiments . Raised in 1778 at Madras with one Sergeant , one Corporal & 12 European troopers & was placed under command of Lt . P . Sullivan . Unlike other Madras Army regiments , GBG , Madras retained its title throughout its history till 1947 when it was disbanded . The strength & composition of the unit , however , kept on changing . In 1778 , it had one European troop & in 1781 , the strength was raised to 1 European & 1 Native troops . The European troop was disbanded in 1784 & a company of the light infantry was attached . By 1799 , strength of the GBG was raised to 100 men & they performed escort duty in Persia & Mysore war . From 1808 to 1820 , detachments from different Madras cavalry regiments joined GBG on rotation . The regiment took part in third Maratha War ( 1817 – 1819 ) where its charge along with 6th Bengal Light Cavalry changed the course of the war & considered as the decisive factor in winning the war . During the war , the regiment earned its only Battle Honour ‘ Seetabuldee ' for the relief of Nagpur Residency . GBG , Madras also took part in the First Burma war ( 1824 – 1826 ) , where it rescued the advance guard which was surrounded by a large body of enemy force at Pagan . During the First World War , the regiment served as a remount training center and also patrolled the beaches during the bombardment of Madras by a German ship Emden . A combined force was also formed from detachment from Bombay & Madras Body Guards and was sent to serve in France . The Governor ' s Body Guards , Madras also received a standard from Lord Willingdon in March 1924 bearing its only Battle Honour ' Seetabuldee ' . At the time of its raising , the unit only had European troops . But 1781 onwards , South Indian classes dominated the regiment for most of the time , especially Deccani & Madrasi Muslims . In 1947 , Unit had Rajputs from Rajasthan & Jats from Western UP & Punjab . Governor ' s Body Guard , Bombay . The unit was raised on 22 March 1865 in Poona from a selected body of troopers of a disbanded unit , The Southern Mahratta Horse ( SMH ) , which was first raised in 1850 . Though the unit was re - organized twice in 1895 & 1938 there was no change in its title . It also retained its title throughout its existence until 1947 , when it was disbanded . In 1865 , it had Mahratta troopers only from SMH but later Sikhs , Deccani Muslims and Punjabi Muslims also served in the unit . Governor ' s Body Guard , Bengal . In 1912 , capitol of India was transferred from Calcutta to Delhi & the Viceroy , along with Governor General ' s Body Guard , moved to Delhi and Bengal got the status of the Presidency just like Bombay & Madras . At that time , Capt . Rivers Berney Worgan of 20th Deccan Horse raised Governor ' s BG , Bengal from volunteers from different Bengal cavalry regiments . This was the youngest unit among three GBG units . GBG , Bengal also retained its title throughout its existence & was also disbanded in 1947 . Only Punjabi Muslims & Rajputs were recruited for the unit . Since GBG , Bengal came into existence in 1912 , there is no photo of the unit by Fred Bremner . When it came to uniform , all three GBG units followed the pattern of Governor General ' s Body Guards and they just added few articles like cummerbunds and plastrons . Standards , guidons & banners . 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 & London 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 Body Guards by Lord Reading in 1923 on the 150th anniversary of the raising of the unit . One banner represented Star of India with the Battle Honors of the regiment and the other banner carried Coat - of - Arms of the viceroy . Each Successive Viceroy presented a banner to the Body Guard on assuming office , banners of past viceroy ' s being kept in the custody of the regiment . The practice is in place till date & every president present a silver trumpet to the regiment – the only difference being replacement of the coat - of - arms of Viceroy with the monogram of the President . First trumpet with banner by the President of Republic of India was presented by Rajender Prasad on 14 May 1957 . It had maroon background , emblem and crest in gold thread . The design incorporated the initials of Rajender Prasad in Devnagri script in the center & four emblems in gold in all four corners of the banner , from the Personal Standard of the President . The Personal Standard of the then President , Rajender Prasad was presented to the regiment on 18 Jan 1958 by the President himself . In Nov 1958 , President Rajender Prasad presented new Regimental Standard to the PBG , the previous Regimental Standard had been laid up after India became republic . Old Regimental Standard still rests in the Regiment ' s Officer ' s mess . When the 2nd President Radha Krishnan assumed office , he presented his banner to the PBG on 21 Oct 1962 . His banner had grey background and emblem and crest in gold thread . The design incorporated his initials in Devnagri script in the center & four emblems in gold in four corners , from the Personal flag of the President . New President ' s Standard of the Body Guard and the Regimental Standard were awarded by the President Radha Krishnan on 11 Nov 1963 . The Regimental Standard is dark blue in colour with Regimental crest in the center surrounded by the lotus flowers and Ashoka leaves . Five scrolls on either side of the crest are for the Battle Honours & Standard bears the motto “ Bharat Mata ki Jai ” . Present status . 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 Major s , Captains , Risaldars and Daffadars . Soldiers hold the ranks of Sowar or Naik . Recruitment to the Regiment in India now is in equal share , to Sikhs , Jats and Rajputs , with officers and administrative staff from all over India .