Subedar

Subedar is a rank of junior commissioned officer in the Indian Army; a senior non-commissioned officer in the Pakistan Army, and formerly a Viceroy's commissioned officer in the British Indian Army.[1]

Subedar rank insignia
 India
 Pakistan
Not to be confused with Subahdar, a historical title for the head of a provincial administration.

History

Subedar or subadar was the second-highest rank of Indian officer in the military forces of British India, ranking below "British Commissioned Officers" and above "Local Non-Commissioned Officers". Indian officers were promoted to this rank on the basis of both lengths of service and individual merit.

Under British rule, a Risaldar was the cavalry equivalent of a Subedar. A Subedar / Risaldar was ranked senior to a Jemadar and junior to a Subedar Major / Risaldar Major in an infantry / cavalry regiment of the Indian Army. Both Subedars and Risaldars wore two stars as rank insignia.[2]

The rank was introduced in the East India Company's presidency armies (the Bengal Army, the Madras Army and the Bombay Army) to make it easier for British officers to communicate with Indian troops. It was thus important for subedars to have some competence in English. In an order dated November 1755 the structure of an infantry company in the HEIC's newly raised infantry regiments provided for one subedar, four jemadars, 16 NCOs and 90 sepoys (private soldiers). This was to remain the approximate proportion until the number of British junior officers in a regiment increased later in the 18th century.[3]

Until 1866, the rank was the highest an Indian soldier could achieve in the army of British India. A subedar's authority was confined to other Indian troops, and he could not command British troops. Promoted from the ranks and usually advanced through seniority based on long service; the typical subedar of this period was a relatively elderly veteran with limited English, whose extensive regimental experience and practical knowledge was not matched by formal education or training.[4]

Before the Partition of India, subedars were known as Viceroy's commissioned officers (VCOs). After 1947, this term was changed to junior commissioned officers. It was not until the 1930s that significant numbers of Indian cadets began to be appointed as King's Commissioned Officers (KCOs) from either Sandhurst or the Indian Military Academy at Dehra Dun.[5]

Until 1858, subedars wore two epaulettes with small bullion fringes on each shoulder. After 1858, they wore two crossed golden swords, or, in the Gurkha regiments, two crossed golden kukris, on each side of the collar of the tunic or on the right breast of the kurta. After 1900, subedars wore two pips on each shoulder. A red-yellow-red ribbon was introduced under each pip after World War I. After World War II, this ribbon was moved to lie between the shoulder title and the rank insignia (two brass stars on both shoulders).

During the period of British rule, subedars and other VCOs wore distinctive uniforms that combined features of both British and Indian military dress.[6]

After Independence

After independence, which came in 1947 with the Partition of India, the former Indian Army was divided between India and Pakistan.[7]

Indian Army

In the Indian Army the rank has been promoted to second senior-most JCO with ribbon band on the shoulder strap two gold stars with a gold-red-gold stripe below. The Junior Commissioned Officers of the Indian Army is equivalent to Group-B Gazetted Officers in India.[8]

Pakistan Army

In the Pakistan Army, the rank has been retained as a senior JCO, but the distinguishing ribbon band on the shoulder strap is now red-green-red.

References
  1. Archives, The National. "The National Archives - Homepage". The National Archives. Retrieved 2021-01-22.
  2. Creese, Michael. Swords Trembling in Their Scabbards. The Changing Status of Indian Officers in the Indian Army 1757-1947. p. xiii. ISBN 9-781909-982819.
  3. Creese, Michael. Swords Trembling in Their Scabbards. The Changing Status of Indian Officers in the Indian Army 1757-1947. p. 26. ISBN 9-781909-982819.
  4. Creese, Michael. Swords Trembling in Their Scabbards. The Changing Status of Indian Officers in the Indian Army 1757-1947. p. 28. ISBN 9-781909-982819.
  5. Mason, Philip. A Matter of Honour. An Account of the Indian Army, its Officers and Men. pp. 453–466. ISBN 0-333-41837-9.
  6. coloured illustrations by A.C. Lovett contained in "The Armies of India", Lt. Get Sir George MacMunn, ISBN 0 947554 02 5
  7. "Indian Army- Indian Independence".
  8. "Insignia For Junior Commissioned Officers". Embibe.
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