Subedar
Encyclopedia
Subedar is a historical rank in the Indian Army, ranking below British commissioned officers and above non-commissioned officers
. The rank was otherwise equivalent to a British lieutenant
and 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 native troops. It was thus essential for Subedars to be fluent in English.
and the Maratha Empire
, the Subahdar
was the governor of a province. During the British Government it was named as a lowest army rank.
Until 1858, Subedars wore two epaulette
s 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 collar of a tunic or else on the right breast of their kurta
s. After 1900, Subedars wore two pips on each shoulder. A red-yellow-red ribbon was introduced under each pip after the Great War. After the Second World War, this ribbon was moved to lie between the shoulder title and the rank insignia.
Until 1866, the rank was the highest a non-European Indian could achieve in the armies of British India. A Subedar's authority was confined to other Indian troops, and he could not command British troops.
Before the 1947 Partition of India
and the independence of India
and Pakistan
, Subedars were known as Viceroy's Commissioned Officer
s. After 1947 this term was changed to 'Junior Commissioned Officers
'.
, the former Indian Army was divided between India
and Pakistan
. In the Pakistan Army
, the rank has been retained, but the ribbon is now red-green-red. After Bangladesh
separated from Pakistan, the Bangladesh Army
also retained the rank, changing the ribbon colours to red-purple-red, but in Bangladesh the title of Subedar was changed in 1999 to Senior Warrant Officer.
Non-commissioned officer
A non-commissioned officer , called a sub-officer in some countries, is a military officer who has not been given a commission...
. The rank was otherwise equivalent to a British lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
and was introduced in the East India Company
East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
's presidency armies
Presidency armies
The presidency armies were the armies of the three presidencies of the East India Company's rule in India, later the forces of the British Crown in India...
, (the Bengal Army
Bengal Army
The Bengal Army was the army of the Presidency of Bengal, one of the three Presidencies of British India, in South Asia. Although based in Bengal in eastern India, the presidency stretched across northern India and the Himalayas all the way to the North West Frontier Province...
, the Madras Army
Madras Army
The Madras Army was the army of the Presidency of Madras, one of the three presidencies of the British India within the British Empire.The presidency armies, like the presidencies themselves, belonged to the East India Company until the Government of India Act 1858 transferred all three...
and the Bombay Army
Bombay Army
The Bombay Army was the army of the Bombay Presidency, one of the three Presidencies of British India, in South Asia.The Presidency armies, like the presidencies themselves, belonged to the East India Company until the Government of India Act 1858 transferred all three presidencies to the direct...
) to make it easier for British officers to communicate with native troops. It was thus essential for Subedars to be fluent in English.
History
In the Mughal EmpireMughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
and the Maratha Empire
Maratha Empire
The Maratha Empire or the Maratha Confederacy was an Indian imperial power that existed from 1674 to 1818. At its peak, the empire covered much of South Asia, encompassing a territory of over 2.8 million km²....
, the Subahdar
Subahdar
Subahdar was one of the designations of a governor of a Subah during the Mughal era of India who was alternately designated as Sahib-i-Subah or Nazim. The word, Subahdar is of Persian origin...
was the governor of a province. During the British Government it was named as a lowest army rank.
Until 1858, Subedars wore two epaulette
Epaulette
Epaulette is a type of ornamental shoulder piece or decoration used as insignia of rank by armed forces and other organizations.Epaulettes are fastened to the shoulder by a shoulder strap or "passant", a small strap parallel to the shoulder seam, and the button near the collar, or by laces on the...
s 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 collar of a tunic or else on the right breast of their kurta
Kurta
A kurta is a traditional item of clothing worn in Afghanistan, Pakistan , Nepal, India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. It is a loose shirt falling either just above or somewhere below the knees of the wearer, and is worn by both men and women...
s. After 1900, Subedars wore two pips on each shoulder. A red-yellow-red ribbon was introduced under each pip after the Great War. After the Second World War, this ribbon was moved to lie between the shoulder title and the rank insignia.
Until 1866, the rank was the highest a non-European Indian could achieve in the armies of British India. A Subedar's authority was confined to other Indian troops, and he could not command British troops.
Before the 1947 Partition of India
Partition of India
The Partition of India was the partition of British India on the basis of religious demographics that led to the creation of the sovereign states of the Dominion of Pakistan and the Union of India on 14 and 15...
and the independence of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, Subedars were known as Viceroy's Commissioned Officer
Viceroy's Commissioned Officer
A viceroy's commissioned officer was a senior Indian member of the British Indian Army. VCOs were senior in rank to warrant officers in the British Army, and held a commission issued by the viceroy...
s. After 1947 this term was changed to 'Junior Commissioned Officers
Junior Commissioned Officer
Junior commissioned officer is a term describing a group of military ranks found in the Indian Army, Pakistan Army, Bangladesh Army and Nepal Army. Those soldiers holding JCO rank receive a commission from the President,...
'.
After independence
After independence, which came in 1947 with the Partition of IndiaPartition of India
The Partition of India was the partition of British India on the basis of religious demographics that led to the creation of the sovereign states of the Dominion of Pakistan and the Union of India on 14 and 15...
, the former Indian Army was divided between India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
. In the Pakistan Army
Pakistan Army
The Pakistan Army is the branch of the Pakistani Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. The Pakistan Army came into existence after the Partition of India and the resulting independence of Pakistan in 1947. It is currently headed by General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani. The Pakistan...
, the rank has been retained, but the ribbon is now red-green-red. After Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
separated from Pakistan, the Bangladesh Army
Bangladesh Army
The Bangladesh Army is the land forces branch and the largest of the three uniformed service of the Bangladesh Armed Forces. The primary mission of the Army is to provide necessary forces and capabilities in support of Bangladesh's security and defense strategies including defense of the nation's...
also retained the rank, changing the ribbon colours to red-purple-red, but in Bangladesh the title of Subedar was changed in 1999 to Senior Warrant Officer.
External links
- www.Bharat-Rakshak.com/Army/Ranks.html- Illustration of various military insignias including three Subedar insignias