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:
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! 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 .
- 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
thumb|President's bodyguard guard [[President of India visiting Parliament House]]
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.
! 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
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! S.No