The Hindu : New Delhi News : President’s Bodyguard awaiting trumpet and banner

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Wednesday, Feb 27, 2008
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New Delhi

President’s Bodyguard awaiting trumpet and banner

Smriti Kak Ramachandran

NEW DELHI: Seven months after Pratibha Patil assumed the country’s highest office, the President’s Bodyguard is gearing up to receive the customary silver trumpet and the trumpet banner from the country’s 12th President.

The impressive ceremony will be conducted in the first week of March instead of the latter part of the year. According to Rashtrapati Bhavan sources, there is no specific reason behind re-scheduling the formal procedure.

No further delay

“There is no fixed date for conducting the ceremony. It is usually done as soon as the new President assumes office. It is normally conducted in September or October because the weather is conducive and most of the other ceremonies are over,” said sources.

Also, they said that the President’s Bodyguard was keen to organise the annual event without any further delay. The event, complete with the ceremonial grandeur of the colonial period, includes a parade of horses, buggies and the old tradition of the cavalry carrying the trumpet banner.

The President’s Bodyguard has the unique privilege of carrying the President’s silver trumpet and trumpet banner.

Seniormost unit of army

Raised in 1773 in Benares by the then Governor Warren Hastings, the President’s Bodyguard has completed over 230 years of distinguished service and is the seniormost unit of the country’s Army. Dr. Zakir Husain’s death in 1969 while in office prevented the ceremony from being conducted.

Having earned the “Right of the Line” on all official and ceremonial occasions, the President’s Bodyguard takes precedence over all other regiments and corps.

At present, it consists of “handpicked” men trained for operational duties, both as tank-men and airborne troops. In addition to ceremonial roles, it is equipped with armoured cars and is an integral part of all State functions.

The President’s Bodyguard like most mounted units also carries a regimental standard presented by former President S. Radhakrishnan in 1963.

Horses of the unit are in bay colour, except the regimental trumpeter, who traditionally is always mounted on a grey charger. All the horses, the only ones in the Army permitted to wear full manes, are required to be of a minimum height of 157.5 cm at the shoulder.

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