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Subedar ( ) is a military rank in the militaries of South Asia roughly equivalent to that of a warrant officer. Historically classed in the British Indian Army as a Viceroy's commissioned officer, the rank was retained in the Indian Army and Pakistan Army after independence. The rank of subedar is classed as a junior commissioned officer rank in India and Pakistan.
Under British rule, a Risaldar was the cavalry equivalent of a Subedar. Subedar and Risaldar were both ranked senior to a Jemadar and junior to a Subedar Major or a Risaldar Major in an infantry/cavalry regiment of the Indian Army. Both Subedars and Risaldars wore two stars as rank insignia.Michael Creese9781909982819 ISBN 9781909982819
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 language. In a November 1755 order, the structure of an infantry company in the HEIC's newly raised infantry regiments provided for one subedar, four jemadars, 16 NCOs and 90 (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.Michael Creese9781909982819 ISBN 9781909982819
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.Michael Creese9781909982819 ISBN 9781909982819
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.Philip Mason9780333418376 ISBN 9780333418376
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.Coloured illustrations by A. C. Lovett contained in The Armies of India, Lt. Get Sir George MacMunn, .
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