Subedar

Subedar is a historical rank in the Indian Army and Pakistan Army, ranking below British commissioned officers and above non-commissioned officers. The rank was otherwise equivalent to a British captain.

History

These native Subedars have the knack of tramping upon us and extorting what they please of our estate from us...they will never forbid doing so till we have made them sensible of our power.

Origin

In British India, subedar or subadar was the second highest rank of enlisted Indian soldiers. It was derived from subahdar, the governor of a province in the Mughal Empire and the Maratha Empire. A subedar is senior to a naib subedar and junior to a subedar major.

It 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.

Until 1866, the rank was the highest a non-European Indian 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.