Brigade of The Guards

Brigade of The Guards is a regiment of the Indian Army. It is the first "All India" mixed "All Class" Composition Infantry Regiment of the Army where troops from all parts of India serve together in various battalions of the Regiment. The Guards Brigade was raised to implement the Government's policy of encouraging Army recruitment from classes and regions which had been under-represented in the forces. In the new regiment, called The Guards Brigade, the old system of class composition was replaced with recruitment open to all regions, castes, creeds, and sections of society. Three of the Army's oldest and most distinguished battalions—2nd Battalion of the 2nd Punjab Regiment, 1st Battalion of the Indian Grenadiers Regiment and 1st Battalion of the 6th Rajputana Rifles were converted as Guards battalions in 1949. Later, they were joined by the 1st Battalion of the 7th Rajput Regiment. It is the only regiment of Foot Guards in the Indian Army. Though the Brigade of The Guards is only 50 years old, its constituent battalions go back as far as 225 years and between them share 93 Battle Honours earned around the globe. The President of India is the Honorary Colonel-in-Chief and the Chief of Army Staff is the Colonel-in-Chief of The Guards. The Guards Regimental Centre is at Kamptee in Maharashtra.