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Hyderabad Contingent
Hyderabad Contingent was the armed force of the Nizam of Hyderabad. It was also known as the Nizam’s Army and Nizam’s Contingent.

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The Hyderabad Contingent was the armed force of the Nizam of Hyderabad. After the treaty of 1801, the native ruler or the Nizam of Hyderabad was obligated to preserve a military unit at Hyderabad. It was one of the Presidency Armies in British India. The regiment was also known as the Nizam`s Army and Nizam`s Contingent. Following the treaty of 1853, the unit was re-designated as the Hyderabad Contingent. Later the regiment became a part of the Kumaon Regiment, which was under the British Indian Army.

History of Hyderabad Contingent
The Hyderabad Contingent was established after Richard Wellesley, 1st Marquess Wellesley, was appointed as the Governor General of India. He devised a plan to free the nation from the influence of the French authorities. After he came to British India in the year 1798, Wellesley`s initial act was to effectuate the dissolution of the British Indian regiments of the Nizam of Hyderabad which was under the authority of Monsieur Raymond and administrated by non-British Europeans officers. The soldiers of the unit were raised into Nizam`s Contingent that was officered by British authorities. In the year 1799, the regiment participated at the Battle of Seringapatam and fought against Tipu Sultan in the concluding combat of the Fourth Mysore War.

Sir Henry Russell, who served as the Resident of British India in the court of Nizam of Hyderabad formed the Russell Brigade in 1813. The military unit consisted of 2 battalions. Later 4 more battalions were established and the regiment was titled as the Berar Infantry. Moreover, 2 battalions were established by Nawab Salabat Khan, Subedar of Berar and were designated as the Elichpur Brigade. It was also a part of the Hyderabad Contingent or Nizam`s Contingent. The troops of the Russell Brigade mainly consisted of Hindus, who were enlisted from Oudh and other regions of the state of Uttar Pradesh.

During the signing of a treaty in the year 1853, between the British authorities and the Nizam of Hyderabad, the regiment comprised of around 8 battalions. The unit was titled as the Hyderabad Contingent and was included as a part of the British Indian Army. During the commencement of the First World War, a Kumaon Battalion was developed on 23 October 1917 as the 4/39th Kumaon Rifles regiment on 23 October 1917. The unit was renamed as the 1st battalion, 50th Kumaon Rifles in 1918 and afterwards a 2nd battalion was also formed. These army units were amalgamated with the Hyderabad Contingent to form the 19th Hyderabad Regiment in the year 1923. After the culmination of the First World War, some of the companies in the regiment were disbanded. Later during the Second World War, but the military regiment was again extended.

Units of Hyderabad Contingent
The Hyderabad Contingent consisted of various types of regiments including Infantry, Cavalry, Artillery and a Subordinate Medical Department. This are mentioned as follows-

1. Infantry of Hyderabad Contingent
* 1st Infantry of Hyderabad Contingent
* 2nd Infantry of Hyderabad Contingent
* 3rd Infantry of Hyderabad Contingent
* 4th Infantry of Hyderabad Contingent
* 5th Infantry of Hyderabad Contingent
* 6th Infantry of Hyderabad Contingent

2. Cavalry of Hyderabad Contingent
* 1st Cavalry of Hyderabad Contingent
* 2nd Cavalry of Hyderabad Contingent
* 3rd Cavalry of Hyderabad Contingent
* 4th Cavalry of Hyderabad Contingent

3. Artillery of Hyderabad Contingent
* Hyderabad Contingent Artillery

4. Subordinate Medical Department of Hyderabad Contingent

Development of Hyderabad Contingent
The 19th Hyderabad regiment was again re-designated as the 19 Kumaon Regiment on 27 October 1945. After the political withdrawal of the British Empire in India in the year 1947, the country was divided, by the Partition of India, into the newly formed nations of the Union of India and the Dominion of Pakistan. Consequently, the British Indian Army was segregated amongst India and Pakistan. The military unit was assigned to the modern Indian Army and was renamed as the Kumaon Regiment. Eventually the Kumaon Regiment became one of the most decorated regiment of the modern Indian Army. The unit enlists the troops from Ahir from the plains and Kumaonis of Kumaon division.

Units of Kumaon Regiment
* 2nd Battalion
* 3rd Battalion (Rifles)
* 4th Battalion (Fighting Fourth)
* 5th Battalion
* 6th Battalion
* 7th Battalion
* 8th Battalion
* 9th Battalion
* 11th Battalion
* 12th Battalion
* 13th Battalion (Rezang La)
* 15th Battalion (Indore)
* 16th Battalion
* 17th Battalion (ex- 31st Battalion)
* 18th Battalion
* 19th Battalion
* 20th Battalion
* 21st Battalion
* Kumaon Scouts


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