The 1st Cavalry of Hyderabad Contingent was an army cavalry unit of the British East India Company. The Hyderabad Contingent was the armed force of the Nizam of Hyderabad. After the 1801 treaty, the Nizam of Hyderabad was duty-bound to maintain a military force at Hyderabad. The regiment was also designated as the Nizam`s Army and the Nizam`s Contingent. Afterwards the regiment became a part of the Kumaon Regiment of the British Indian Army. The unit was one of the Presidency Armies in British India. Although the Presidency Armies operated under the British East India Company until the Indian Rebellion, also known as the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857; later the several presidency armies were amalgamated together to form the British Indian Army in the year 1903. The 1st Cavalry of Hyderabad Contingent was also known as the 20th Deccan Horse.
History of 1st Cavalry of Hyderabad Contingent
The 1st Cavalry of Hyderabad Contingent was raised as the Irregular Cavalry of Asif Shah under the Colours of the Nizam of Hyderabad in the year 1790 in Berar. Later the battalion came under the control of the British East India Company and in 1826 the unit became the 1st Regiment of Nizam`s Cavalry. In the year 1854, the military unit was titled as the 1st Cavalry of Hyderabad Contingent. The British Indian army regiment was united with the 29th Lancers (Deccan Horse) to form the Royal Deccan Horse (9th Horse) in 1922. The unit was awarded battle honours for Punjab Frontier and Central India.
After the political withdrawal of the British Empire in India on 15th August 1947, the nation was divided into India and Pakistan by the Partition of India. As an outcome, the British Indian Army was divided accordingly amongst the newly formed countries of the Union of India and the Dominion of Pakistan. The 1st Madras Native Cavalry was allocated to the modern Indian Army.
Designations of 1st Cavalry of Hyderabad Contingent
The 1st Cavalry of Hyderabad Contingent comprised of various designations through out its service in the British Indian Army. These are mentioned as follows -
* Asif Shah`s Irregular Cavalry (under the Colours of the Nizam of Hyderabad) in 1790
* Nizam`s Contingent in 1801
* 1st Reformed Horse (Nawab Jalal-ul-Daula`s) in 1816
* 1st Regiment of Nizam`s Cavalry in 1826
* 1st Cavalry of Hyderabad Contingent in 1854
* 1st Lancers of Hyderabad Contingent in 1890
* 20th Deccan Horse in 1903
* Royal Deccan Horse (9th Horse) (merged with 29th Lancers Deccan Horse) in 1922
* Assigned to Indian Army in 1947
* The Deccan Horse (9 Horse) in 1950
