The 2nd Cavalry of Hyderabad Contingent was a military cavalry regiment of the British East India Company. The Hyderabad Contingent was the army of the Nizam of Hyderabad. After the treaty of 1801, the Nizam of Hyderabad was obliged to preserve a military unit at Hyderabad. The regiment was also known as the Nizam`s Contingent and Nizam`s Army. Later the regiment became a part of the Kumaon Regiment of the British Indian Army. It was one of the Presidency Armies in British India. Although the Presidency Armies functioned under the British East India Company until the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857; later the various presidency armies were joined together to raise the British Indian Army in the year 1903. The 2nd Cavalry of Hyderabad Contingent was also known as the 29th Lancers (Deccan Horse).
History of 2nd Cavalry of Hyderabad Contingent
The 2nd Cavalry of Hyderabad Contingent was formed in the year 1790 as the Irregular Cavalry of Asif Shah under the Colours of the Nizam of Hyderabad in Berar. Later the unit came under the control of the British East India Company and in the year 1854, the military unit was renamed as the 2nd Cavalry of Hyderabad Contingent. The British Indian regiment was eventually merged with the 20th Deccan Horse to form the Royal Deccan Horse (9th Horse) in the year 1922.
After the nation gained freedom from the supremacy of the British Empire in India on 15th August 1947, the country was separated with the Partition of India. As a result, 2 new independent nations were formed and the several regiments of the former British Indian Army were shared among the Union of India and the Dominion of Pakistan. The 2nd Cavalry of Hyderabad Contingent was assigned to the modern Indian Army.
Designations of 2nd Cavalry of Hyderabad Contingent
The 2nd Cavalry of Hyderabad Contingent held a many titles through out its existence during the restructuring of the British Indian Army, like the other regiments. These are listed below -
* Asif Shah`s Irregular Cavalry (under the Colours of the Nizam of Hyderabad) in 1790
* Nizam`s Contingent in 1801
* 2nd Reformed Horse in 1816
* 2nd Regiment, Nizam`s Cavalry in 1826
* 2nd Cavalry of Hyderabad Contingent in 1854
* 2nd Lancers of Hyderabad Contingent in 1890
* 29th Lancers (Deccan Horse) in 1903
* Royal Deccan Horse (9th Horse) (merged with 20th Deccan Horse) in 1922
* Assigned to Indian Army in 1947
* The Deccan Horse (9 Horse) in 1950