President Droupadi Murmu will present the Silver Trumpet and Trumpet Banner to the President’s Bodyguard (PBG) at a ceremony to be held at the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan on Thursday. For this, a full dress rehearsal was conducted on Wednesday.
In the one-and-half-hour-long ceremony, the PBG will accept President’s Silver Trumpet and Trumpet Banner. The veterans will do the parade and LED lights on horses for display will be performed for the first time during the ceremony.
The presentation parade shall be followed by an audio-visual presentation highlighting the history and significance of the Silver Trumpet and Trumpet Banner and the modern-day role of the PBG.
Professionally honed with precision and trained to perfection, the horsemen will display a variety of traditional Indian equestrian skills followed by the horses trotting in line with the music of the military band.
On 27th October, the ceremony becomes even more special as the President’s Bodyguard is celebrating 250 years of its Rais, coinciding with ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ and the presentation of Silver Trumpet and Trumpet Banner by the President of India at the Forecourt of the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Talking about the ceremony, Commandant, President’s Bodyguard Colonel Anup Tiwary said, “There would be the Silver Trumpet and Trumpet banner presentation which is done to President’s bodyguard by President of India. The banner got President’s name inscribed in the Devanagari script. So far 13 presidents have presented it.”
Being the President of India’s own troops, the PBG has the unique distinction of being the only military unit of the Indian Army, privileged to carry the President’s Silver Trumpet and Trumpet Banner.
“This banner has got the names of the Presidents in Devanagari script. The event is conducted once in the whole tenure of each President. However, this year since PBG is entering the 250th year of raising, this ceremony becomes more important for us,” Tiwary said.
Highlighting on special performance done for the 250th year during the ceremony the PBG commandant mentioned that a veteran’s parade with old riders in their 80’s for the very first time would be mounted on horses to mark the occasion besides musical ride with LED displays in the sprawling sandstone Forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan.
“We have included veterans for the first time. Some of these people have represented the nation in the Asian games and won medals for the country. There would be an LED display by the night. So these are some of the unique things which one should witness this year,” Tiwary added.
The President’s Bodyguard has a long and rich history which commenced with its raising on 30 September 1773 at Benares. It is the senior most Regiment whose distinction is in its position as “Right of Line” on all ceremonial occasions. PBG performs the dual role of ceremonial tasks at Rashtrapati Bhavan as well as operational tasks with Para formation subject to release by the President of India. The Regiment has a carefully preserved rich legacy nurtured over the years and will commemorate 250 years’ celebrations (Sestercentennial) in the year 2022-2023 which will be a landmark event for the Regiment and Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Traditionally, all cavalry units carry a Trumpet, over the years, the notes of the Trumpet have always heralded the triumphant passage of ceremonial splendour. This tradition of the presentation of the Silver Trumpet and Trumpet Banner commenced in 1923 when the Bodyguard had completed 150 years of honourable service. After independence, when India became Republic the first Silver Trumpet and Trumpet Banner presentation took place on 14 May 1957 when Dr Rajendra Prasad was the President of India. Since then 13 Presidents have presented the Banner..