Unique | ‘Thank God, the PBG is again!’: The President’s Bodyguard and its storied legacy of polo

Within the coronary heart of nationwide capital, nestled throughout the historic precincts of the President’s Property, lies the cradle of Indian polo — the President’s Bodyguard (PBG) Parade Floor.

On 14 December, 2024, this storied venue hosted the long-lasting President’s Polo Cup, attended by none aside from the President Droupadi Murmu.

The annual polo exhibition match gave Firstpost a chance to firsthand witness India’s equestrian heritage, the legacy of the PBG and their unparalleled contribution to Indian polo.

In
our first characteristic, we explored the fundamentals of polo and its progress potential in India, following which
our second characteristic targeted on the position of the 61st Cavalry in sustaining the game’s legacy.

Now we delve deeper into the game and it’s historic reference to the senior-most regiment of the Indian Military.

The President’s Polo Cup

Established in 1975, the President’s Polo Cup rapidly turned one of the prestigious tournaments within the nation. Open to groups with a minimal handicap of 10 targets, it showcased the best polo expertise in India.

The inaugural occasion, held in February 1975, was attended by then-President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed and Begum Abida Ahmed. For 3 many years, this match flourished beneath the stewardship of the PBG, turning into an indicator of excellence in Indian polo.

Nonetheless, in 2004, the Indian Polo Affiliation (IPA) transitioned from the President’s Bodyguard to the 61st Cavalry, and the Cup noticed an premature hiatus in 2005.

Reviving this cherished custom, the PBG organised the primary President’s Polo Cup Exhibition Match in 2013. This annual occasion has since turn out to be a cornerstone of the ‘Delhi Fall Polo Season’, providing a spectacle of equestrian ability and aggressive spirit whereas reinforcing the PBG’s historic ties to the game.

Jai Shergill, a member of the IPA and a nationwide selector for the Indian polo staff, echoed this sentiment, telling Firstpost, “The PBG has at all times been a part of polo. The PBG staff has been so sturdy over time. And there’s no query, that the PBG are nonetheless very a lot a part of polo.”

Reviving a sporting custom

The PBG’s Parade Floor has lengthy been a breeding floor for Indian polo expertise. As Simran Singh Shergill, a +3 handicap participant and 2019 Arjuna awardee, reminisced, “I’m very glad and really proud to play this sport. I really feel a variety of respect and a variety of attraction in direction of the bodyguard [PBG] as a result of I’m a product of the bodyguard as my father commanded this prestigious regiment.”

“For the years that my father was right here, I used to be fortunate sufficient to get a style of the game and in a while play polo extra and turn out to be knowledgeable polo participant. This place the place we’re standing is within the coronary heart of the town,” Simran instructed Firstpost.

President Kovind confers Arjuna Award, 2019 upon Shri Simran Singh Shergill for his achievements in Polo .

🔹Runner up in Polo World Cup play off in 2015
🔹Finest participant of the match in Argentina 2014
🔹He’s thought of because the longest hitter within the nation pic.twitter.com/gY19c1kv6I

— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) August 29, 2019

Firstpost learnt that aside from Simran, many different famend polo gamers like Colonel Billy Sodhi, Brigadier VP Singh, Naveen Jindal, Uday Kalaan, Angad Kalaan, Samir Suhag and others started their journeys right here.

In recent times, beneath the management of Colonel Amit Berwal, the commandant of the regiment, PBG has reinvigorated its dedication to polo. Berwal, a polo participant himself with a -1 handicap, highlighted the regiment’s multifaceted position:

“The current bodyguard is knowledgeable regiment. We’re paratroopers, tankmen, and horsemen. Our main duties throughout peace are with the Rashtrapati Bhavan. And presently, we’re reviving our equestrian and polo prowess. I’m positive in instances to come back, you will notice PBG polo stand up once more.”

Highlighting the help the PBG acquired this yr, Berwal instructed Firstpost, “The Bodyguard Equestrian staff has already finished nicely. So it’s a win-win for the PBG this yr. The honourable president has a really particular place in her coronary heart for equestrian sports activities and horses of the PBG. So we’re very grateful to her and to the current staff in Rashtrapati Bhavan.”

PBG’s polo outreach

Past nurturing its personal expertise, the PBG has prolonged its experience to underserved areas like Ladakh. In 2023, as a part of its 250th-year celebrations, the PBG initiated foundational polo coaching for ladies from Ladakh beneath the backing of Brigadier BD Mishra (retd), the Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh.

This outreach continued in 2024, with 11 women from Kargil present process coaching beneath the watchful eye of PBG instructors. On 30 November 2024, the staff additionally witnessed polo matches and was felicitated by the officers of the IPA on the Jaipur Polo Floor in New Delhi.

Firstpost spoke to 2 college students — Rehana Akhtar and Shayna Akhtar — from the cohort. Their journey spoke to the programme’s transformative energy and its effort to introduce polo to younger women.

“We didn’t know something about polo,” mentioned Rehana. “In our dwelling, polo was one thing we had solely seen the boys play. After we heard a couple of coaching alternative in Dras, we went simply to see the horses for the primary time. From there, we have been chosen to come back to Delhi and prepare with the President’s Bodyguard.”

Traditionally, almost each village in Ladakh maintained its personal polo floor, and the game continues to thrive in lots of areas past Leh, notably in Dras and Chushot. The latter hosts an annual Ladakh Polo Pageant as nicely.

In Leh, polo has been partly institutionalised, with common tournaments and exhibition matches going down on the Polo Floor, set in opposition to the majestic backdrop of the Leh Palace.

These matches, typically that includes civilian groups competing in opposition to the Military, convey a vibrancy and pleasure to Ladakh’s summers, drawing an enthusiastic native crowd.

For Shayna, the expertise was equally inspiring as she instructed Firstpost, “After we arrived on the President’s Bodyguard camp, it was overwhelming to see the magnificent horses. We had solely seen small horses again dwelling, however these have been a lot greater and stronger. The coaching instructors guided us step-by-step, exhibiting us find out how to mount and deal with the horses. It was all new to us, however we realized a lot, and it gave us confidence.”

Polo in Ladakh is performed on a lot smaller horses in comparison with the highly effective and bigger horses utilized in aggressive polo internationally.

What makes their journey much more outstanding is the importance of illustration. “We’re proud to be the primary Muslim women from Ladakh to be taught and play polo,” the duo added. The PBG instructed Firstpost that Rehana Akhtar received ‘Finest Scholar’, whereas Stanzin Nyidon bagged the award for ‘Most Promising Scholar’ of the outreach programme.

As Berwal famous, such efforts are very important for the game’s progress and inclusivity, aligning with the PBG’s legacy because the torchbearer of Indian polo.

A nostalgic homecoming & a constructive outlook forward

The President’s Polo Cup is greater than a match; it’s a testomony to the enduring spirit of polo in India. Gamers like Jaisal Singh, who realized the game on the PBG Parade Floor, regard it as a “breeding floor of contemporary Indian polo.”

“So the president’s bodyguard holds a really particular place in my coronary heart. I realized find out how to experience horses right here on this very floor. I realized find out how to play polo right here. And the previous commandant of the president’s bodyguard was my first coach for polo,” Singh, who leads the SUJÁN Indian Tigers Polo staff, instructed Firstpost.

For veterans like Samir Suhag, a +2 handicap participant and 2012 Arjuna awardee, the PBG is synonymous with Indian polo’s golden period: “There was a time when full polo was run right here.”

“I bear in mind within the 1980-90s, all of us grew up right here. We performed cycle polo, horse polo, leaping, and dressage. I imply, every little thing was right here. So there’s a variety of recollections with this place and there are some fabulous instances we had,” reminisced Suhag.

Highlighting this side of the PBG, Suhag instructed Firstpost, “That is what saved polo going for nearly 25 odd years. And we couldn’t have had polo in India in the event that they [PBG] weren’t there. They saved the sport alive.”

“I hope as time goes on, polo is revived extra, each within the Indian Military and on the PBG,” Simran added. The 2024 President’s Polo Cup was greater than a celebration of sport; it was a reaffirmation of the PBG’s position in Indian polo’s previous, current, and future.

As Jai Shergill aptly put it: “Thank God, PBG is again. We want all of them the luck sooner or later.”

Firstpost has beforehand delved into India’s wealthy polo heritage, exploring the game’s challenges:

Polo, India’s royal sport, is experiencing a resurgence with rising gamers, sponsors, and international partnerships.@_anmol_singla, who just lately attended Sir Pratap Singh Polo Cup, writes on the sport’s evolution, challenges, and future in India.https://t.co/9K6Xb1qn5r

— Firstpost Sports activities (@FirstpostSports) November 21, 2024

In one other characteristic, Firstpost additionally introduced out the Indian Military’s position in sustaining polo:

Regardless of its royal roots, the game of polo faces trendy challenges, counting on personal sponsorship and grassroots efforts to develop@_anmol_singla appears at how the Indian Military sustains the legacy of polo in India

Learn 👇https://t.co/BD3lI9BT7e

— Firstpost Sports activities (@FirstpostSports) December 5, 2024

This characteristic provides one other layer to the narrative, celebrating the PBG’s indelible mark on polo and its dedication to preserving this legacy for generations to come back. Fashionable polo having birthed within the subcontinent, is taken into account India’s ‘present to the world’.

(The creator attended The President’s Polo Cup, held on the President’s Bodyguard Parade Floor on the Ridge Forest in New Delhi on December 14, 2024.)