Risaldar facts for kids
A Risaldar is a military rank, like a leader, in the armies of India and Pakistan. The word "Risaldar" comes from Persian and means the commander of a risala, which was a group of horse soldiers. This rank is used in units that ride horses (called cavalry) or use tanks and other armoured vehicles (called armoured units). If you're in the infantry (foot soldiers), the similar rank is called a subedar.
Historically, Risaldar was also an important rank in the British Indian Army until 1947. These officers were known as Viceroy's commissioned officers.
Risaldar in Modern Armies
The Indian Army and Pakistan Army have a special group of ranks called junior commissioned officers (JCOs). These ranks are in between the regular soldiers (non-commissioned officers) and the higher-ranking leaders (commissioned officers). A Risaldar is a JCO.
In these armies, a Risaldar ranks higher than a naib risaldar. However, a Risaldar is outranked by a risaldar major.
Risaldar in the British Indian Army
The idea of Junior Commissioned Officers (JCOs) came from the Viceroy's Commissioned Officers (VCOs). These VCOs were created in 1885 during the time when Britain ruled India, known as the British Raj. Before that, there were "native officers" who got their authority from the Governor-General of India.
In the late 1800s, the spelling "Risaldar" wasn't very common. You might have seen it spelled as "Ressaldar" or "Russuldar," especially in groups like the Bombay Cavalry. During World War I, the spelling "Rissaldar" became more widely used.
A Rissaldar in the British Indian Army was similar to a native captain. This rank was higher than a ressaidar (which later became known as a jemadar) but lower than a risaldar-major. It's important to know that even though they were officers, all VCOs were always outranked by any officer who had a commission directly from the King or Queen of Britain.
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