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India: Portrait of a Jemadar of the 7th Rajputs, Lucknow. British Indian Army (British Raj), late 19th century

India: Portrait of a Jemadar of the 7th Rajputs, Lucknow. British Indian Army (British Raj), late 19th century

Jemadar (Urdu: جمعدار) was a rank used in the British Indian Army, where it was the lowest rank for a Viceroy's Commissioned Officer (VCO). Jemadars either commanded platoons or troops themselves or assisted their British commander. They also filled regimental positions such as Assistant Quartermaster (Jemadar Quartermaster) or Assistant Adjutant (Jemadar Adjutant).

It remained in use in the Indian Army until 1965 as the lowest rank of Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO). The rank of Jemadar was later renamed in both the Indian Army and the Pakistan Army as Naib Subedar in infantry units, and Naib Risaldar in cavalry and armoured corps units.

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