throughout its history. The minimum strength of the unit was 50 when it was raised in 1773, but the precise maximum strength of the unit is not known. The President of India's website claims a number of 1,929, just before the First Sikh War but some historians believe the number to have been 469. According to the book "Historical Records of the Governor General's Body Guards", published in 1910, the maximum strength of the unit was 529 all ranks on 12 February 1844, just before the first Sikh War. In addition to 529 soldiers of all ranks, orders were also issued to attach two Rissalahs of Irregular Cavalry, taking the strength of the unit to 730 all ranks. The present strength of the regiment is 4 officers, 20 junior commissioned officers and 198 sowars (cavalrymen). The ethnic composition of the unit varied equally. Recruitment started when the unit was raised in 1773 by Governor Warren Hastings, with a strength of 50 handpicked troopers. This nucleus of the Bodyguard was later augmented by another 50 horsemen, provided by Maharaja Chait Singh of Benares, thus bringing the overall strength of the regiment up to 100 horses and men by the end of that year. By 1800, Hindus (Brahmins and Rajputs) were allowed to join the GGBG along with Muslims, but the area of the recruitment remained the same: Awadh & Bihar. In 1800, the recruitment pool was changed from the Bengal Presidency to the Madras Presidency and the GGBG was reconstituted with troopers from the Madras cavalry for the next 60 years. During this period, South Indian castes comprised the bulk of this unit. After the Great Mutiny of 1857, the center of recruitment of the Indian Army was shifted from Awadh and southern India to northern India. The GGBG was no exception and Sikhs were allowed to enlist for the first time in Aug 1883 and Punjabi Muslims in October 1887. The recruitment of Brahmins ceased in 1895. After that, the proportions of recruits was fixed at 50% Sikhs (Malwa and Majha) and 50% Muslims (Hindustani & Punjabi). Currently Jats, Rajputs and Jat Sikhs taken in equal numbers 33.1 percent, primarily from the states of Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan. The basic height requirement for enlistment is . In the pre-Independence era, the average height of a member of the President's Bodyguards was . Battle honours The President's Bodyguard has the following