https://indianpedia.org/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=JemadarJemadar - Revision history2026-07-30T22:54:33ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.45.4https://indianpedia.org/index.php?title=Jemadar&diff=450122&oldid=prevTonjaGerow46 at 23:53, 13 March 20262026-03-13T23:53:48Z<p></p>
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{{Short description|Title used in military system in the Indian subcontinent}}<br />
'''Jemadar''' or '''jamadar''' ([[Urdu]]: جیمادار, [[Persian language|Persian]]: جِمادار, [[Arabic language|Arabic]]: جمادار)) is a title used for various military and other officials in the Indian subcontinent.<br />
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== Etymology ==<br />
The word stems from [[Urdu]] ({{lang|ur|جمعدار}}), which derives through [[Persian language|Persian]] ''jam'dar'' from [[Arabic]] ''jamā‘a(t)'' 'muster' + [[Persian language|Persian]] ''-dār'' 'holder'.<br />
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==Pre-colonial==<br />
[[File:Indian Army (1920-1950) Naib Subedar & Naib Risaldar.svg|thumb|upright 0.3|Rank insignia of a British Indian Army Jemadar, 1920–1950]]<br />
A jemadar was originally an armed official of a [[zamindar]] (feudal [[lord]]) in India who, like a [[General officer|military general]], and along with [[Mridha]]s, was in charge of fighting and conducting [[warfare]], mostly against the rebellious peasants and common people who lived on the lord's land.<ref>{{cite book<br />
| last = Chatterjee<br />
| first = Partha <br />
| title = A Princely Impostor?<br />
| publisher = Permanent Black<br />
| isbn = 978-8178240848<br />
}}</ref> Also, this rank was used among the [[thuggees]] as well, usually the gang leader.<br />
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Later, it became a [[military rank|rank]] used in the [[British Indian Army]], where it was the lowest rank for a [[Viceroy's commissioned officer]]. Jemadars either commanded [[platoon]]s or [[troop]]s themselves or assisted their [[United Kingdom|British]] commander. They also filled [[regiment]]al positions such as assistant [[quartermaster]] (jemadar quartermaster) or assistant [[adjutant]] (jemadar adjutant).<br />
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== Post-colonial ==<br />
The rank remained in use in the [[Indian Army]] until 1965 as the lowest rank of [[junior commissioned officer]]. 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. Jemadar remains a warrant officer rank in the [[Nepal Army]].<br />
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== Other uses ==<br />
* Jemadar was also used in other contexts to denote Indian 'captains', like the leaders of [[thuggee]] bands who strangled travellers.<ref name="mikedash">[[Mike Dash]], ''Thug: the true story of India's murderous cult'', {{ISBN|1-86207-604-9}}, 2005</ref><br />
* Jemadar was used as a rank title for an Indian [[inspector]] in the [[Shanghai Municipal Police]]<br />
* The name inspired that of the ''[[Star Trek]]'' enslaved warrior race known as the "[[List_of_Star_Trek_races#Jem'Hadar|Jem'Hadar]]"<br />
* In the future of [[Edgar Rice Burroughs]]' novel ''[[The Moon Men]]'', "Jemadar" was a title of a ruler, implied to have been brought to Earth by the Lunar invaders.<br />
== See also ==<br />
* Koli rebellions<br />
* [[List of Koli people]]<br />
* [[List of Koli states and clans]]<br />
* [[Hatem Ali Jamadar]] (1872–1982), Bengali politician<br />
* [[Peter Jamadar]], Trinidadian judge<br />
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== References ==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
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[[Category:Military of the Mughal Empire]]<br />
[[Category:Pakistan Army ranks]]<br />
[[Category:Military ranks of British India]]<br />
[[Category:Military ranks of the Indian Army]]<br />
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