| Title Badge | |
|---|---|
  Insignia forDiwan Bahadur andRao Bahadur | |
| Type | Title holder's insignia |
| Awarded for | Faithful service or acts of public welfare |
| Presented by | theEmperor of India |
| Eligibility | Native Indian civilians andViceroy's commissioned officers |
| Status | No longer awarded |
| Established | 12 December 1911 |
| First award | June 1912 |
| Final award | 1947 |
_1st_class._Ribbon.png){kind=icon} Ribbon: 1st class  Ribbon: 2nd class _3rd_class._Ribbon.jpg){kind=icon} Ribbon: 3rd class | |
Title Badges were presented to Indian citizens who received certain formaltitles of honour duringBritish rule in India. They ceased to be awarded in 1947 on Indian independence.
The system for bestowing titles on prominent Indians pre-dated the British presence in India. As part of a wider awards system, the British used these traditional Indian titles to reward native Indian civilians andViceroy's commissioned officers of theIndian Army for faithful service and acts of public welfare.[1]
At theDelhi Durbar celebrations in 1911,King George V established a series of badges to be worn by title holders, enabling them to publicly display the title held.[2] The award was dis-established in 1947, upon Indian independence.[3]
There were three classes, each sub-divided to reflect the religion, and sometimes region, of the title holder.[1][4]
First Class
Second Class
Third Class
Those of other religions received the title considered most appropriate, for example native Indian Christians with a Hindu sounding name would receive a Hindu title,[4] with Jews receiving a Muslim title.[5]
Title badges took precedence after all British and Indian orders and decorations, and before campaign medals.[2] In most cases, recipients proceeded from the lowest class to the higher grades, with only the most senior title, and badge, used. Ranking below a knighthood, these titles were dropped by any holder who became a knight of a British Order, for example theOrder of the Star of India or theOrder of the Indian Empire.[1]
Members of the first class of theOrder of British India could also use the title ofSardar Bahadur, with members of the second class usingBahadur.[6] In these cases, the Title Badge was not worn.
The badge consisted of a radiant star topped by an imperial crown, with a laurel wreath draped below the crown. A central medallion bore the appropriate title on a band surrounding the crowned profile of the king, eitherGeorge V orGeorge VI. Facing right until 1933, the design was then changed to show George V's bust facing left. The George VI version showed his bust facing left.[2]
The reverse was plain, and was engraved with the name and details of the recipient.[2]
All three classes were the same size: 58 millimetres (2.3 in) in height and 45 millimetres (1.8 in) wide, differentiated by their metal finish and ribbon:[1]
All three classes were worn around the neck from the 39 millimetres (1.5 in) wide ribbon,[1] although the badge was sometimes unofficially worn on the left chest alongside other medals.[a]
.
