They could trace their origins to 1788, when they were raised as the 1st Battalion of the Ellichpur Brigade for the Princely state of Hyderabad.
Until 1853, the regiment was part of the Nizam of Hydrabad's Army then after signing of a treaty with the then Governor General of India, The Nizam's Contingent was renamed as the Hyderabad Contingent and became part of the regular Indian Army.
The regiment fought in the Battle of Mahidpur during the Third Anglo-Maratha War.
[1] During World War I the regiment served on the North West Frontier in operations against the Mahsuds around Sarwakai.
Although not at the front fighting the Turks, they did participate in operations against hostile Arabs, including two punitive expeditions from Nasiriyeh in March 1918.