Indian Title Badge, 3rd class, Muslim type, awarded to Mirza Ghulam Samdani, 3 June 1913

Indian Title Badges were announced at the Delhi Durbar in 1911 and first issued in 1912. The badges were awarded in three classes to civilians and Viceroy's Commissioned Officers of the Indian Army for faithful service or acts of public welfare. Recipients proceeded from the lowest class to a higher one, and each was accompanied by a distinctive title, inscribed upon the badge, differing according to whether the recipient was a Muslim, Hindu or Sikh.

Thus 1st Class holders received the title: Diwan Bahadur (Muslim) or Sardar Bahadur (Hindu or Sikh); 2nd Class holders, Khan Bahadur (Muslim) or Rao Bahadur (Hindu or Sikh) and recipients of the 3rd Class, Khan Sahib (Muslim), Rao Sahib (Hindu or Sikh) or Sardar Sahib (Sikhs only).