<P> In 1772, when Hastings became the first Governor - General one of his first undertakings was the rapid expansion of the Presidency's army . Since the available soldiers, or Sepoys, from Bengal--many of whom had fought against the British in the Battle of Plassey--were now suspect in British eyes, Hastings recruited farther west from the "major breeding ground of India's infantry in eastern Awadh and the lands around Banaras including Bihar . The high caste rural Hindu Rajputs and Brahmins of this region (known as Purbiyas (Hindi, lit . "easterners") had been recruited by Mughal Empire armies for two hundred years; the East India Company continued this practice for the next 75 years, with these soldiers comprising up to eighty per cent of the Bengal army . However, in order to avoid any friction within the ranks, the Company also took pains to adapt its military practices to their religious requirements . Consequently, these soldiers dined in separate facilities; in addition, overseas service, considered polluting to their caste, was not required of them, and the army soon came to recognise Hindu festivals officially . "This encouragement of high caste ritual status, however, left the government vulnerable to protest, even mutiny, whenever the sepoys detected infringement of their prerogatives ." </P> <Table> <Tr> <Th_colspan="4"> East India Company armies after the Re-organisation of 1796 </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> British troops </Th> <Th_colspan="3"> Indian troops </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> </Th> <Th> Bengal Presidency </Th> <Th> Madras Presidency </Th> <Th> Bombay Presidency </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> 24,000 </Td> <Td> 24,000 </Td> <Td> 9,000 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 13,000 </Th> <Th_colspan="3"> Total Indian troops: 57,000 </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th_colspan="4"> Grand total, British and Indian troops: 70,000 </Th> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Th_colspan="4"> East India Company armies after the Re-organisation of 1796 </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> British troops </Th> <Th_colspan="3"> Indian troops </Th> </Tr>

British official appointed by the king to rule over a royal colony