[Ian]

This question has been discussed at length before and I don't think it was ever fully resolved.

One suggestion is that the forefinger is looped over the cross guard. I don't recall seeing a picture showing that particular grip, until I was reading again The Last Empire: Photography in British India, 1855-1911 with text by Clark Worswick and Ainslie Embree, Aperture Inc.: New York, 1976, 146 pp.

On page 50 of this book, there appears a picture titled, Englishman with Ruling Prince and Suite. The picture is attributed to Lt. Churchill and dated to the "1860s." It was "part of the Frith series of Indian views published during the nineteenth century." There are some typical weapons on display in the picture, but the one of relevance to this topic is held by the man in the bottom right, seated on the floor beside the Prince (who is not identified in the text). Closer inspection of the hand holding the tulwar hilt shows his forefinger curled around the cross guard.

Does this represent a fighting grip? I don't know, but he could well be a personal body guard as he is positioned close to the Prince with his sword unsheathed.

This is the only picture I have found to show this particular grip and may offer some support to the belief that it was used in combat.

Ian.