Anurag Thakur’s promotion in Territorial Army puts second line of defence in focus

Minister of State (MoS) for Finance Anurag Thakur (Image: Wikipedia/Government of India)

Union Minister Anurag Thakur, on March 16, became the first serving MP to be promoted as Captain in the Territorial Army (TA).

The four-time BJP MP from Himachal Pradesh was commissioned into the Territorial Army as a Lieutenant in July 2016.

"I am extremely honoured to have been promoted to the rank of Captain. I would like to reaffirm my commitment for serving the people and the call of duty towards Mother India," the minister said.

The other politicians who are part of the `regular’ force in the TA include Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot and former BJP MP, Manvendra Singh.

In doing so, Thakur was in august company. World Cup Cricket winning captains Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Kapil Dev, Olympic gold medal winning shooter Abhinav Bindra and southern superstar Mohanlal Viswanathan Nair, among the other industrialists and celebrities, have donned the TA Greens at various times.

Major General (retired) Ashwani Siwach, former head of the Territorial Army, is quick to make a distinction between the likes of Thakur and Pilot, as opposed to the other celebrities.

``Thakur is part of the Territorial Army. He joined in 2016 and was promoted on March 11. The others are honorary members of the force,” he told Moneycontrol.

All members, however, must attend the annual training camp, which lasts for about two months in a year and the fact is that even celebrities follow the discipline associated with the TA.

According to Siwach, those members who are employed in urban areas and cannot attend the annual training camps, report at designated military units for several weekends in the city where they live.

No one can quite say how a plump Mohanlal fits into the rigours of camp life, but the former head of the Territorial Army says those who don’t fulfil the well laid down criterion, can be issued a show cause notice.

A part of the Regular Army, Territorial Army’s present role is to relieve the regulars from static duties and assist the civil administration in dealing with natural calamities and maintenance of essential services in situations where life of the communities is affected or the security of the country is threatened.

It also provides units for the Regular Army, as and when required.

The Territorial Army has a strength of about 50,000 personnel. Their units were actively involved in 1962, 1965 and 1971 operations. Nicknamed the `Terriers’, they have also taken part in Op Pawan in Sri Lanka, Op Rakshak in Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir and Op Rhino and Op Bajrang in the North East.

The officers and men of the Territorial Army have been decorated for their gallantry and distinguished services.

The British Indian government raised the Territorial Army in 1920 through the Indian Territorial Act of 1920. It comprised two wings, namely The Auxiliary Force for Europeans and Anglo-Indians, and The Indian Territorial Force for Indian Volunteers. After Independence the Territorial Army Act was passed in 1948.

``The purpose of including famous people in the Territorial Army is to inspire the youth to get into the defence services. There is no obligation anywhere,” points out Gen Siwach. He sure seems to be doing it well.