10 celebrity soldiers of India

India has a proud history of celebrities who have served or have been honoured by the Territorial Army

Nana Patekar Captain in Indian Army The versatile actor Nana Patekar joined the TA in 1990 to prepare for his role in Prahaar. He later served as a Major in the Maratha Light Infantry Regiment during the 1999 in Kargil War

Kapil Dev Honourary Lieutenant Colonel India’s legendary cricketer , Kapil Dev , was conferred with an honourary rank  of Lieutenant Colonel in the TA on 24  September 2008 for his contributions tp Indian sports and society        

Mohan Lal Honourary Lieutenant Colonel Film star Mohanlal  was given the honourary rank of Lieutenant Colonel on 9 July 2009. He had initially expressed interest in joining the TA, but was instead honoured for promoting the Army among the youth

Abhinav Bindra Honourary Lieutenant Colonel India’s Olympic gold medalist in shooting, Abhinav Bindra, was conferred the rank of honourary Lieutenant Colonel on 1 November 2011, in recognition of his excellence in sports.

Deepak Rao Honourary Major A specialist in close quarter battle training, Deepak Rao was awarded the honorary rank of Major in the TA on 1 November 2011 for his military expertise and dedication.

MS Dhoni Honourary Lieutenant Colonel Former Indian cricket captain MS Dhoni was conferred with the honourary rank of Lieutenant Colonel on 1 November 2011, in recognition of his contribution to the nation both on and off the field.

Anurag Thakur Lieutenant in TA Anurag Thakur, the Member of Parliament from Hamirpur, was commissioned as a Lieutenant on 29 July 2016. He is actively involved in promoting the cause of the Territorial Army.

Rao Birender Singh Territorial Army Rao Birender Singh, former Chief Minister of Haryana, joined the Territorial Army during World War II, contributing to India’s military efforts between 1950-1951.

Sachin Pilot Honourary Officer in TA Former Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot became the first Union Minister of India to be commissioned as an officer in the TA on 6 September 2012.

Manvendra Singh Colonel in TA A seasoned politician and member of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Manvendra Singh holds the rank of Colonel in the Territorial Army, showcasing his leadership beyond the political sphere.

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