Privileged to carry mantle of my ancestors: Anurag Thakur on Territorial Army rank

NEW DELHI: Union minister of state for finance and corporate affairs Anurag Thakur on Wednesday became the first serving BJP MP and party minister to become Captain in the Territorial Army as a regular commissioned officer.
The BJP MP from Himachal Pradesh’s Hamirpur was commissioned into the Territorial Army as a Lieutenant by the then Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Dalbir S Suhag TA in July 2016 as a Lieutenant.
“Today I am honoured to share, I have been promoted to the rank of Captain” Thakur, who was recently tasked by his party to look after high-decibel DDC local bod polls in Jammu and Kashmir, told TOI.
“I reaffirm my commitment for serving the people and the call of duty towards mother India” he added.
Thakur , who is attached with 124 Infantry Battalion (TA), Sikh Regiment, also met the Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla in Army fatigues.
The 46-year-old former Bharatiya Janta Yuva Morcha chief, who studied at Doaba College in Jalandhar, had one of the longest innings with BJP’s youth wing, often leading protests from front and becoming the face of his party’s statewide street demonstrations against the alleged scams and controversies on financial irregularities that were unearthed during UPA-2 in north India involving family of then railway minister Pawan Bansal, former Himachal Pradesh chief minister Virbhadra Singh and men involved in AgustaWestland VVIP chopper purchase.

He had joined the TA after clearing exam, interview in Chandigarh and two-week pre qualification training in Bhopal.
The Territorial Army that is the second line of defence in the hierarchy, comprises volunteers who are imparted military training for about a month in a year.
TA can be pressed into national service in case of any emergency.
Thakur’s grand father had served the army while his father Prem Kumar Dhumal, a post-graduate in English, taught as a professor at a private college before twice serving as the chief minister of Himachal Pradesh.
“My grandfather and great grandfather both served in the Army. My father raised the issue of OROP and I come from DevBhoomi Himachal which has a long tradition of serving in the armed forces. I am glad I could carry on the mantle of my ancestors. Its a privilege to wear the uniform”.
He further said, “I am honoured to serve both within society and in parliament. I’ll always be ready to serve my country on the call of duty from my regiment in the Territorial Army.”