There’s no denying saying that once in our lives, we all thought or dreamt of joining the Indian Armed Forces. There was a point in our lives when we all wanted to wear those prestigious and honourable uniforms of the Indian Armed Forces. While some of us managed to serve the motherland wearing the colours of the Indian Armed Forces, the ones, who couldn’t get into the forces, tried to contribute as citizens.
However, do you know there are so many Indian celebrities and famous personalities, who got the opportunity to be a part of the Indian Armed Forces? From cricketers to politicians and athletes, the list is filled with the names of many renowned Indians, who were bestowed with designated ranks in the Indian Armed Forces. However, before we reveal their names, one must know the purpose of lauding famous personalities with important designations in the Indian Armed Forces. So without further ado, let’s get started!
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The reason why the Indian Armed Forces grant honorary ranks to famous celebrities or personalities is to acknowledge their contribution towards the nation. Another aspect of this provision is to grab the attention of youngsters so that they get encouraged to either do good in their respective fields or join the Indian Armed Forces. Now, let’s talk about the Indian personalities, who have been bestowed with designated posts in the Indian Armed Forces.
The current Minister of Sports, Youth Affairs and Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Anurag Singh Thakur, aka Anurag Thakur, needs no introduction. The four-time BJP MP from Himachal Pradesh's Hamirpur district was commissioned into the Territorial Army as a Lieutenant back in July 2016 by then-Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General Dalbir S Suhag TA.
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In the coming years, Anurag Thakur was promoted to Captain in the 124 Sikh regiment. For the unversed, Anurag joined the Indian Army after clearing one of India’s toughest exams, the SSB examination and a personal interview round conducted in Chandigarh. The politician also underwent over two weeks of pre-qualification training, which was held in Bhopal.
The famous sports physician, Deepak Rao is one of the most famous people in the Territorial Army. From being an author, TEDx speaker, and motivational speaker to encouraging youth to be a part of the Indian Armed Forces, Deepak is an inspiration for many.
The brand ambassador of the Territorial Army, Deepak had worked as a Commando Trainer for 25 years and never took any compensation for the same. For his immense contribution to the Indian Armed Forces, Deepak was commissioned into the Para TA Regiment and was bestowed with the honorary rank of Major.
The former Union Minister, Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore is one of the biggest names in India’s rich sports history. With 25 international medals in his illustrious career as a shooting athlete, Rajyavardhan brought home India’s first-ever Olympic Games individual silver in double trap shooting in Athens back in 2004. However, not everyone is aware of the fact that he had served in the Indian Army and even fought in the Kargil War.
Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore was commissioned as a part of the 9th Grenadiers (Mewar) Regiment in 1990. It was in 1992 when Rajyavardhan was promoted to the position of Lieutenant, which was followed by the position of Major in 2000 and eventually commissioned as a Colonel in 2009.
One of the greatest actors in the history of Indian cinema, Mohanlal needs no introduction. The Malayalam megastar has worked in more than 300 films in his illustrious career. It was in 2018 when he was commissioned as Lieutenant Colonel into the Territorial Army Of India by the then-Army Chief, Deepak Kapoor.
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The Flying Sikh, Milkha Singh deserves all the credit for making India’s mark on a global level in track and field events. The four-time Asian Games gold medalist shocked the world when he won the gold medal at the 1958 Commonwealth Games.
Not only this, he finished fourth at the 1960 Rome Olympics. Milkha Singh was bestowed with the prestigious Padma Shri for his remarkable contribution in 1959. Not only this, the legendary athlete was honoured with the position of Junior Comissioned Officer (JCO) for his tremendous achievements throughout his career.
Former Indian sport shooter, Abhinav Bindra won the individual Olympic gold medal for India at the Beijing Olympics 2008 and changed the course of history forever. The entire nation felt proud while hearing the national anthem at the Beijing Games.
Abhinav Bindra was honoured with the position of lieutenant colonel in India's territorial army for such a significant victory on the world's biggest stage. The sport shooter was also given the famous Arjuna Award and Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna for winning a gold medal at the Beijing Olympics 2008.
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Popularly known by the name ‘Haryana Hurricane’, Kapil Dev is a former Indian cricketer, who is one of the biggest names in Indian cricket’s rich history. He was the one, who captained the Indian cricketer team, that lifted the 1983 World Cup.
The former cricketer scored 175 runs in a single innings in one-day international cricket against Zimbabwe. For all the efforts he has put in throughout his career as a cricketer, it was in 2008 when Kapil was commissioned as an honorary Lieutenant Colonel in the Indian Territorial Army.
Former Deputy Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Sachin Pilot’s family has served in the Indian Armed Forces. For the unversed, Sachin's father, Rajesh Pilot, was a Squadron Leader and fighter pilot in the Indian Air Force (IAF). The politician’s grandfather also served in the Indian Army as a Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO).
Following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, Sachin Pilot cleared the Preliminary Interview Board (PIB) at Western Command, Chandimandir and the Services Selection Board (SSB) at Bangalore along with his medical examination for joining the TA. He became the first Union Minister in India to be commissioned as a regular officer.
The ‘God of Cricket’, Sachin Tendulkar doesn’t need any introduction as we are talking about a former cricketer, who not only inspired generations to pick up bat and ball but also made India’s mark on the global stage with his numerous records. The Master Blaster, Sachin made his debut back in 1989 and played till 2013, leaving a legacy that will probably never be outcasted by anyone.
Well, the former cricketer, Sachin Tendulkar joined the Indian Air Force back in 2010 with the rank of Group Captain. With that honour, he became the first person without an aviation background to receive the prestigious position of a Group Captian in the Indian Air Force.
One of the most successful batsmen, wicket-keepers and captains in Indian cricket’s history, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, indeed lives in the hearts of millions of cricket fans worldwide. The honours and records to his name are endless, but not everyone knows that he was also bestowed with the prestigious position of Lieutenant Colonel back in 2011. Not only this, MS Dhoni was also conferred with Padma Bhushan for his incredible contribution to Indian cricket.
Well, whose name in this list surprised you the most? Let us know.
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