The 101 Infantry Battalion Territorial Army (TA), also referred to as the ‘Pune Terriers’, celebrated the 73rd Territorial Army Day on Sunday commemorating the raising of the TA by the first Governor General of India C Rajagopalachari on October 9, 1949.
To mark the occasion, Colonel Manish Priyadarshan, Commanding Officer of 101 Infantry Battalion, TA, paid tribute to fallen brave hearts. A blood donation camp was also organised in collaboration with Bharati Vidyapeeth Medical College Hospital and Research Centre. 101 personnel of the unit donated blood at the camp. A tree plantation drive was also conducted.
The Territorial Army came into existence after the enactment of the Territorial Army Act in August 1948. Over the last 73 years, it has contributed immensely in the wars of 1962, 1965, 1971 and also in countering terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir and the North East. The units have also been instrumental in serving the nation in peacetime in carrying out relief work during natural calamities and emergency situations.
The present role of the ‘Terriers’, as they are called, is to relieve the regular army from static duties and assist the civil administration in dealing with natural calamities and maintenance of essential services in situations where the life of the communities are affected and to provide units for the regular army as and when required.
The TA has a number of infantry and engineer units affiliated to various regiments of the Indian Army. It also has 10 ecological battalions working for restoration of the environment in various parts of the country by carrying out afforestation in rugged and inhospitable terrain, reviving wetlands, restoring water bodies and contributing to the Clean Ganga project. TA battalions also perform specialist tasks as part of Indian Railways and public sector undertakings.
