The story of India's Citizen's Army, its military contributions, environmental mission and the Kashmiri soldiers whose courage earned the nation's highest recognition.
Not every soldier serves in uniform throughout the year. Some return to their civilian professions, yet remain prepared to answer the nation's call. They are the citizen-soldiers of India's Territorial Army.
Every year on 9 October, India observes Territorial Army Raising Day, remembering a force that brings together civilian experience and military responsibility. Formally inaugurated by C. Rajagopalachari, India's first Indian Governor-General, on 9 October 1949, the Territorial Army has developed into an important component of the country's defence and national-service framework.
Its contribution extends beyond military operations. Territorial Army personnel have supported essential services, assisted during disasters and undertaken environmental restoration in difficult terrain. In Jammu and Kashmir, the force's story also includes local soldiers who displayed extraordinary courage and made the supreme sacrifice while serving alongside other Army formations.
On its Raising Day, here are important facts about the Territorial Army, its organisation, achievements and the Bravehearts from Jammu and Kashmir whose stories deserve to be remembered.
Personnel, unit and plantation figures were reported by the Ministry of Defence in August 2026. The 59 units comprise diverse unit types, not 59 infantry battalions.
1. The History Behind Territorial Army Raising Day
The roots of India's territorial forces predate Independence. The Indian Territorial Force was organised in 1920 as a second line of defence to support the Regular Army. Following Independence, the Territorial Army Act was enacted on 18 August 1948, establishing the legal foundation of the force in its present form.
On 9 October 1949, C. Rajagopalachari formally inaugurated the Territorial Army. The date subsequently became the force's annual Raising Day, providing an opportunity to recognise its personnel, veterans and families.
In its early years, the Territorial Army included several types of formations, including infantry, armoured, air-defence, medical, engineering and signal units, alongside supply and other departmental organisations. Over time, its structure evolved to meet changing defence requirements. Infantry, departmental, ecological and specialised engineering units remain important parts of its contemporary role.
2. How Large Is India's Territorial Army?
At a Ministry of Defence consultative committee meeting on 6 August 2026, the Territorial Army was described as having approximately 44,400 personnel and 59 diverse units.
These figures should not be confused with the number of infantry battalions. The Territorial Army contains different organisational categories, including infantry units, departmental units, ecological formations and specialised engineering elements. A government notification in 2025 separately referred to 32 Infantry Battalions (Territorial Army) in the context of authorising certain battalions for specified duties.
The distinction matters: a force's total number of units is not the same as its infantry battalion count. The organisation's varied structure enables it to support military, technical, environmental and essential-service requirements.
3. The Citizen-Soldier: What Makes the TA Different?
The Territorial Army follows a model in which eligible personnel can maintain civilian professions while fulfilling military responsibilities. They receive military training and can be embodied for service according to authorised requirements.
This arrangement creates a trained reserve that can supplement the Regular Army when additional personnel are needed. It also allows civilian knowledge and professional experience to contribute to national service.
Territorial Army service is not simply a ceremonial association with the armed forces. Depending on their unit and assigned role, personnel may undertake military duties, support essential services, participate in operational deployments or contribute to specialised tasks.
What Are Home and Hearth Battalions?
Home and Hearth battalions are associated with the Territorial Army's citizen-soldier concept and the idea of recruiting personnel with local connections to the areas in which they serve. In Jammu and Kashmir, Territorial Army personnel affiliated with local Army regiments have served alongside other formations in operational roles.
Local knowledge can be valuable in understanding terrain and communities. However, each soldier's duties, attachment and operational responsibilities depend on the relevant unit and orders.
4. From Wars to Security Operations
The Territorial Army has a documented history of supporting India's defence. Its official history records participation in the 1962, 1965 and 1971 conflicts, followed by service in later operations, including Operation Pawan in Sri Lanka and Operation Rakshak in Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab.
Different units have performed different responsibilities according to their organisation and tasking. This history reflects the wider purpose of the force: maintaining trained personnel who can contribute to military requirements when called upon.
Territorial Army service also illustrates that national defence depends on more than frontline combat alone. Transport, technical support, infrastructure, environmental resilience and other specialised responsibilities can all contribute to a force's ability to operate effectively.
5. The Green Mission: Around 10 Crore Saplings
One of the Territorial Army's most distinctive contributions is its environmental work. The Ministry of Defence reported in August 2026 that the force's Ecological Task Forces had planted approximately 10 crore saplings, with a reported survival rate of 80 to 85 per cent.
Ecological units undertake afforestation and environmental restoration in challenging landscapes. Their activities can include restoring degraded land, supporting wetland revival, improving water conservation and helping to restore ecological balance.
The First Ecological Territorial Army Battalion
The first Ecological Task Force unit, 127 Infantry Battalion (Territorial Army), Garhwal Rifles, was raised on 1 December 1982. Its original purpose included helping restore degraded areas of the Shivalik hills while providing opportunities for ex-servicemen to contribute to environmental work.
The ecological model subsequently expanded to other regions and projects. It demonstrates how military organisation and long-term environmental conservation can work together.
6. The TA's Role Beyond Conventional Military Duties
Essential Services
Some Territorial Army units undertake specialised responsibilities associated with organisations in sectors such as the Indian Railways and the oil industry. These departmental units connect military service with the continuity of important infrastructure and essential services.
Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance
In August 2026, the Ministry of Defence highlighted Territorial Army contributions to relief and rescue operations and medical assistance during events including the Kerala floods, an Odisha cyclone and recent flooding in Assam.
Disaster response requires coordination, discipline and the ability to work in difficult conditions. Territorial Army personnel can support wider response efforts when their services are required.
7. Territorial Army in Jammu and Kashmir
Jammu and Kashmir occupies an important place in the Territorial Army's operational history. Territorial Army personnel have served in security-related duties and alongside other Army formations, while specialised units have contributed to infrastructure and environmental work.
Home and Hearth Service
Home and Hearth battalions reflect the citizen-soldier model in a region where local knowledge and military training can both be important. Territorial Army soldiers from Jammu and Kashmir have served in operational environments alongside other Army units.
Engineering Support Along the Line of Control
Territorial Army engineer battalions have been deployed for maintenance work associated with the Line of Control fencing in Jammu and Kashmir. Their technical responsibilities demonstrate that the force's contribution is not limited to infantry service.
Service to Communities
Territorial Army personnel have also contributed to public outreach and national initiatives. In August 2026, the Ministry of Defence acknowledged the contribution of personnel deployed in Jammu and Kashmir to the Har Ghar Tiranga campaign.
8. Gallantry Awards and Recognition
Territorial Army personnel have been recognised for courage, devotion to duty and distinguished service. Gallantry decorations associated with personnel from the force include awards from the Ashoka Chakra and Kirti Chakra series, the Vir Chakra, Shaurya Chakra and Sena Medal, among other honours.
Award citations are particularly important because they record the actions for which an individual was recognised. When documenting a soldier's service, it is essential to distinguish between a gallantry award, a service medal, a posthumous decoration and a unit's broader operational history.
For Jammu and Kashmir, the careers of Lance Naik Nazir Ahmad Wani and Rifleman Abdul Hamid Chara provide documented examples of gallantry by soldiers serving in Territorial Army units.
Prominent Territorial Army Bravehearts of Jammu and Kashmir
Beyond the history, figures and achievements stands the individual soldier. The following profiles honour two Kashmiri Territorial Army personnel whose documented acts of gallantry and supreme sacrifice earned national recognition.
Lance Naik Nazir Ahmad Wani, AC, SM (Bar)
162 Infantry Battalion (Territorial Army), Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry · Cheki Ashmuji, Kulgam
Lance Naik Nazir Ahmad Wani hailed from Cheki Ashmuji village in Kulgam district. He joined the 162 Infantry Battalion (Territorial Army), affiliated with the Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry, in 2004. His service was marked by repeated acts of gallantry, for which he received the Sena Medal in 2007 and again in 2018.
On 25 November 2018, Wani took part in a counter-terrorism operation in the Shopian area after intelligence indicated the presence of six heavily armed terrorists. He was tasked with blocking a likely escape route as the security forces established a cordon around the target location.
When the terrorists attempted to break out under intense fire, Wani engaged them at close range. Despite sustaining grievous injuries, he continued fighting, personally eliminated two terrorists and injured another. His actions also contributed to the evacuation of wounded colleagues.
Wani succumbed to his injuries. In recognition of his conspicuous gallantry, courage and devotion to duty, he was awarded the Ashoka Chakra posthumously in 2019, India's highest peacetime gallantry award.
Nazir Ahmad Wani's life and service are remembered for his transformation into a decorated soldier, his repeated willingness to undertake dangerous missions and the courage he displayed during his final operation.
Rifleman Abdul Hamid Chara, SC
162 Infantry Battalion (Territorial Army) · Dardpura, Lolab Valley, Kupwara
Rifleman Abdul Hamid Chara was born on 8 March 1975 and belonged to Dardpura village in the Lolab Valley of Kupwara district. He served in the 162 Infantry Battalion (Territorial Army) and was attached to the 18 Rashtriya Rifles for operational duties.
On 12 June 2007, during a search operation in the Ander Nar area of Gagal in Kupwara district, Chara observed terrorists attempting to escape. He moved through dense vegetation to block their route and informed his platoon commander.
The terrorists spotted him and opened heavy fire, causing multiple gunshot and splinter injuries. Despite being seriously wounded, Chara continued returning accurate fire and moved to prevent their escape. He engaged the terrorists and killed one of them before succumbing to his injuries.
For his conspicuous gallantry, exceptional courage under heavy fire and devotion to duty, he was awarded the Shaurya Chakra posthumously. His award citation records his determination to continue the mission despite serious injuries.
Abdul Hamid Chara's gallantry reflects the determination of a soldier who continued to perform his duty despite grave injuries, making the supreme sacrifice in the service of the nation.
The Final Lines
The Territorial Army's history cannot be measured by its strength or organisational structure alone. Its contribution is also visible in the soldiers who served in difficult conditions, the units that supported military operations, the personnel who helped communities during disasters and the ecological formations that worked to restore the environment.
For Jammu and Kashmir, the stories of Lance Naik Nazir Ahmad Wani and Rifleman Abdul Hamid Chara provide powerful examples of gallantry within the Territorial Army. Their awards preserve the official record of their courage, while their lives remind us that military service is ultimately carried out by individuals who accept extraordinary responsibilities.
On Raising Day, the nation remembers the serving personnel, veterans and families of the Territorial Army. It also honours those who made the supreme sacrifice, ensuring that their names and deeds remain part of India's military history.
The Honour Post salutes the Territorial Army's serving personnel, veterans and families, and honours the Bravehearts who made the supreme sacrifice.
