Lt Col Mohanlal makes his mark in Territorial Army

Mohanlal with Defence Minister A K Antony at the parade of the Territorial Army in New Delhi on Monday.K P Sai KiranFirst Published : 20 Oct 2009 04:24:00 AM ISTLast Updated : 20 Oct 2009 09:20:14 AM IST

NEW DELHI: Actor Mohanlal who broke the walls of reel life to become Lieutenant Colonel, made his presence at the annual parade held to commensurate the 60th birthday of the Territorial Army here on Monday, turning it a proud moment for the Malayali community world over.


Mohanlal, along with his wife Suchitra, shared the gallery with Defence Minister A K Antony, Army Chief Deepak Kapoor and other senior officers to witness the parade of the Territorial Army, of which he is a part. Mohanlal, who is also the brand ambassador of the Territorial Army, said it was one of the best moments in his life - to be the part of the Indian Army, which has been serving the nation altruistically.

“Being a part of this great institution is overwhelming.

I am extremely proud of this achievement and thankful for this honour. Also, the Madras Regiment, to which I belong, has had a longstanding relation with Kerala, since the time of the kingdom of Travancore”, he told Express.

Marking the third decade of his indelible career on screen, Mohanlal was bestowed with the rank of Honorary Lieutenant Colonel in the Territorial Army for his roles in films like Keerthi Chakra and Kurukshetra, which portrayed the real plight and vigour of the army men who fight against all odds.

He had shared the real lives of the Army personnel in actual conflict zones, displaying his passion for the Army and realistically portraying the penultimate, fearless and duty-bound Army officer in these films. The Indian Military Academy had put him through a crash course on military etiquette to prepare him for induction into the elite service.

He had since been part of the Kerala-based 122 Infantry Battalion Madras (Kannur Terriers).

“By mid-December, I will join the battalion at Kannur and attend the training sessions. Being a part of this great organisation, I will do my level best to promote the sense of patriotism among the younger generation. We also plan media interactions as part of the promotional activities”, said Mohanlal.