To commemorate 50 years of raising of 117 Infantry Battalion (Territorial Army) The Guards, Tiruchi, a group of Territorial Army (TA) jawans of the battalion will embark on a cycle rally from Kanyakumari to Tiruchi next month.
The aim of the seven-day cycle rally, sponsored by Geojit BNP Paribas, is to create awareness about TA amongst civil populace and motivate youth to join the force besides promoting national integration and spirit of adventure.
The 10-member TA team headed by a Junior Commissioned Officer will start from Kanyakumari on September 1 and arrive Tiruchi on September 7 passing through Nanguneri, Kayathar, Virudhunagar, Madurai, Dindigul and Manapparai.
The rally team was formally flagged off at the battalion premises here on Saturday by the Commanding Officer of 117 Infantry Battalion (Territorial Army) The Guards, Tiruchi Colonel K. Haridas in the presence of officers and other ranks.
Colonel Haridas said the team members would distribute leaflets containing information about TA and its activities to the general public during the course of the cycle rally besides delivering brief talks about the force.
A district level volley ball tournament at the battalion premises from September 18-21; Run for Cause and regimental union of retired TA officers were the other programmes planned as part of the golden jubilee celebrations of the unit, Colonel Haridas said.
The 117 Infantry Battalion (Territorial Army) The Guards also known as ‘Trichy Terriers’ was raised on October 1, 1960 at Secunderabad with six companies and was affiliated to the Madras Regiment. After its raising, the battalion moved to Madras on October 1, 1962. It finally moved to the historical Clive Lines at Tiruchi on November 23, 1964. It was re-affiliated to the Brigade of The Guards on April 21, 1979 and re-organised into a four company battalion on October 1, 1994. The battalion celebrates 50 years of its raising on October 1 this year.
The battalion has been deployed for various operational duties in Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir. Trichy Terriers was the first TA unit to be under the first Integrated Inter Service Andaman & Nicobar Command. The battalion was actively employed in rescue and relief operations in Tamil Nadu during natural calamities.
Colonel Haridas said TA jawans from the unit will embark on a cycle rally from Tiruchi to Pune, where the TA Group Headquarters Southern Command is situated, in phase-II and in phase III from Pune to New Delhi.
