Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma on Monday flagged off the first batch of 144 Mizoram youths selected for the 166 Infantry Battalion of the Territorial Army (Home & Hearth), Assam. The group-135 men and nine women-will depart for Shillong on May 15 to complete pre-training formalities, with formal training scheduled to begin next month.
Speaking at the ceremony in Aizawl, Lalduhoma called the occasion “a proud and historic day for Mizoram.” He said he had not known about the Territorial Army initially but, after learning of it, appealed to the central government for a Mizo battalion. He added that initial sanction was for 70 recruits, but after further negotiations the authorised strength was raised to 144 even before recruitment began.
Lalduhoma expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi for supporting the move. He said efforts are continuing to obtain additional recruitment quotas and urged more Mizo youth to join the Territorial Army, describing it as both “a source of employment” and “a noble service dedicated to national security,” as well as “a path toward disciplined and responsible living.”
Telling the recruits they would serve as pioneers and representatives of Mizo youth, the chief minister urged them to perform their duties with dedication, uphold Mizo values and bring honour to the state. Home Minister K. Sapdanga highlighted the Territorial Army’s blend of “civilian excellence with military discipline,” saying it offers honour, dignity and character-building opportunities, and reminded recruits that “difficult roads often lead to beautiful destinations.”
Brigadier Manoj Kumar Patel, Commander of the Territorial Army Group Eastern Command, credited the chief minister’s initiative for establishing a Mizo Territorial Army presence and said the force still aims to fill many vacancies. Of the 144 selected, the 135 male recruits will undergo training in Shillong while the nine female recruits will proceed to Bangalore for their training.
Original Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/guwahati/mizoram-cm-flags-off-first-batch-of-144-recruits-for-territorial-army-battalion/articleshow/131022099.cms
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Publish Date: 2026-05-12 00:01:00
