Kolkata, Aug 27 (IANS) The two‑day ‘Know Your Territorial Army’ (KYTA) Seminar and TA 2.0 Symposium got underway at the Dhono Dhanyo Auditorium in Kolkata on Thursday,
The event has brought together senior officers from the defence forces, eminent members of academia, industry and environmentalists, alongside large numbers of civilians, school students and NCC cadets.
The event aims to give people an immersive experience of the Territorial Army and encourage youngsters to enrol. Partnerships with industry to modernise the Territorial Army are also in the plans.
Two immersive panel sessions followed the inauguration ceremony. The programme also included the signing of institutional MoUs, a special talk for students and attendees on cyber security, an exhibition of diverse stalls related to the Territorial Army and an evening showcasing the cultural diversity of the northeastern states.
Lt Gen Gambhir Singh, Chief of Staff, Eastern Command, inaugurated the event, accompanied by Maj Gen Sujeet Shivaji Patil, senior Army officers and eminent guests.
The session featured former IFS officer C.P. Marak, chairperson, Meghalaya Lokayukta; Col S.S. Pattanaik, commanding officer, 113 (TA) RAJPUT; P. Rajamohan Pichai, deputy chief security commissioner, Northeast Frontier Railway; and Col Amrita, commanding officer, 801 Engineer Regiment (Refineries & Pipelines), Territorial Army.
The session, moderated by Brig M.K. Patel, discussed the Territorial Army’s contribution to nation‑building beyond conventional military duties, spanning governance, border infrastructure and security of critical national assets. It concluded with felicitation of the panellists and an address by Lt Gen Gambhir Singh.
The second session examined technology, sustainability and innovation as pillars of national resilience, with panellists Prof Basab Chakraborty from IIT Kharagpur, Dr Srikant Gollapudi from IIT Bhubaneswar, Prof Sutapa Pati, dean, School of Sustainability, XIM University, Bhubaneswar, and Vimal Govind M.K., CEO of Genrobotics, providing important insights. The session was moderated by Lt Col Unnat Sharma.
The Territorial Army also signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) during the day with seven partner institutions. An address by Maj Gen Sujeet Shivaji Patil, additional DG, Territorial Army, followed the ceremony.
A large number of school students and NCC cadets attended a special lecture on ‘Cyber Warrior’, which introduced them to the fundamentals of cyber security and the evolving nature of cyber warfare. This was followed by a guided visit to the KYTA exhibition hall, where the students and cadets explored Territorial Army unit stalls, industry pavilions and ethnic and regional stalls.
The KYTA exhibition remained open through the day, drawing enthusiastic footfall of civilians, school students, NCC cadets and symposium delegates alike. Cultural troupes from Territorial Army units performed at the exhibition grounds, adding colour to the proceedings.
–IANS
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