76th Republic Day: Government announces names of defence personnel chosen to receive honorary commissions

New Delhi: Several personnel drawn from the armoured corps, regiment of artillery and other units of the Army have been chosen to receive honorary commission to the rank of an honorary captain ahead of the 76th Republic Day celebrations, according to the defence ministry.

In a statement on Friday, the ministry shared a link leading to a draft gazette that contains a list of honorary commissions (honorary captain and honorary lieutenant) awarded on the occasion of Republic Day, 2025.

"The president is pleased to award honorary commission to the rank of honorary captain/lieutenant on the eve of Republic Day 2025 to the under mentioned honorary lieutenants/JCOs on active list under Para 177 of Regulation for the Army, 1987, with effect from January 26, subject to the individual not being under any disciplinary action and satisfactory continued performance," according to the draft.

The list contains unit-wise names of personnel who have been chosen for the honour.

Sources in the defence establishment said, with the commissioning, the uniform and insignia worn by these personnel would also change accordingly.

According to the list -- 'To be Honorary Captain (on Active List)', 12 personnel of the armoured corps have been chosen under this category. These include Ris Maj & Hony Lt Bharat Bhushan, Ris Maj & Hony Lt Dinesh Kumar, and Ris Maj & Hony Lt Parmajit Singh.

Other units, names of whose personnel figure in the list, include regiment of artillery, Army Air Defence, Madras Engineers Group, Bengal Engineers Group, Bombay Engineers Group, Corps of Signals, Parachute Regiment, the Grenadiers, the Maratha Light Infantry, Army Medical Corps, Corps of Military Police, and the Territorial Army.

In the category 'To be Honorary Lieutenant (on Active List)', names of 53 personnel from the armoured corps figured.

Other units, names of whose personnel figure in the list, include regiment of artillery, Army Air Defence, Bombay Engineers Group, Corps of Signals, Parachute Regiment, the Grenadiers, the Madras Regiment, the Rajputana Rifles, the Sikh Regiment and the Garhwal Rifles.

The defence ministry also shared two other links in its statement leading to two other draft gazettes.

In the second draft gazette, one set of list -- 'To be Honorary Captain (on Retirement)' enumerates retired personnel who will get the honour with effect from the dates shown against their names.

"The president is pleased to grant honorary ranks to the under mentioned honorary lieutenants and JCOs on the eve of Republic Day, 2025, on retirement under Para 179 of the Regulation for the Army, 1987, with effect from the dates shown against their names," the second draft gazette reads.

In the second draft gazette, one set of list -- 'To be Naib Risaldar/Subedar (on Retirement)' enumerates retired personnel who will get the honour with effect from the dates shown against their names.