The Indian Army honoured veteran actor Mohanlal for winning the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award. The honour was conferred by Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi at the Army Headquarters in New Delhi on Tuesday. Expressing his gratitude, Mohanlal said it was a great honour and shared that he had discussed with the Army Chief ways to attract more youth to join the Territorial Army.
Mohanlal stated that he would take up more initiatives to promote the Territorial Army and engage actively in awareness programmes encouraging youth participation. Describing his meeting with General Dwivedi as one of the most valuable moments of his life, the actor said, “I have been in the Army for sixteen years. We talked about how to promote the Territorial Army and improve our activities. We are planning many ideas to bring more civilians into it, especially since there is still limited awareness about the Territorial Army in Kerala. The aim is to further instil patriotism.”
He added that their discussion, though brief, opened doors for larger projects in the future. “It was a small discussion, but bigger projects are yet to come,” he said, hinting at forthcoming initiatives. After receiving the Army’s recognition, Mohanlal expressed his deep appreciation for the honour. “This is a great recognition and honour,” he remarked, adding that his close relationship with the Indian Army and his efforts in promoting its values had made the moment even more meaningful.
Mohanlal, who has portrayed soldiers in several iconic films, said he hopes to continue depicting stories of the armed forces on screen. “I have done many films on the army, most of them directed by Major Ravi. We plan to come up with more films related to the army,” he said. The actor was recently conferred the Dadasaheb Phalke Award by the President of India during the National Film Awards ceremony. Reflecting on the honour, Mohanlal said, “This moment is not just mine; it belongs to the entire Malayalam cinema. I see this award as a tribute to the tradition and creativity of Malayalam cinema.”
Mohanlal joined the Territorial Army in 2009 and serves as a member of the 122 Infantry Battalion (TA) Madras of the Indian Army. Over the years, he has been actively involved in several activities under the Territorial Army’s banner, both publicly and behind the scenes. His leadership and participation during the rescue operations following the landslide in Wayanad had earlier drawn widespread praise.
Sharing his thoughts on social media after receiving the honour, Mohanlal wrote, “Today, I had the honour of being called by the Chief of the Army Staff, General Upendra Dwivedi, PVSM, AVSM, to the Army Headquarters, where I was awarded the COAS Commendation Card in the presence of seven Army Commanders. Receiving this recognition as an Honorary Lieutenant Colonel is a moment of immense pride and gratitude. I remain deeply thankful to General Upendra Dwivedi, the entire Indian Army, and my parent unit of the Territorial Army for this honour and their unwavering support.” The actor concluded by reaffirming his commitment to further promoting the spirit of the Indian Army and inspiring young citizens to serve the nation.
