Sachin Pilot set to don olive greens

Congress leader Sachin Pilot is following in his father's footsteps.

Congress leader Sachin Pilot is following in his father's footsteps.

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The only difference being Rajesh Pilot joined politics after a stint in the air force at the behest of Indira Gandhi and Sachin will be donning the olive greens after getting firmly entrenched in politics.

Army chief General Bikram Singh will commission the minister of state for communications and IT as a lieutenant in the Territorial Army (TA) on Thursday, making Sachin the first sitting minister to serve the force.

The TA is a voluntary, part-time citizen's army modelled on the lines of the 375-year-old US National Guard.

No concession was given to Sachin — he had to clear the written exam conducted by the TA and the Services Selection Board interview at Allahabad.

He will undergo three months of basic military training at a TA facility in Devlali and another three months of post-commissioning training at the Indian Military Academy in Dehradun.