Kolkata | 6 May 2025
At a private gathering attended by veterans of the Territorial Army and members of the armed forces fraternity, civilian author and researcher Soumyabrata Sengupta was ceremonially honoured by veterans associated with the Rajput Territorial Army lineage for his research and fieldwork in India’s North-East.
The recognition, presented as a ceremonial and non-official distinction styled as “Honorary Major,” included commemorative epaulettes and was described by veterans present as a symbolic gesture acknowledging his work documenting military history, frontier communities, and the strategic realities of India’s border regions.
Over the past two years, Sengupta has worked extensively across parts of the North-East, including in sensitive and difficult areas that remain largely inaccessible to independent civilian researchers. According to those familiar with the work, portions of the research remain confidential because of the nature of the locations and subjects involved.
The recognition also reflected a family legacy of military service.
Soumyabrata Sengupta is the son of a former Lieutenant Colonel of the Indian Army Medical Corps and a veteran of the 1999 Kargil War, where he served as an Army doctor during the conflict. He is also the grandson of a former Deputy Commandant of the Border Security Force who served during the 1971 war after being deputed alongside Army formations with the rank and responsibilities of a Major.
Veterans present at the event said the gesture was intended as a symbolic acknowledgement of scholarship, field research, and continued engagement with issues connected to India’s frontier regions and military history.
The veterans’ fraternity clarified that the distinction is entirely ceremonial and carries no official status within the Indian Army, Territorial Army, or the Government of India.
For many present, the evening reflected the armed forces community’s longstanding respect for those who document and preserve stories connected to India’s borders, conflict zones, and military history, even outside formal service.