HIMVEERS CELEBRATE their 60 years of formation

By-Sri Krishna

One of the top Central Armed Police Force of India, known as “HIMVEERS” guarding the over 3488 Km Indo-Tibetan border and getting its name Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) celebrates 60 years of its formation this year since being raised in 1962 after the Sino-Indian conflict. It has been doing yeoman service in protecting the nation’s frontiers and carrying out a diverse range of activities.

ITBP is a specialized Armed Police Force of the Nation which trains its personnel in various disciplines including mountaineering and skiing apart from intensive tactical training, thereby creating a distinctive image of the Force. The Force has made many sacrifices in the line of duty and in the service of the Nation with its personnel conferred with numerous awards for their bravery.

With the motto “Shaurya – Dridhata – Karma Nishtha,” (Valour, Determination and Devotion to Duty), this force with a strength of about 90,000 comprises. The force has been playing an important role in not only guarding the border but also in maintaining internal security like fighting Left Wing Extremism (LWE) in Chhattisgarh, providing humanitarian relief in times of natural calamities, and even greening the Himalayas. Being the only human presence on forward areas, it has taken on itself the task of maintaining the delicate balance of flora and fauna. In a historic rescue and relief operation in 2013, the ITBP saved 33,009 pilgrims from grave situations from char dham yatra routes in Uttarakhand in the 15-day rescue effort by the Force. In total 15 of its personnel also lost their lives in a Helicopter crash during this rescue operation.

Presently it is guarding the India-China border in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh states from the Karakoram Pass in Jammu & Kashmir to Jechap La in Arunachal Pradesh. The altitude of ITBP Border Outposts (BOPs) ranges from 9,000 ft to 18,750 ft where temperature dips to (-) 45 degrees Celsius.

Its personnel are also providing security to various installations of national importance throughout the country, which includes Rashtrapati Bhawan, Vice President House, Rumtek Monastery (Sikkim), Tihar Jail (New Delhi), LBSNAA (Uttarakhand) and various sensitive installations in Chandigarh (Punjab) and Jammu and Kashmir. The force has also excelled in UN peacekeeping operations. ITBP has been providing security cover to the pilgrims during the Annual Kailash Mansarovar Yatra since 1981.

Source: Himalayan News Chronicle