ITBP 58th Raising Day: Here's all you need to know

On the occasion of 58th Raising Day of the Indo Tibetan Border Police force, here are few things you need to know about the functioning and working of the border security. The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) is one of the seven Central Armed Police Forces of India. The ITBP personnel are also called as Himveers. The motto of the Force is “Shaurya-Dridhata-Karma Nishtha” (Valour – Determination – Devotion to Duty). All ranks of ITBP are dedicated to guarding the borders with valour, determination, and devotion to duty.

History

The Indo-Tibetan Border Police were raised on October 24, 1962, for reorganising the frontier intelligence and security set up along the Indo-Tibetan border. Only four Battalions were sanctioned, to begin with. ITBP was initially raised under the CRPF Act. However, in 1992, the Parliament enacted the ITBPF Act and the rules thereunder were framed in 1994. 

With additional tasks entrusted to ITBP from time to time on border guarding, counter-insurgency and internal security roles, the number of ITBP Battalions increased gradually and ITBP presently has 56 service Battalions, 4 Specialist Battalions, 17 Training Centres and 07 logistics establishments with a total strength of approx. 90,000 personnel.

In the year 2004, in pursuance of GoM recommendations on “One Border One Force”, the entire stretch of India-China Border comprising 3488 Kms was assigned to the ITBP for Border Guarding duty and, accordingly, ITBP, replaced Assam Rifles in Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh in 2004.

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Himveers guarding the borders

Presently ITBP has been guarding India-China border in Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh state from the Karakoram pass in Jammu & Kashmir to Jechap La in Arunachal Pradesh. The altitude of ITBP BOPs ranges from 9,000 ft to 18,750 ft where the temperature dips to (-) 45 degree Celsius.

ITBP Battalions 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 (N Delhi), The Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (Uttarakhand) and various sensitive installations in Chandigarh (Punjab) & Jammu (J&K).

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ITBP also conducts a large number of medical civic action programmes in the remote border and terrorist/Maoist affected areas to provide free and expert medical, health and hygiene care to the civilian population in remote villages.

At present, a well equipped and highly trained team of elite commandos are deployed in Afghanistan for providing security to the Indian Embassy in Kabul and 4 Consulates General. ITBP has also excelled in UN peacekeeping operations. The Force personnel were deployed for peacekeeping operations in Angola, Namibia, Cambodia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Mozambique and Kosovo. 

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Achievements

The Force has earned number of decorations like Padmashree-7, Kirti Chakra-2 Shaurya Chakra-6, Sena Medal-1, President’s Police Medal for Gallantry-19, Police Medal for Gallantry -91, Parakram Padak-79, President’s Police and Fire Service Medals for Gallantry-2, Prime Minister’s Life-Saving Medal-86, Jeewan Raksha Padak -06, Sarvottam Jeewan Raksha Padak – 02, Uttam Jeewan Raksha Padak – 13, Tenzing Norgay Adventure Award -12 etc. for its numerous achievements in the past.

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