Netizens salute ITBP 'Himveer' Jawans for hoisting National Flag at 17,000 ft

As the nation celebrated Republic Day on January 26, the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel also celebrated the day at 17,000 feet in Ladakh. The video clip of the ITBP trudging through the snow and fighting extreme weather conditions to unfurl the National Flag has taken the internet by storm. In the one minute 57-second clip, shared by ANI, the ITBP's 'Himveers' can be heard chanting 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' and 'Vande Mataram'. 

READ: WATCH: 17,000-ft-high & At -20°C, ITBP Jawans Celebrate Republic Day Undaunted

The video has now become an internet sensation as it has already received more than 40,000 views and approximately 9,300 likes. The video has also been shared thousands of times and many netizens have also commented on the video and called them 'the real hero of the country'. One twitter user commented, “To such brave men & women we owe our gratitude for the freedom we enjoy. Jai Hind”. Another wrote, “Great, We salute the brave sons of our Nation”. 

READ: Republic Day: 15 ITBP Officials Get Police Service Medals

Specialised mountain force

A total of 15 ITBP personnel have been conferred with medals on Republic Day. ITBP was raised on October 24, 1962. Presently, ITBP is deployed on border guarding duties from Karakoram Pass in Ladakh to Jachep La in Arunachal Pradesh covering 3,488 km of Indo-China Border and manning Border Outposts on altitudes ranging from 9,000' to 18,700' in the Western, Middle and Eastern sectors of the Indo-China Border. It is a specialised mountain force and most of the officers and men are professionally trained mountaineers and skiers. Being the first responder for a natural disaster, the force has been carrying out numerous rescue and relief operations across the country.

READ: ITBP And BSF Jawans Celebrate New Year's Eve

READ: Amit Shah Visits ITBP Headquarters In Delhi; Reviews Ops Preparedness Along China Border