May God bless ITBP: Chidambaram

Head to Dilli Haat in south Delhi one of these days if you want to purchase exotic spices and furniture pieces, but don't expect to meet the usual salesmen.

Head to Dilli Haat in south Delhi one of these days if you want to purchase exotic spices and furniture pieces, but don't
expect to meet the usual salesmen.

HT Image

At the ITBP (Indo Tibetan Border Police) exhibition, inaugurated on Thursday by Union Minister of Home Affairs P Chidambaram, commandos trained to defend the country in temperatures dipping as low as minus 40 degree Celsius, will be selling you pickles and craft items.

The exhibition, organised by the Himveer — snow warriors — Wives' Welfare Association (HWWA) is part of the central paramilitary organisation's 48th Raising Day celebrations.

Images of ITBP border patrolmen, clad in winter wear, wading through snow caught Chidambaram's attention.

“I saw ITBP men wading through snow, I was wondering if they had proper shoes, proper clothes…?” he said.

He added, “The men and officers of ITBP operate in the most adverse situations amid intense pressure, may God bless this force,” even as the organisations' director general Vikram Srivastav looked on.

ITBP was set up in October 1962 to guard India's border with China, in the wake of the military reverses the country faced against the latter. Since then, its men, usually trained mountaineers and skiers, keep vigil across the 3,488 km iborder apart from performing counter insurgency roles.

Chidambaram also released a coffee table pictorial souvenir — HWWA in Picture, ITBP.