E-Paper
Physically challenged CRPF men keep fighting spirit alive with training on cyber tech, sports
Inaugurated on December 10, 2020, NCDE takes care of personnel who are physically challenged in the line of the duty and trains them in latest technologies like artificial intelligence, cyber security or warfare, data analytics and others. At the NCDE, these personnel are called “Divyang warriors”
On April 7, 2014 sub-inspector Ajay Kumar, 30, of 153rd battalion of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Bhaluahi, Bihar, was among 20 armed commandoes, undertaking combing operations in the areas under Dibra police station of Aurangabad district to counter Maoists.
The Maoists had given a call to boycott the general elections, scheduled to be held three days later.
During the search operation for possible landmines in the area, a sudden improvised explosive device (IED) explosion sent the entire team flying in the air. Ajay’s three colleagues died on the spot while 10 others were seriously injured. Due to the explosion Ajay lost half of his left leg and was left bleeding heavily. Despite being seriously injured, he continued fighting against the Maoists.
Ajay doesn’t remember when the firing stopped, as he fell unconscious after some time. “All I can remember is that my left leg below the knee was ripped in the blast. I woke up two days later at a hospital in Ranchi and realised that my leg has been amputated,” Ajay recalled.
Eight years down the line, Ajay, now an inspector, is still as agile as he was when he was in the battlefield. Despite being fitted with an artificial limb, within two years, he became a champion in cycling. He took part in Asian Para-Cycling Championship held at Bahrain in February 2017 and World Para Cycling Championship held at Pietermaritzburg, South Africa in September, the same year.
At national level also, Ajay has taken part in several cycle expeditions like Hyderabad-Tirupati, Delhi-Mumbai, Shimla-Manali, Dehradun-Badrinath, Sabarmati-Rajghat and Hyderabad-Nagpur.
In April 2021, Ajay joined National Centre for Divyang Empowerment (NCDE), an exclusive facility of the CRPF group centre at Jawaharnagar in Telangana’s Medchal-Malkajgiri district on the outskirts of Hyderabad, which provides training to the personnel of para-military forces, who become physically challenged in the line of the duty.
“The NCDE has given me a new lease of life. Apart from providing me with a highly-sophisticated artificial limb, I have been trained in computer applications and employed in the group centre. Besides, it also provided me extensive training in shooting, which helped me achieve a medal in the Second National Para Shooting Championship held in Delhi in March this year,” Ajay said.
Ajay is one among scores of physically challenged CRPF personnel whose lives have undergone complete transformation at the NCDE.
“I never thought I would lead a normal life after I lost my right limb in an IED blast during an anti-Maoist operation at Hidmapara forest areas of Bijapur district in Chhattisgarh in June 2017,” said 35-year-old Krishna Kant Roy from New Cooch Behar of West Bengal. Roy who was awarded President of India’s gallantry medal in 2021.
At the NCDE, Roy was not only fitted with an artificial limb but also was given training in several para-sports. “I am planning to take part in national para-cycling championship next year,” he said. “If given an opportunity, I want to go back to the field to fight against extremists,” he added.
Once a warrior, always a warrior
Inaugurated on December 10, 2020, the NCDE takes care of personnel who are physically challenged in the line of the duty and trains them in latest technologies like artificial intelligence, cyber security or warfare, data analytics and others. At the NCDE, these personnel are called “Divyang warriors.”
NCDE’s slogan — Once a warrior, always a warrior — rekindles the spirit of hundreds of such CRPF personnel who become physically incapacitated while on duty whether it is on the borders or in dense forests of Maoist-infested Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra and Bihar.
“Despite losing physically, they have not lost their fighting spirit. They have the capacity to fight the enemy if given an opportunity,” says CRPF inspector general (southern region) Mahesh Chandra Laddha.
According to Laddha, as many as 189 personnel of CRPF, the country’s largest armed force, underwent amputation in the last decade. Besides, there are about 500 specially-abled children in the families of the CRPF, he said.
The personnel are also taught machine language, social media monitoring, audio visual effects, advanced animation and block chain management etc.
“We are working on various projects to augment their skills and uphold their self-esteem for leading a normal life,” Laddha said.
Since its inception, the NCDE has so far trained four batches, each batch comprising 24 Divyang warriors, in which various activities — including training in software skills — are carried out.
“We have collaborated with Birla Institute of Technology (Pilani) and Indian Institute of Information Technology-Hyderabad (IIIT-H) to provide training to the interested Divyang warriors in software technologies like cyber security and warfare etc,” said NCDE in-charge R K Sharma.
Ground Commander AC of Cobra battalion 205, Bibhor Kumar Singh, who lost both his legs during an anti-Maoist operation at Madanpur in Bihar’s Aurangabad district on February 25 this year, is also one of the Divyang warriors.
“Being a graduate in electronics and communications engineering, a training in higher software skills at NCDE will be of immense help,” he said.
For those who want to pursue their career in sports, the NCDE has collaborated with Ash Tennis Academy for training in tennis, Olympian Gagan Narang of Glory shooting academy in shooting etc. “We are also providing training in other activities like computer gaming and animation,” Sharma said.
