Indo Tibetan Border Police inducts first batch of women constables - India News and Travel Times Provides India-centric and other News and Features

The Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) on Friday inducted the first ever women's formation in the presence of Union Home Minister P Chidambaram at the ITBP training centre located at Bhanu, 25kilometres off Chandigarh in Haryana. Prior to the commissioning of this exclusive outfit, Chidambaram reviewed an impressive passing out parade of the women cadets. The women recruits underwent 44 weeks of rigorous psycho-physical and allied training in handling of arms and logistics. The maiden batch of ITBP maidens consists of 209 women, who will initially be stationed at the Nathu La Pass in Sikkim. Besides the border duties, these women ITBP constables will assist lady pilgrims and tourists during the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra undertaken by Hindus to visit the Manasarovar Lake in Tibet. In his speech at the passing out parade, Chidambaram commended the women for charting out this red-letter day in the annals of ITBP. "It is always a proud moment when you are the first and these 209 women constables will always cherish this day as today is written in golden letters in ITBP," Chidambaram said. On this count, he acknowledged the contributions of the parents and guardians of these women cadets since they spared their daughters for an extremely challenging career in ITBP. "I also congratulate them (cadets) and their family, especially their parents for taking the bold decision to join the force entrusted with guarding one of the most difficult and challenging borders of India," Chidambaram added. ITBP guards the India-China border, from Jammu and Kashmir in the north to Sikkim in the northeast. As part of their training, these women constables also took part in allied activities like rock climbing and mountaineering. Another highlight of their training regimen was stress management for them to overcome life in isolation from dear and near ones and survival tactics in the higher reaches of Himalayan range.