NEW DELHI: The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) has been adjudged as the best marching contingent among paramilitary and other auxiliary forces for the Republic Day Parade this year.
The 148-member contingent led by Assistant Commandant Akshay Deshmukh represented the ITBP which participated in the parade after a gap of two years.
ITBP has won the best contingent trophy for participation in Republic Day for the sixth time. The Force was adjudged the best marching contingent in 1998, 1999, 2000, 2004 and 2011.
The parade contingent represented all formations of the Force comprising members from most of the Units of the paramilitary.
“Chief Drill Instructor Deputy Commandant Neelendra Kumar along with a dozen drill instructors shaped the marching contingent. 12 to 14 hours of rigorous practice starting from wee hours in cold morning of New Delhi was the key. Route marches of 19 KMs a day and special yoga/meditation and Drill PT sessions were included in the two month long preparations,” said ITBP spokesperson Vivek Pandey.
Proportionate diet and liquid intake by the members of the contingent were also monitored to shape the personnel to do their best in the Drill, Pandey added.
The ITBP is the designated border guarding Force for the 3,488 km Indo-China frontier.