Dehradun: In a path-breaking move, the Indo Tibetan Border Police Force (ITBP) on Sunday inducted its first two female combatised officers.
They were among 53 officers — 42 Assistant Commandants (GD) and 11 Assistant Commandants (Engineer) — who graduated from the ITBP Officers’ Training Academy in Mussoorie.
“You are lucky that you have got the opportunity to serve ITBP, which is deployed on the borders of Tibet and China,” said Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami who was the chief guest at the graduation parade.
Female officers Prakriti and Deeksha were assigned as Assistant Commandant, the entry-level officer rank in the paramilitary.
Prakriti’s father has retired from Indian Air Force (IAF), while Deeksha is the daughter of ITBP inspector Kamlesh Kumar.
“My father is my role model. He never considered me lesser than anyone,” Deeksha was quoted as saying by PTI.
Prakriti, an electrical engineer, said she looked forward to life in the force, which is “very tough but also challenging and exciting.”
A 680-page book titled ‘History of ITBP’ was released by the CM and ITBP director general SS Deswal.