First-ever musical tribute to police martyrs

In a first, people gathered today at the National Police Memorial here to pay the first musical tribute to the over 36,000 police and paramilitary personnel who laid down their lives in the line of duty to safeguard the internal security of the country.
Neatly dressed brass and pipe bands, troops dressed in ceremonial regalia and caparisoned camels of the country's largest border guarding force BSF lined up to deliver a befitting and the first band display and retreat ceremony to pay homage to the fallen trooper in 'khaki' and its various camouflage uniforms donned by these men and women.

Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju, while officiating as the chief guest at the maiden event, called it a "historic day" to honour the martyred men and women of the central and state police forces as he said that these brave hearts should never be forgotten.
The ceremony, that started with the national anthem, saw Border Security Force bands playing patriotic tunes as part of the musical tribute and they followed it up with martial music to the delight of the top brass of central police forces and few of those from the general public.
Band songs like 'ye desh hai veer jawano ka...', 'mere desh ki dharti...' and 'kadam kadam badhaye ja...' filled the atmosphere at the memorial, located in central Delhi's Chanakyapuri, with an air of patriotism and solemn proud for lakhs of these men and women who not only guard India's borders but also protect the hinterland, day and night.

The hour-long event came to an end with the bringing down of the national flag in the iconic military retreat fashion even as a number of people paid their tributes and salutes to the large memorial built in the memory of the fallen troops.

Senior officials from paramilitary forces, Home Ministry and the Intelligence Bureau (IB) paid floral tributes at the memorial before the retreat ceremony began.
A senior official said the event has been planned to reach the common public with the stories of these brave men and women and also so that they get to know more about the unsung heroes of these central forces and state police units who render their duties in the harshest of terrains and with the most difficult work hours.

While the first event today was hosted and conducted by the BSF, the Union Home Ministry has mandated that all the central forces will take charge to undertake the same every month, one after the other.
There is also a proposal to invite state police bands to conduct this event.
The ceremony will be held every Saturday evening, starting at 5:00 PM in winters, and is open for the public.
Apart from the state police forces, the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) comprising the BSF, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), National Security Guard (NSG), and the Delhi Police.

There are about 8 lakh personnel serving in these forces under the command of the Home Ministry.