ITBP 'diwali mela' begins in Delhi

New Delhi : A three-day exhibition, organised by the wives welfare association of border guarding force Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), showcasing handicraft and other products from various parts of the country was inaugurated here today.

Carpets, shawls, dry fruits, herbal products, cane furniture, Lucknowi 'chikan' embroidery, delicacies from the North East and a host of other local products have been displayed at the annual 'mela' being hosted by the force to mark its 56th Raising Day, which will be celebrated at the month-end.The fair was opened by Savitri Singh, wife of Home Minister Rajnath Singh.

During the event, she also handed over prosthetic arms to ITBP troops -- constable Biman Biswas and head constable Narendra Singh, who suffered severe frostbite injuries during a recent mountaineering expedition to Mount Dhaulagiri, and head constable Sujan Singh, who suffered burn injuries during a task at the Indian mission in Afghanistan.

ITBP spokesperson Deputy Commandant Vivek K Pandey said the exhibition is an effort to showcase the skills and efforts of the wives of the force personnel and how they engage themselves when their husbands are deployed for long durations at the border in extreme conditions.

President of the ITBP wives association, Nita Pachnanda, wife of force chief R K Pachnanda, said the exhibition was an effort to help the families of the ITBP personnel get engaged in self-employment work and the proceeds of the 'mela' will be used for the welfare of the troops.

The ITBP is tasked to guard the 3,488-km long Sino-India border apart from rendering a variety of roles in the internal security domain of the country.