CM Majhi Salutes ITBP on 64th Raising Day
Synopsis
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi honoured ITBP personnel on the force's Raising Day, saluting their service along India's high-altitude Himalayan frontier — 64 years after the force was raised during the 1962 Sino-Indian War.
Key Takeaways
ITBP Raising Day falls on 24 October every year, marking the force's founding in 1962 .
The Indo-Tibetan Border Police was raised during the Sino-Indian War to guard the India-China Himalayan frontier.
Odisha CM Mohan Charan Majhi saluted ITBP personnel for their 'valour, sacrifice and selfless service in challenging conditions.' ITBP guards approximately 3,488 kilometres of high-altitude border with China, often at elevations exceeding 18,000 feet .
Tributes to Central Armed Police Forces on their Raising Days are a cross-party tradition among Indian political leaders.
Sixty-four years after its formation in the crucible of the 1962 Sino-Indian War, the Indo-Tibetan Border Police marked another Raising Day — and Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi was among the voices honouring the force on Saturday, 24 October 2026.
In a post on X, CM Majhi wrote: 'On ITBP Raising Day, we salute the brave personnel of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police for their courage, dedication and unwavering commitment to safeguarding our nation's borders. Their valour, sacrifice and selfless service in challenging conditions remain a source of national pride.'
Born from a Border Crisis: The ITBP's Origin
The ITBP was raised on 24 October 1962 — literally in the middle of a shooting war. As Chinese forces pushed through the Himalayas, the Indian government stood up a dedicated mountain force to guard the frontier that conventional armies had struggled to hold. The force's mandate: secure the high-altitude border with China across 3,488 kilometres of the Himalayan arc.
Patrolling at altitudes that regularly exceed 18,000 feet, ITBP personnel operate in conditions — blizzards, avalanches, sub-zero temperatures — that few armed forces anywhere in the world routinely face. That operational reality is precisely what leaders like Majhi invoke when they speak of 'challenging conditions.'
A Ritual of National Acknowledgement
Indian political leaders across party lines observe the Raising Days of Central Armed Police Forces as a matter of established practice. The tributes are brief, but their consistency signals something real: the paramilitary forces that guard India's most contested frontiers depend on sustained public and political backing for morale, recruitment, and resourcing.
For CM Majhi, the gesture also carries regional resonance — Odisha contributes a steady stream of recruits to the ITBP and other central forces, and acknowledgements from state leadership reinforce that connection.
Point of View
But their frequency should not obscure their function: they anchor public consciousness around forces that operate in near-total obscurity on the country's most sensitive frontiers. For a BJP chief minister like Majhi, honouring the ITBP also aligns with the party's broader national-security messaging. The gesture costs nothing politically, but the cumulative weight of such acknowledgements — from the Prime Minister down to state capitals — does sustain a culture of recognition for forces that rarely make headlines unless something goes wrong at the border.
NationPress
24 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
When is ITBP Raising Day?
ITBP Raising Day is observed every year on 24 October , the date the force was officially raised in 1962 .
Why was the ITBP formed?
The Indo-Tibetan Border Police was raised on 24 October 1962 in direct response to the Sino-Indian War , to guard India's high-altitude Himalayan border with China.
What border does the ITBP guard?
The ITBP guards approximately 3,488 kilometres of the India-China border across the Himalayas, often at altitudes exceeding 18,000 feet .
Who is Mohan Charan Majhi?
Mohan Charan Majhi is the Chief Minister of Odisha and a BJP leader who assumed office in 2024 .
What did Odisha CM say on ITBP Raising Day 2026?
CM Majhi said the ITBP's 'valour, sacrifice and selfless service in challenging conditions remain a source of national pride' and that 'the Nation remains deeply grateful for their service and devotion to duty.'
