Kishan Reddy salutes NSG Black Cats on 42nd Raising Day
Synopsis
Union Coal and Mines Minister G. Kishan Reddy greeted NSG Black Cats on their 42nd Raising Day, praising their devotion, determination, and selfless service. The NSG was raised in 1984 as India's federal counter-terrorism contingency force under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Key Takeaways
Kishan Reddy extended greetings to NSG personnel on the force's 42nd Raising Day , 16 October 2026 .
The National Security Guard was established in 1984 under the Ministry of Home Affairs as India's federal counter-terrorism contingency force.
The NSG is popularly known as the 'Black Cats' and is tasked with counter-terrorism, hijacking response, and hostage rescue operations.
Kishan Reddy praised the force's 'exemplary devotion, determination, and selfless service for the nation.' Union ministers routinely issue public tributes on raising days of central armed forces as part of standard government communication on internal security.
India's elite counter-terrorism force, the National Security Guard (NSG), marked its 42nd Raising Day on Friday, 16 October 2026, drawing tributes from across the political spectrum — including a warm acknowledgment from Union Coal and Mines Minister G. Kishan Reddy, who hailed the Black Cats' 'exemplary devotion, determination, and selfless service.'
Four decades of the Black Cats
The NSG was raised in 1984 under the Ministry of Home Affairs as India's federal contingency force — purpose-built to respond to the gravest internal security threats: terrorism, hijackings, and hostage crises. The distinctive black uniform earned them the call sign 'Black Cats', a badge worn with fierce institutional pride. Over four decades, the force has been deployed in some of the most high-stakes operations on Indian soil. In his post on X, Kishan Reddy wrote: 'Your exemplary devotion, determination, and selfless service for the nation, ensuring safety of all is commendable. We're proud of you.' The message, addressed directly to @nsgblackcats, reflects the standard but sincere practice of Union ministers publicly acknowledging the raising days of central armed forces — a ritual that keeps civilian-security relationships visible.Why these tributes matter beyond the ceremony
Raising Day messages from senior ministers serve a quiet but deliberate function: they signal political attention to the men and women in elite units whose operations rarely make headlines until a crisis erupts. For the NSG — a force that lives in the shadow of normalcy but deploys into the heart of catastrophe — that visibility carries weight on the ground. Kishan Reddy, who holds the Coal and Mines portfolio and leads the BJP's Telangana unit, has been an active voice on national security themes alongside his primary policy responsibilities. Forty-two years on, the Black Cats remain one of India's sharpest instruments of last resort. That is worth saying out loud.Point of View
But they also reinforce a deliberate political signalling pattern — keeping elite security forces within the frame of civilian gratitude and public visibility. For the NSG, which operates largely out of the public eye, such acknowledgment from senior BJP leadership underscores the government's emphasis on internal security as a political as well as policy priority. Kishan Reddy's message, coming from a minister whose primary brief is coal and mines rather than home affairs, reflects how Raising Day communication has become a whole-of-government practice under the current administration. The broader arc points to consistent political investment in projecting strength and solidarity with India's security apparatus.
NationPress
16 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
When was the National Security Guard (NSG) raised?
The NSG was established on 22 October 1984 under India's Ministry of Home Affairs as a federal contingency force for counter-terrorism, hijacking, and hostage situations.
Why are NSG personnel called Black Cats?
NSG personnel are called 'Black Cats' because of their distinctive all-black uniform and the fierce, precise nature of their operations — the nickname has become an official badge of identity for the force.
Who is G. Kishan Reddy?
G. Kishan Reddy is India's Union Minister of Coal and Mines and the president of the BJP's Telangana state unit.
What does the NSG do?
The NSG is India's elite counter-terrorism unit, deployed in response to the gravest internal security threats including terrorist attacks, aircraft hijackings, and hostage crises.
Why do ministers post Raising Day greetings for security forces?
Union ministers routinely issue public messages on raising days of central armed forces to acknowledge their service and keep civilian-security relationships publicly visible — it is a standard part of government communication on internal security.
