New Delhi: After creating an exclusive women
battalion 25 years back, the CRPF has yet again made history
by commissioning in its fold the world`s first all-women
paramilitary pipe band.
The 22-member band has been created after picking the
best women troopers from the three exclusive women battalions
of the country`s largest paramilitary force.
"This is the world`s first all-women paramilitary band.
The band members have been chosen from a cross-section of the
country representing all the flanks," CRPF Deputy Inspector
General (DIG) Neetu Bhattacharya said.
The band will get its ceremonial colours on April 9 from
Minister of State for Home Jitendra Singh during the `Valour
Day` celebrations of the CRPF -- the mainstay of the country
for anti-Naxal operations.
The band will be led by a commander, called the `Major
of Pipes`, Sub-inspector Darshana Kumari.
Out of the 22 band players, twelve will play the pipes
while five will be on the drums and the rest will play other
musical instruments.
The CRPF is credited with raising the first women
battalion in central police forces way back in 1986.
The 2.5 lakh personnel-strong force presently has three
operational women battalions with headquarters in the national
capital, Gandhinagar in Gujarat and Ajmer in Rajasthan.
The women band will not only play martial and ceremonial
tunes at traditional events of the force, it would also be
sent to boost the morale of the troops at their United Nations
(UN) mandated duty locations.
With the unveiling of the band next week, the women
personnel will undergo regular training in learning musical
instruments and band tunes for next few months by master
trainers.
The band, on its debut, is expected to play the national
anthem `Jana gana mana`, the CRPF song `CRPF sada ajay, Bharat
mata ki jai` and `Kadam kadam badhaye jaa`.
The CRPF, like other central forces and state police
departments, also has its won male band.
PTI
