Assam Rifles, one of the oldest and most prestigious paramilitary forces in India, celebrated its 190th Raising Day today with great pride and solemnity at its headquarters in Shillong.
The milestone marks nearly two centuries of dedicated service, valour and unwavering commitment to safeguarding the nation’s borders.
Director General Lt Gen Vikas Lakhera and all ranks of the force paid homage at the War Memorial in Shillong to the bravehearts who in the past have made the supreme sacrifice.
In his address, Lakhera complimented all ranks for their outstanding contribution in fighting insurgency in the North East and Kashmir.
A significant highlight of the ceremony was the presentation of the prestigious DGAR Banner for the year 2023-24 to its top-performing units to include 36 Assam Rifles as second runner up, 3 Assam Rifles as first runner up and 4 Assam Rifles as the winner of the DGAR Banner 2023-24.
The awards recognised the dedication, professionalism and outstanding contributions made by various battalions and units in ensuring the security and stability of the region.
Assam Rifles has continued to prove its mettle in Operations in 2024-25. During the past year, four battalions of Assam Rifles received Chief of the Army Staff Unit Citation and six Battalions received General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Unit Citation. In addition, personnel of the force were awarded with one Shaurya Chakra, eight Sena Medals, 400 Presidential and Governors Medals. The Force has also excelled in Sports by winning 254 medals at National level and 21 medals at International level in various sports events in the year 2024-25.
“The force remains committed to modernise its equipment profile in terms of acquisition of state of art, weapons, surveillance and protective equipment. With every passing year, the Assam Rifles continue to stand strong amongst the people of the North East. As the region moves towards development and prosperity, the force continues to instill a sense of security amongst the locals,” Assam Rifles in a press release said.
The Assam Rifles continues to evolve to meet new challenges and live up to its motto and its role as the ‘Sentinels of the North East’, it added.
Meanwhile, the force yesterday commemorated its Veterans Day, paying tribute to the courageous men and women who have served the Force with dedication and honour.
The event was held at the Assam Rifles headquarters in Shillong, where senior officials, veterans and veer naris gathered to celebrate the legacy and contributions of the Force.
The event was marked by a series of events, including a solemn wreath-laying ceremony at the war memorial, followed by speeches from senior officers highlighting the achievements of the Force and its veterans.
Assam Rifles has a total of 97,264 ex-servicemen country wide and a total of 587 Veer Naris. These come under the umbrella of ARESA which are located in all the states. At present we have 35 ARESA Centres all over India and three Pension Paying Offices (PPO) in Nepal to oversee the welfare of Assam rifles ex-servicemen.
A mega Assam Rifles ex-servicemen rally for ex-servicemen of Shillong was also conducted under the aegis of the Headquarters Directorate General Assam Rifles today. The rally elicited participation by more than 118 ex-servicemen from all the districts of the state including gallantry awardees, veer naris, widows and their dependents. The rally entailed establishment of medical camps, ECHS helpdesk, banking facilities, grievance redressal cell.
