They are the vanguard of the country – always at the frontline. We are safe because of them. We manage to celebrate our festivals like Deepawali because they stand at the borders, like a rock – in the snowy hills of Leh and Ladakh, in the Rajasthan’s Thar Desert as well as in the deceptive Little Runn of Kuchh. They remain away from their families so that we can unite with our families to celebrate the festival of lights.
However, life is not all that gloomy for our Bravehearts, the men in uniform guarding our borders in most treacherous terrains in most inclement weathers. They too snatch their moments of joy in the darkness engulfing the borders. They too celebrate festivals. They too perform Laxmi and Ganesh puja on Deepawali. They too light diyas. They too have a special meal. But, nothing can compensate for the absence of their family members.
That is why Indian Masterminds decided to pay them tribute by highlighting their sacrifices and the little packets of joy delivered to them at the borders. We have collected some photographs depicting how our jawans and the officers in uniform celebrated their Diwali this year.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has however, been celebrating most of his festivals with the jawans at the border – 2021 being no exception.
Prime Minister Modi arrived in Jammu’s Nowshera on Wednesday morning to celebrate Diwali with soldiers. It is an annual tradition of the Prime Minister, ever since he assumed office in 2014, to travel to the frontiers on Diwali to bring some joy to the lives of the armed forces personnel posted at some of the remotest security check posts.
The Nowshera sector in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), where Modi is visiting this time, is located along the Line of Control (LoC) in the Rajouri district. The Prime Minister had last visited this sector in 2019 when he celebrated Diwali with the soldiers of the Indian Army.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Modi extended greetings to his fellow countrymen on the occasion of Diwali, the festival of lights. Wishing everyone a very happy Diwali, the Prime Minister hoped that the auspicious occasion brings happiness, prosperity, and good fortune to the lives of his fellow citizens.
“Greetings to the countrymen on the auspicious occasion of Diwali,” the Prime Minister posted in Hindi from his official handle on Twitter on Thursday. “I wish that this festival of lights brings happiness, prosperity, and good fortune in your life. Wishing everyone a very Happy Diwali.”
Besides Indian Army, soldiers of Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Border Security Force (BSF) and Central Reserve Police Forever (CRPF) besides some other organisations have been protecting India’s frontiers in most challenging conditions like Siachin glacier where temperature often plummets to minus 40 degrees.
