Shimla: The Himachal Pradesh State Disaster Response Force (HP SDRF) has achieved a major national distinction by securing first position in the National CSSR Competition 2026, held at the 8th Battalion NDRF Campus in Ghaziabad.
The competition, organised from 9 to 11 March 2026, saw HP SDRF emerge as the top-performing team among 30 participating teams from 27 states and Union Territories, marking the second consecutive year that the Himachal team has won the national title.
Back-to-Back National Victory for HP SDRF
This is the second year in a row that the Himachal Pradesh SDRF has won the prestigious national CSSR competition, reinforcing its position among India’s best state disaster response units.
The back-to-back victory is being viewed as a major achievement in operational disaster preparedness.
New National Record: Competition Completed in 41 Minutes
In addition to winning the title, the Himachal team also broke its own previous record.
Record Performance
• Completed the full competition in 41 minutes
• Improved on its previous best timing
• Registered the fastest completion among all participating teams
This performance highlighted the team’s:
• technical precision
• response speed
• field coordination
• rescue efficiency
30 Teams from 27 States and UTs Participated
The National CSSR Competition featured 30 teams representing 27 states and Union Territories, making it one of the most competitive disaster-response events in the country.
The contest tested teams on:
• collapsed structure search techniques
• rescue coordination
• technical extraction
• emergency response under pressure
Final Rankings
Top Three Positions
1 Himachal Pradesh State Disaster Response Force
2 Uttar Pradesh State Disaster Response Force
3 Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Response Force
The result underlines Himachal Pradesh’s strong standing in specialised disaster response capability.
Trophy Presented by Union Home Secretary
The winning trophy was handed over to Arjit Sen Thakur, SSP SDRF, by Govind Mohan, Union Home Secretary.
The ceremony took place in the presence of Piyush Anand, Director General of the National Disaster Response Force.
The recognition brought significant honour to Himachal Pradesh.
Why This Victory Matters
The repeated national success demonstrates that HP SDRF has developed into one of the most technically capable state response units in India.
The performance reflects:
• high-quality rescue training
• operational readiness
• strong command structure
• advanced disaster simulation capability
HP SDRF Strengthens National Reputation
With two consecutive national titles, HP SDRF has firmly positioned itself among the country’s most efficient disaster response forces.
The achievement is likely to further strengthen confidence in the state’s emergency response capacity, particularly in mountainous and disaster-prone regions.
