New Delhi, Jan 26 (IANS): The troopers of Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) on Wednesday celebrated the 73rd Republic Day, 2022 at the icy heights of Himalayas with zeal and vigour, from the heights ranging from 12,000 to 17,500 feet.

The ITBP jawans also known as Himveers, unfurled the national flag in the border areas of Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh where at places, the minimum temperature is minus (-) 45 degrees celsius.

The jawans unfurled the national flag at last Indian village Mana at Uttarakhand, border areas of Ladakh, and Kumaon region in Uttarakhand.

The 'Daredevil' bikers of the ITBP also showcased 10 different types of formation at the Rajpath during the Republic Day Parade. This is the first time that the ITBP showcased so many formations such as Lotus Formation, Border Man's Salute, Fly Riding, Pawan Chakki, Horizontal Bar Exercise, Six-Man Balance, Arrow Position, Jaguar Position, Sentinels of the Himalayas and the theme-based Pyramid on 'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav' on the 75th Anniversary of India's independence. A total of 146 personnel and 33 Bullet Motorcycles of ITBP will participate in the Mission 'Daredevils'.

Raised in 1962, the ITBP is deployed to guard the 3,488 km of India-China borders. The terrain and weather conditions in the mountainous borders are full of challenges where the brave jawans of the ITBP remained deployed 24x7 to keep vigil at the Himalayan frontiers of the country.

The ITBP is a mountain trained force and all its personnel are professionally acknowledged mountaineers. The Force is known as 'Sentinels of the Himalayas' for its greater role in the security of the highest borders of the Nation.

The Himalayan border guarding force has recently completed 59 years of dedicated service to the Nation. It has conducted hundreds of rescue operations as 'First responders' in disasters in the Himalayan region over the years.