Jammu: BSF troops celebrate Holi near international border in RS Pura

Jammu (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], March 13 (ANI): Border Security Force Troops celebrated Holi near the international Border in the RS Pura sector of Jammu on Thursday.

The troops danced and applied colours to each other.
Harmanpreeet Kaul, a woman jawan, told ANI, " On behalf of the BSF, I want to extend greetings of Holi to everyone"

Prem Kumar, a BSF Jawan, told ANI, " It is a good feeling. Happy Holi to everyone".

The festival of Holi is celebrated across the country, with people coming together to celebrate with colors, music, and traditional festivities.
Meanwhile, Border Security Force (BSF) personnel posted at border outposts celebrated Holi with great enthusiasm on Thursday. To make the experience memorable, the senior officers and jawans made special arrangements ahead of the festivities.
Amid the festive cheers of "Bharat Mata Ki Jai," officers personally applied colors to the soldiers and shared sweets with them. In a show of camaraderie, the soldiers lifted their officers onto their shoulders, chanting slogans of "Bharat Mata Ki Jai."
The Border Security Force (BSF) personnel danced joyfully, covered in gulal, creating a lively atmosphere along the Indo-Pak border. The women soldiers not only danced to the rhythm of the DJ but also enjoyed the festivities with their fellow soldiers.
Speaking on the occasion, BSF DIG Yogendra Singh Rathore said, "BSF is the first line of defense. We may be away from our families, but these soldiers are our family. We are dancing, singing, and celebrating Holi together. To ensure that our personnel, who guard the borders hundreds of kilometers away from their homes, do not feel alone on this occasion, the headquarters made special arrangements, including colors, sweets, and festive meals."
Another BSF jawan expressed his commitment to duty while celebrating the festival, saying, "Holi is a festival of beautiful colors. We are stationed at the borders so that our fellow citizens can celebrate without any worries. This is our small family here, and we celebrate with our brothers in uniform. BSF is a mini India, where soldiers from all religions and backgrounds come together to mark the festival."
A woman jawan said, "BSF soldiers from Odisha, West Bengal, and Maharashtra echoed similar sentiments...We stand shoulder-to-shoulder at the borders to protect the nation. This place is our home, where we celebrate Holi with people from different faiths. It fills us with pride that we are standing on Indian soil, safeguarding the nation, and celebrating Holi together."
Another woman, Jawan, shared her excitement, saying, "We thoroughly enjoyed the festival, had great fun, and celebrated Holi with our BSF brothers like a family. In fact, we had a better Holi here at the border than at home. We danced, played with colors, and relished sweets sent by the headquarters. Holi symbolizes brotherhood, and here, we are celebrating with friends from all over India while fulfilling our duty of securing the border."
BSF Deputy Commandant Pratap Singh highlighted the sacrifice and dedication of the force, stating, "When the entire nation sleeps peacefully, we stay awake to protect the borders. Today, as the country celebrates Holi, we are here celebrating with our personnel. We are their family, their brothers, and their support system." (ANI)