A felicitation ceremony was held at Oak Over, Shimla today to honour the outstanding achievements of the Himachal Pradesh State Disaster Response Force (HP SDRF), which secured first position at the National Level Collapsed Structure Search and Rescue (CSSR) Competition for the second consecutive time. During the event, the winning SDRF team presented the prestigious trophy to Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, who congratulated the team members for their exceptional performance and dedication.
He remarked, “It is indeed a proud moment when a small state like Himachal Pradesh stands first in any national-level event. I congratulate the entire SDRF team.” The Chief Minister stated that the State has been witnessing frequent natural calamities and in 2023 and 2025 widespread destruction was caused due to such disasters.
He appreciated the vital role played by the SDRF, Home Guards, Fire Department and Civil Defence in saving precious human lives and rescuing stranded people and tourists during these challenging times. On the occasion, the Chief Minister also inaugurated the Home Guard Volunteer Management System, aimed at improving coordination, efficiency, and management of Home Guard volunteers across the State.
The Fire Safety Code 2026 was also reviewed, reflecting the government’s continued commitment to strengthening disaster preparedness and safety standards in Himachal Pradesh. All team members were awarded appreciation certificates in recognition of their remarkable contribution and commitment to disaster response excellence.
The HP SDRF team created history by securing first position at the National CSSR Competition held at the 8th Battalion NDRF Campus in Ghaziabad from 9 to 11 March 2026. The team emerged victorious among 30 teams representing 27 States and Union Territories.
Notably, the team surpassed its own previous record by completing the competition in a record time of 41 minutes, demonstrating exceptional efficiency, preparedness and operational excellence. In the final standings, HP SDRF secured first position, followed by Uttar Pradesh SDRF in second place and Andhra Pradesh SDRF in third place.
On the occasion Education Minister Rohit Thakur, Mayor Surinder Chauhan, ACS (Home) KK Pant, DGP (Home Guards) Satwant Atwal, Special secretary (Revenue)-cum-Director Disaster Management DC Rana and other senior officers were also present.