New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday hailed the role of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) on the occasion of its Raising Day, saying the specialised department has set global standards in responding to disasters and managing them.
Taking to X, the Prime Minister wrote: “On this special occasion of the Raising Day of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), we salute the courage, dedication and selfless service of the brave personnel who are a shield in times of adversity. Their unwavering commitment to saving lives, responding to disasters and ensuring safety during emergencies is truly commendable. The NDRF has also set global standards in disaster response and management.”
According to a post on the official website of NDRF, it has saved over 1,55,205 lives and evacuated more than 8,00,420 stranded individuals from disaster-stricken areas both within and outside the country since its inception.
“The rapid and efficient response of NDRF during major disasters such as the Japan Triple Disaster of 2011, the Nepal Earthquake of 2015 and the Turkiye Earthquake of 2023 has garnered global acclaim. Excellent teamwork, rigorous training and greater use of technology have made these achievements possible,” the post by DG-NDRF reads.
For its relentless and dedicated service towards the community, the NDRF has also received a number of honours and awards. These include the Police Medal for Gallantry; Jeevan Raksha Padak; President’s Police Medal for Distinguished Service; Prime Minister’s Police Medal for Life Saving; Appreciation letter from the Ambassador of Japan, and the Union Home Minister’s Special Operational Medal among others.
The current Director General (DG) of NDRF is Piyush Anand, a 1991-batch IPS officer from the Uttar Pradesh cadre.
Piyush Anand has done B. Tech (Mechanical Engineering) from IIT Delhi and Post Graduate Diploma in Public Policy and Management from MDI Gurgaon.
He has served as SP/SSP in 11 districts in Uttar Pradesh, IG (Range) Moradabad, IG (Range) Kanpur, ADG (Establishment) and ADG (Railways) in UP.
Anand also served in the Central Bureau of Investigation for over seven years and in the Central Reserve Police Force for more than 3 years.
He has also served in the Central Industrial Security Force as ADG/SDG for more than a year before joining the NDRF as Director General on March 31 last year.
A recipient of several awards, Anand was given the President’s Police Medal for Distinguished Service, Police Medal for Meritorious Service, and Gold Medal by the School of Public Policy & Management, MDI Gurgaon for outstanding performance, among others.
(IANS)
