Darjeeling, Sept. 1 -- The mortal remains of braveheart Dhakpa Tenzin, a member of the Special Frontier Force (SFF) who was killed in the line of duty in Himachal Pradesh's Leo Pargial region on August 29, arrived at the Bagdogra Air Force Station on Tuesday. Tenzin had also successfully climbed Mount Everest twice. From Bagdogra, the remains were taken to his home in Selpokhari in Lava, Kalimpong district, with full state honours.
According to a statement issued by Darjeeling MP Raju Bista, Tenzin lost his life in the Leo Pargial (Peak 6791) region near the Tibet border. Expressing condolences to Tenzin's family, Bista described him as a "brave and dedicated" member of the SFF and a "courageous mountaineer" who had served the nation with "exceptional valour, commitment, and devotion".
According to sources, his last rites will be held at Lava Bazar on Wednesday.
Tenzin's death has brought into focus the contribution of personnel from the SFF. Raised on November 14, 1962, in the aftermath of the Chinese aggression, the Special Frontier Force (SFF), also known as Establishment 22 or Vikas Battalion, is among India's most specialised forces. Initially comprising Tibetan guerrillas, many of whom had earlier resisted Chinese rule in Tibet, the force was created for operations in the high Himalayas.
Personnel are primarily recruited from Tibetan refugee settlements in India and operate under the direct control of the Cabinet Secretariat, outside the organisational structure of the Indian Army.
The SFF has reportedly participated in major military operations, including the 1971 India-Pakistan war.
Its personnel are bound by strict secrecy, with the force's activities rarely acknowledged publicly.
With the funeral of SFF soldier Nyima Tenzin in Leh in September 2020, renewed attention on the 22 and its decades of service to India, kept secret, came to the fore.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.