In a ceremony underscoring valor and frontline leadership, Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi presented the prestigious Commendation Disc to Assistant Commandant Neha Bhandari of the Border Security Force (BSF) Jammu for her outstanding bravery during Operation Sindoor. The honor was conferred in the presence of top military officials, reflecting the significance of her contributions to national defense.
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Neha Bhandari, a third-generation officer from Uttarakhand, earned the accolade for commanding a BSF company deployed at the forward Pargwal sector along the International Border in Akhnoor. Under her leadership, the BSF unit effectively silenced three hostile Pakistani posts, delivering a decisive response to cross-border aggression. Her outpost, situated just meters from Pakistani positions, was one of the most vulnerable during the conflict.
Operation Sindoor, launched in retaliation to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, has seen the BSF and Indian Army working in coordination to target and neutralize threats emanating from across the border. Official figures report that the BSF has so far destroyed 76 Pakistani border outposts, 42 forward defense locations, and three terrorist launch pads.
General Dwivedi, who took charge as the Army Chief on June 30, 2024, praised Neha’s courage and operational acumen, noting her role as a symbol of the increasing involvement and impact of women in India’s security forces. Her recognition highlights the BSF’s proud history of being India’s “first line of defense,” a reputation established during the 1971 war and reaffirmed through modern operations like Sindoor.
The ceremony came amid heightened tensions in Jammu and Kashmir following the Pahalgam attack, which claimed 26 lives, mostly Hindu pilgrims. The Indian security response, led by coordinated strikes in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, has aimed to dismantle terror infrastructure and deter future attacks.
Neha Bhandari’s commendation is not only a personal milestone but also a powerful message of encouragement to women in uniform and a reaffirmation of the BSF’s unwavering commitment to safeguarding India’s borders, especially along the critical 190-kilometer stretch of the International Border in Jammu that includes the districts of Jammu, Samba, and Kathua.
