NSG Honours Families of Its Fallen Commandos at National Police Memorial in Delhi

The National Security Guard (NSG) held a ceremony in New Delhi on 29 October 2026 to pay tribute to its personnel who lost their lives in the line of duty. The event took place at the memorial built in honour of police and security personnel killed on duty. During the event, the Director General of the NSG felicitated the families of the fallen.

The force said the ceremony recognised the courage, resilience and strength the families have shown since their loss. It also thanked the families of its “Balidanis”, the personnel who made the supreme sacrifice.

“Their valour lives on. Their legacy remains immortal,” the force said in its message.

What happened at the ceremony

The event had two main parts:

• Tribute to the fallen: Officers and personnel paid homage to NSG members who died while serving the nation.

• Honouring families: The Director General felicitated the family members of the fallen personnel.

Details such as the number of families present and the names of the personnel remembered were not shared.

A month of remembrance

The ceremony comes at a time of year that holds special meaning for India’s police and security forces:

• NSG Raising Day: The force was raised on 16 October 1984 and marks its raising day every year in October.

• Police Commemoration Day: Observed on 21 October to remember police personnel who died on duty. It marks the day in 1959 when ten CRPF personnel were killed in an ambush by Chinese troops at Hot Springs in Ladakh.

About the memorial

The memorial is in Chanakyapuri, New Delhi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated it to the nation on 21 October 2018. Its central sculpture, carved from a single block of granite, stands for the strength and sacrifice of police personnel. A Wall of Valour carries the names of police and security personnel from across the country who have died on duty since Independence. The site also has a museum on the history of policing in India.

The force and its sacrifices

The NSG is India’s elite counter-terrorism force and works under the Union Ministry of Home Affairs. Its commandos are popularly known as the Black Cats because of their black uniforms. They are trained to respond to terror attacks, hostage situations and hijackings. Members are drawn from the Indian Army and the Central Armed Police Forces.

Over the years, the force has lost several brave men in operations. During the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks in 2008, the NSG carried out Operation Black Tornado to clear the hotels and Nariman House. Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan and Havildar Gajender Singh Bisht were killed in the operation and were posthumously awarded the Ashoka Chakra, India’s highest peacetime gallantry award. In 2016, Lt Col Niranjan E.K. of the NSG lost his life while clearing explosives during the terror attack on the Pathankot air base.

Why such ceremonies matter

For the families of fallen soldiers and police personnel, the loss never fully goes away. Events like this show that the force continues to stand by them long after an operation is over. They also keep the memory of the fallen alive for serving personnel and for the younger generation.

For aspirants

Aspirants preparing for defence and police careers should know about the role of the NSG and why 21 October is a special day for India’s police forces. Stories of gallantry from operations such as 26/11 often come up in SSB interviews, lecturettes and group discussions. They reflect the values of duty and sacrifice that the forces look for in their officers