The world’s largest border guarding force, BSF, will get the privilege of showcasing the maximum of five marching contingents, including two on camels and one on motorcycles, at the Republic Day parade this year where US President Barack Obama is the chief guest. All other paramilitary forces like CRPF and ITBP besides the Army, Navy and the Air Force will have two squads (marching and band) each on Rajpath.
BSF was scheduled to have four contingents this time, a regular feature every year, but the fifth squad of daredevil bike-borne ‘Janbaaz’ was given a special entry, instead of the scheduled Army team, on the request of the Union Home Ministry as the force is celebrating its 50th anniversary of raising this year, official sources said.
The bike-borne devils perform their stunts on Republic Day alternatively in the BSF and Army teams. This time it was the Army’s turn but a special case was made for BSF in view of its golden jubilee.
The bullet motorcycle riding ‘Janbaaz’ stuntmen are record holders in various events on their 350cc-Enfield bikes and the 210-strong team will perform over 13 acrobatic manoeuvres during the parade.
The bikers are trained at BSF’s Central School of Motor Transport, part of the BSF Academy, Tekanpur. Their name has featured in the limca Book of World Records. In 2006, ‘Janbaaz’ created two new world records by forming a Human Pyramid of 26 stuntmen riding on just 3 Royal Enfield Bullet motorcycles, covering a distance of 1 km in 1 minute 16 seconds. The other record was created by having 40 stuntmen ride on just 1 Bullet motorcycle covering a distance of 32 meters in 48.11 seconds.
Apart from the regular foot marching contingent followed by the brass band teams, the BSF will also showcase its camel contingent and the camel-mounted band team. Incidentally, the camel-mounted band had performed before Obama when he visited India in November 2010.
One of the camels in this team, 16-year-old Sangram will participate in its last Republic Day parade this time as it is set to retire later this year. It has performed at Rajpath 10 times in the past.