The elite Counter Insurgency & Jungle Warfare School (CIJWS), Vairengte celebrated its 49th Raising Day on Tuesday with a plethora of events which started from April 28.
The celebrations were graced by Mizoram Governor Lt Gen (Retired) Nirbhay Sharma.
The Governor congratulated Maj Gen MS Ghura, Commandant and the CIJWS team on the occasion of the Raising Day and complimented the school for their yeoman service towards the nation.
During his visit, the Governor was also shown various state-of-the-art training facilities and infrastructure, which are available in the school for conduct of contemporary counter terrorist training. Various other important military and civil dignitaries also attended the celebrations including NS Jamwal, Inspector General (IG), Border Security Force (BSF), Cachar Frontier.
The school was raised in 1967 by Lt Col (later Lt Gen) Mathew Thomas, then as an ad hoc Jungle Training School at Mynkre near Shillong.
In September, 1968, the school was rechristened as Eastern Command Counter Insurgency Training School and later on May 1, 1970, it was relocated to its present location at Vairengte in Mizoram as the CIJW School.
The school also actively participated in the 1971 Indo-Pak War with honours.
Over the years, the school has evolved into a unique world class institution with state-of-the-art infrastructure and training facilities for imparting counter terrorism training to combatants of Indian Army, Central Armed Police Forces, para-military forces and State Police forces, unparallel to any other in the world.
The school also boasts of a global imprint with soldiers and contingents of more than 48 countries undergoing regular training here. Most of these countries today are actively involved in counter terrorism operations in their homelands and have immensely benefited from their exposure to this unique and specialised tactical training Institute, hence also fostering improved relationship with these countries.
The festivities included cultural and ceremonial functions followed by a special address of the Commandant Maj Gen MS Ghura, to the staff and instructors. The Commandant commended the achievers of the school; besides, he also gifted sports equipment to the local sports club Rengkhawpui FC in Vairengte.
While interacting with the members of the Rengkhawpui FC, the Commandant highlighted the importance of sports in overall development of individual and in turning their contributions towards building an ideal society. As part of its contributions to nation building efforts of Indian Army, the CIJWS staff utilized the occasion to plant more than 200 medicinal and ornamental trees in the school premises.