Sophie and Vida
Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his 'Mann ki Baat' address on Sunday hailed the Indian breed dogs and said they play an important role in disaster management and rescue missions. The Prime Minister also appreciated the bravery of Sophie and Vida.
"Dear countrymen, a few weeks ago, while we were celebrating our Independence Day, interesting news caught my attention. This is the news of two brave hearts of our security forces. One is Sophie and the other Vida. Sophie and Vida are the dogs of the Indian Army who have been awarded the Chief of Army Staff 'Commendation Cards'. Sophie and Vida received this honour because they performed their duties diligently while protecting their country. Our armed forces and security forces have many such brave dogs who not only live for the country but also sacrifice themselves for the country," Modi said.
He said that dogs play an important role in disaster management and rescue missions. "Some time ago I got to know in great detail about the role of dogs in the security of the country and also got to hear many stories too. One such canine named Balaram sniffed out ammunition on the route of the Amarnath Yatra. Dog, Bhavana searched out IED in 2002. During unearthing the IED, terrorists triggered an explosion and brave dog were martyred. Two or three years ago in Bijapur Chattisgarh, a sniffer dog Cracker of CRPF also attained martyrdom in an IED blast. You might have seen a very moving scene on TV a few days ago, in which the Beed Police were giving their canine colleague Rocky a final farewell with all due respect. Rocky had helped the police in solving over 300 cases. Dogs also have a significant role in Disaster Management and Rescue Missions. In India, NDRF, the National Disaster Response Force has specially trained dozens of dogs. In the event of an earthquake, building collapse, these dogs are experts in searching out people trapped under debris," he added.
The Prime Minister also urged people of adopting dogs of Indian breeds. "The next time you think of raising a pet dog, consider bringing home one of these Indian breeds. At a time when Atmanirbhar Bharat is becoming a mantra of the people, how can any domain be left untouched by its influence?," PM Modi said.
