For the year 2024, 60 Parachute Field Hospital, Uttar Pradesh, in the Institutional category, has been selected for the Subhash Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandhan Puraskar-2024 for its excellent work in Disaster Management.

The Government of India, under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has instituted an annual award known as Subhash Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandhan Puraskar to recognize and honour the invaluable contribution and selfless service rendered by individuals and organizations in India in the field of disaster management. The award is announced every year on 23rd January, the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. The award carries a cash prize of Rs. 51 lakh and a certificate in case of an institution and Rs. 5 lakh and a certificate in case of an individual. 

Under the guidance of Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah, the country has significantly improved the disaster management practices, preparedness, mitigation and response mechanisms resulting in significant reduction in casualties during natural calamities. Union Home Minister continuously review disaster preparedness and stresses upon training of community and adopting best practices by the stakeholders to minimize loss of life and property. 

For the award of year-2024, online nominations were solicited from 1st July, 2023 onwards. The award scheme for the year 2024 was given wide publicity through print, electronic and social media. In response to the award scheme, 245 valid nominations were received from institutions and individuals.

Following is a summary of the outstanding work of the winner of 2024 Award in the field of Disaster Management:

60 Parachute Field Hospital, Uttar Pradesh, was established in 1942. It is the sole airborne medical establishment of the Indian Armed Forces, recognized for its exceptional service in various global crisis. The primary mission includes Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations during natural calamities, nationally and internationally, both in time of peace and war. It had provided medical assistance during the Uttarakhand floods (2013), Nepal Earthquake under the operation name ‘Maitri’ (2015) and Indonesian Tsunami as part of operation Samudra Maitri (2018). Recently, in response to the 7.8 magnitude earthquake in Turkey and Syria in February 2023, the unit rapidly assembled a 99-member team and established India’s pioneering level-2 medical facility in Turkey overcoming resource constraints and language barrier to set up a 30 bed hospital in Hatay province’s school building.  The unit provided a wide range of medical services, including rescue, triage, surgery, dental treatment, X Ray and lab facilities and offered care to 3600 patients during a 12 day period as a part of ‘Operation Dost’. 

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RK/ASH/RR/PR/AK