29 March - The Assam Rifles stamp released by DOP in 1985

 

 

Department of post released a commemorative stamp on occasion of 150 anniversary of the Assam Rifles on 29 March 1985

The Assam Rifles (AR) is a central paramilitary force responsible for border security, counter-insurgency, and maintaining law and order in Northeast India. It guards the Indo-Myanmar border. The AR is one among the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) and comes under the administration of the Ministry of Home Affairs, while its operational control is maintained by the Indian Army. Being a police force, its recruitment, perks, promotions, and retirement policies are governed by CAPF rules.Around 80 percent of its officers are deputed from the Indian Army and remaining from AR cadre.The AR is commanded by the Director General of the Assam Rifles (DG AR) who is appointed by the Ministry of Home Affairs.

The AR is also dubbed as "Sentinels of the North East" and "Friends of the Hill People". It is the oldest paramilitary force in India, originally raised in 1835 as Cachar Levy, a militia to protect tea gardens and fertile plains of Assam against unruly tribes. Its scope increased with the expansion of British Raj in Northeast India, and were used against insurgency in the region. The force was redesigned as Assam Frontier Police in 1883, Assam Military Police in 1891, and East Bengal and Assam Military Police in 1913. It got its present name in 1917.After independence, the AR functioned under the Ministry of External Affairs. Its operational control was transferred to the Indian Army post Sino-Indian War of 1962.It came under the administration of Ministry of Home Affairs in 1965, with Army retaining operational control.