Jammu, August 26, 2026 – Ahead of Raksha Bandhan, girls from Seva Bharti Ashram and Drishtikon Hostel, Pouni Chak, and Government Girls Higher Secondary School, Mubarak Mandi, are lovingly preparing handmade rakhis for security personnel guarding the country’s borders — a heartfelt gesture aimed at honouring soldiers and reminding them of the warmth of a sister’s love.
The initiative, organised in the run-up to the festival, has brought together young girls from different institutions across Jammu, each contributing their creativity and time to craft rakhis that will eventually reach soldiers stationed hundreds of kilometres away in some of the most challenging terrains along the border. What began as a small, localised gesture in previous years has steadily grown into a wider community effort, with more institutions and students participating each season.
A Gesture of Gratitude
The initiative sees young girls dedicating their time and creativity to craft rakhis by hand, each one carrying with it a message of affection, respect, and gratitude for the soldiers who stand guard far from their homes and families. For many of the girls, the exercise is as much an emotional experience as it is a creative one, allowing them to express solidarity with those who safeguard the nation’s frontiers.
Students at the participating institutions spent several days selecting materials, colours, and designs for the rakhis, with many choosing to incorporate motifs representing the tricolour, the armed forces, and symbols of protection and good fortune. Some girls also wrote short notes and messages of encouragement to accompany the rakhis, expressing their gratitude to soldiers for their service and sacrifice.
Teachers and caretakers at the participating institutions say the initiative helps instil a sense of national pride and civic responsibility among students from a young age, while also fostering an emotional connect between the younger generation and the armed forces. Many of the girls involved come from backgrounds where family members or relatives have served, or continue to serve, in the armed forces, adding a personal dimension to their participation in the initiative.
Administration to Ensure Timely Delivery
The District Administration, Jammu, has stepped in to ensure that these handmade rakhis reach border posts before the festival, coordinating with security agencies to facilitate their timely delivery to soldiers stationed in forward areas. Officials noted that such gestures, though simple, carry significant emotional value for personnel deployed in remote and often difficult terrain, far away from their own families during festive occasions.
District officials said that logistical arrangements have been made to transport the rakhis through appropriate channels in coordination with the Army and other security forces, ensuring that they reach designated border outposts well ahead of Raksha Bandhan. This coordination between the civil administration, educational institutions, and security establishments reflects a growing tradition of civil-military engagement in the region, particularly around festivals that celebrate familial and emotional bonds.
A Tradition of Solidarity
Raksha Bandhan, a festival that celebrates the bond between brothers and sisters, has in recent years also come to symbolise a broader expression of protection and gratitude extended to the country’s soldiers. Across Jammu and Kashmir and other parts of the country, similar initiatives are organised annually, with students, women’s groups, and civil society organisations sending rakhis to armed forces personnel stationed at border outposts and high-altitude areas.
Officials and educators involved in the initiative said such activities not only celebrate the spirit of the festival but also serve as a reminder of the sacrifices made by soldiers who spend festivals away from their loved ones in service of the nation.
The rakhis prepared by the students are expected to reach various border posts in the days leading up to the festival, carrying with them wishes of safety, strength, and gratitude from the young well-wishers of Jammu.