Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], July 3 : At the Annual Investiture Ceremony 2025 of the Army Training Command (ARTRAC) held on Thursday at the Danfe Auditorium in Shimla, several Army establishments, officers, and civilian personnel were honoured for their outstanding contributions in military training, innovation, digital transformation, and public service.
In a rare and commendable recognition of civil force personnel, two women constables from the Himachal Pradesh Police, Constable Sunita and Constable Riya, were awarded by the Army Commander, Lt Gen Devendra Sharma, for their exceptional role in managing VVIP and military traffic in the sensitive Assembly Chowk and army area of Shimla city.
Speaking to the media after receiving the honour, Constable Sunita feels delighted.

"I am serving in the Himachal Pradesh Police. For the last four years, I've been managing traffic at the Assembly Chowk in Shimla. It is a high-pressure zone with both public and VVIP movement, including military personnel. I feel proud that, over the years, we have ensured a smooth traffic flow with minimal inconvenience to civilians and the armed forces. It's a matter of great honour for me to be recognised by the Indian Army, and I'm grateful to ARTRAC. This reflects the strong bond between the Army and civil administration in Himachal Pradesh," said Sunita.
Her colleague, Constable Riya, who was also honoured, described the award as a deeply emotional moment.

"Being awarded for traffic management by the Indian Army is a moment of great pride and achievement for me. Managing traffic today is a highly challenging task, and it makes me very happy that my efforts have been recognised in this way," she said.
Among the Army awardees was Colonel Bheemaiah PS, Commandant of the Army Airborne Training School, whose establishment was one of the recipients of the coveted GOC-in-C ARTRAC Unit Citation. Speaking to the press, Col Bheemaiah said, "I am the Commandant of the Army Airborne Training School. It is a matter of immense pride that the Army Commander has awarded our school the ARTRAC Unit Citation. Such citations are granted only after stringent evaluation, and it shows the excellence of our institution, which trains soldiers in all aspects of airborne operations--from tactical to strategic levels. ARTRAC is fully capable of keeping the Indian Army trained and motivated, and is playing a critical role in preparing us for future warfare."
In the category of Technical Excellence, Lt Col Abhimanyu Singh, an instructor at the Military College of Telecommunication Engineering (MCTE), Mhow, was recognised for developing an advanced AI-based military application.
"I am instructor at MCTE. I feel proud to have received the Technical Excellence Award from the Army Commander. I developed an application that uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) to merge inputs from multiple sensors and detect, recognise, and track human or vehicle presence through a military mobile set. This has utility in both peacetime and wartime and will help enhance our security systems. The Indian Army is giving great importance to high-end technologies, and this application is part of that wider effort," he said.
Another awardee, Subedar Major and Honorary Captain (Subedar Major) MN Tripathi from the Military College of Material Management (MCMM), was honoured for promoting digitisation within Army offices.
"I am representing the Military College of Material Management. It is a matter of great pride for us to be awarded by the Army Commander for excellence in e-office transformation. We have significantly digitised operations at MCMM, reducing paper usage and increasing efficiency. This initiative aligns with the Digital India mission and has helped us greatly improve the speed and quality of our work," he told reporters.
The Investiture Ceremony 2025 was attended by top Army commanders, decorated soldiers, and civilians, as ARTRAC celebrated achievements in training, technological advancements, financial discipline, and civil-military cooperation.
General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Lt Gen Devendra Sharma, presided over the solemn event and later addressed the media, outlining ARTRAC's larger vision of building a 'Future Ready Force' that is technologically empowered, gender inclusive, and operationally agile.