The National Security Guard calendar of 2023 is special as a lady commando in training is included in the calendar for the first time.
These stunning images, covering the NSG commandos using death-defying spider-man technique for intervention to an insight into anti-hijacking operations, are shot by ace photographers Pravin Talan and Rupali Saagar.
First launched in 2016, this is the seventh edition of the NSG calendar, the purpose of which, Talan says, is "to inspire the youth, create awareness about 'real heroes' across various services, and bring out their immense contribution to nation building and securing lives of its citizens."
Revealing the idea behind the calendar, Talan says, "No Mumbaikar can ever forget the nightmare of 26/11 terrorist attacks. That night, as Mumbai was held hostage, I was also trapped inside my house with my mother who was very unwell. It was then that I first saw NSG commandos in action on TV as they bravely stormed the Taj and conducted the rescue operation."
"It was the exemplary courage of the NSG commandos and the Mumbai police that saved Mumbai, and lost a few brave men in the process," he says.
"Years later, I felt our youth need to be made aware of these supreme sacrifices and I decided to pay a tribute to the bravehearts of the NSG and the Mumbai Police and ever since then we shoot, design and print these two calendars annually."
Talan felt that our country "was lagging behind in today's age of psychological warfare where superpowers of the world keep flooding the Internet with heroic images of their soldiers. I decided to change that. Having traveled the world doing fashion shoots, I felt this would give me more sense of purpose in life," he says.
For Talan, it is a non-commercial activity. He says that over the years these calendars have developed a cult following.
But how does he ensure the uniqueness of the calendar every year? Talan says, "Creating a unique calendar every year is a very difficult task, but with a little imagination and hard work we manage. We might do good photography, but ultimately it is only with the guidance of senior officials and professional commandos that we are able to create a unique calendar."
"Our dream was that our youth should download wall-papers of our faujis and not of Navy Seals or foreign commandos. Slowly, we have managed to reach that point," says Talan.
Talking about the popularity of the project, Talan says, "NSG Director General M A Ganpathy released the calendar on the eve of Army Day and it immediately caught attention of the Internet. Due to huge demand, the NSG had to enable downloading of the calendar from its official Web site, so that more and more people can have copies."
Before shooting for the NSG, Talan has also done assignments with the Indian Army, the Border Security Force, the United Nations, and a few other such agencies. However, he says, "This year is special as we recently completed 75 years of independence and still celebrating Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav. Also, India got the G20 presidency, so we put in extra effort to create some stunning images."
Working with the NSG over all these years, Talan has realised it is a "world class organisation that's very professional and, primarily, a very shy, quiet agency that believes that actions speak louder than words. It doesn't engage in publicity as such. They are called world class for good reason and have hugely evolved over the years."
"What we showcase is nothing in comparison to what they are capable of. It's a great feeling to know our country is secured by great professional soldiers across different services and they deserve all the honour and respect we can give them," Talan says.
Most of the NSG capabilities or drills that this project captures are publicly available. "We don't showcase or shoot anything that shouldn't go in the public domain. We just use our expertise in getting the best out of the commandos," says Talan.
Talking about the inclusion of a lady commando in the calendar, associate photographer Rupali Saagar says, "It's incredible to see women soldiers creating new milestones and a true honour to capture their undying spirit."
Talan also released a coffee table book NSG: The Making Of A Black Cat Commando in 2017. His series on Indian service women -- Women in Uniform -- was also globally featured in Vogue in 2017.
