Two Master Trainers from the State of Goa, Ms. Pooja Arjun Paryekar and Mr. Sahil Sainath Sawant, under the Training of Trainers (ToT) – Aapda Mitra/Aapda Sakhi Programme, successfully completed a 12-day Disaster Response Training Programme conducted under the Upscaling of the Aapda Mitra Scheme by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).

In recognition of their outstanding performance, they were selected as best-performing Aapda Mitra/Aapda Sakhi Volunteers and deputed to participate in the Republic Day Celebrations 2026 at the national level. They attended official engagements in New Delhi from 23.01.2026 to 27.01.2026, including witnessing the Republic Day Parade 2026 at Kartavya Path, participating in a special session on Psychology in Disaster Response at the 8th Battalion, NDRF, Ghaziabad, and visiting Rashtrapati Bhavan, where they interacted with the Hon’ble President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu.

On 03.02.2026, the Master Trainers, alongwith Shri. Nitin V. Raiker, Director, Fire & Emergency Services, met the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Goa, Dr. Pramod P. Sawant, and briefed him on their visit. The Hon’ble Chief Minister appreciated the efforts of the Aapda Mitra/Aapda Sakhi volunteers and lauded the Directorate of Fire & Emergency Services for nurturing and empowering them. The participation reflects the Government of Goa’s commitment to strengthening community-based disaster preparedness and resilience under the Aapda Mitra/ Aapda Sakhi Scheme.