Guardians of the Nation: A Study of Psychological Resilience of Frontline Soldiers at the Indo-China Border

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19693817

Suresh Singh, Manoj Khankriyal, and Manju Khanduri Pandey (Department of Psychology, Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University, Srinagar Garhwal, Uttarakhand)

Soldiers deployed in high-altitude border areas face many environmental and operational challenges that require significant psychological resilience. The current study intended to assess psychological resilience among Indian Army soldiers posted in the high-altitude, sensitive, and remote areas of Uttarakhand. Data were collected using convenience sampling from 60 male soldiers during the “Ranbhoomi Darshan” program, conducted by Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University in collaboration with the Garhwal Rifles Regimental Centre, Lansdowne, in October 2025. The program was conducted with Indian Army soldiers deployed in high-altitude areas along the India-China border of Uttarakhand. Resilience was measured using the Resilience Scale developed by Laxmi and Narain (2017). The findings show a high level of overall psychological resilience among Indian Army soldiers deployed in the high-altitude border areas of Uttarakhand, which suggests that soldiers deployed along the Uttarakhand border have an extraordinary ability to bounce back, manage stress, and overcome adversity. This resilience likely serves as a vital psychological buffer.