No touching feet, 1 km area sanitised: How safety of President Droupadi Murmu is ensured, revealed by ex-Aide-de-Camp

Inside the Security Framework Around President Droupadi Murmu

Theindiapostdaily.com – The protection of India’s President involves far more than visible guards and ceremonial protocols. It is a tightly managed system of vigilance, restricted access and continuous preparation, as described by Rishabh Singh Sambyal, who previously served as an Aide-de-Camp to President Droupadi Murmu.

Sambyal, who recently announced premature retirement after completing 12 years in the armed forces, spoke about his experience during an appearance on Raj Shamani’s podcast. He described the responsibilities of an ADC, the intense training behind the role and the personal bond he formed with the President during his three-year tenure.

Why physical contact is restricted

One of the most noticeable safeguards is the restriction on people shaking hands with the President or touching her feet. Sambyal said such rules are based on the need to eliminate uncertainty around an individual’s intentions and anything they may be carrying.

“You don’t know the intentions of the individual,”

He explained that security personnel cannot make assumptions about a person standing nearby, even during formal or public occasions. The same caution applies to seemingly routine details, including a glass of water intended for the President.

“You don’t know who has kept it there. You don’t know if something is there…”

These procedures reflect the principle that presidential security must account for risks before they become visible. Courtesy, tradition and public enthusiasm may be important parts of an event, but they cannot override the protective measures surrounding the country’s highest constitutional office.

A sanitised security perimeter

Sambyal said an area extending up to one kilometre around the President is sanitised before her presence. In this context, sanitisation refers to a security sweep intended to ensure that weapons, metal objects and other potentially dangerous materials are not present in the designated zone.

Such preparation helps create a controlled environment before a presidential visit, speech or engagement. It also underlines why public access around the President is carefully managed, with security arrangements extending well beyond the people immediately visible beside her.

The ADC’s role sits close to this wider security structure. While public attention may focus on the President’s arrival or official programme, the work behind the scenes includes close coordination, alert observation and attention to every requirement connected to the President’s schedule.

Training Built Around Observation and Endurance

Sambyal described a demanding probation process designed to build physical stamina and sharpen awareness. He said trainees may carry a load of roughly 70 to 80 kilograms while being deprived of adequate water, food and sleep for between 30 and 40 days.

“During a probation, so you’re roughly carrying around 80 to 70 kgs on yourself. You’re deprived of water, you’re deprived of food, and you’re deprived of sleep for 30 to 40 days,”

The purpose is not simply to test endurance. It is also meant to make trainees alert to details even when they are exhausted. Sambyal gave an example of a circular walk of about one kilometre, during which objects are placed unexpectedly along the route. A helmet could be hidden behind a tree, and participants are later asked to recall exactly what they noticed.

“And then, you are made to take a walk, roughly around a kilometre in a circular route. While you’re doing this, in between random places, there are things kept, say for example, we keep a helmet behind a tree, and when that finishes, there’s a test: what did you observe? That is how we train,”

This kind of exercise illustrates the importance of situational awareness in close-protection duties. An ADC must remain attentive even during long days, formal engagements and rapidly changing travel schedules, where a minor overlooked detail could matter.

Managing Official and Personal Requirements

Sambyal said the duties of an ADC cover both official and unofficial presidential needs. The position requires an officer to be closely available, responsive and capable of helping facilitate communication at the highest levels of government.

He recalled that if the President wished to speak with the Prime Minister, she would inform the ADC, who would then coordinate with the Prime Minister’s office and establish the connection.

“Everything. I would say presidential requirements, which can be official or unofficial. So we look after everything.”

The description offers a glimpse into how an ADC functions as a trusted point of support around the President. The task is not limited to security awareness; it also includes ensuring that practical and official requirements are handled smoothly and discreetly.

A Personal Connection With the President

Beyond the discipline of the role, Sambyal spoke warmly about his relationship with President Murmu. He said his first meeting with her gave him the feeling that his mother was standing before him.

He connected that reaction to the long periods he had spent away from home since 2014. He said he would generally return for only a few days before leaving again for six or seven months at a time.

“Since 2014, I’ve never lived with my mom. I always used to go back home for a couple of days, live with her and then again bye-bye for the next six or seven months, and then see her after six months.”

During the three years he spent with President Murmu, Sambyal said her manner was welcoming and familial. He said the warmth she extended to him and the other ADCs often reminded him of his mother.

“The nature she has was very homely. And I just built a connection. And the warmth which she showed upon us, to me and to all the ADCs, was wonderful. And it used to make me miss my mom,”

Major Navya Shekhawat currently serves as an Aide-de-Camp to President Droupadi Murmu. Her appointment made her the first woman officer ever to hold the position, marking a significant moment in the history of the role.