Pagi trackers
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A backgrounder
As of 2025
Ashish Chauhan & Bharat Yagnik, TNN, May 22, 2025: The Times of India
Suigam/Nadabet (Banaskantha): Sherlock Holmes could find out a criminal from even the minutest of details: a few strands of hair, specks of cigarette ash. In Gujarat’s desert districts, there is a small group of extraordinary individuals so adept at deciphering patterns in the sand even the fictitious detective would approve. In this age of hi-tech border surveillance, this group of men is as low-tech as you can get. Sometimes found walking barefoot through the desert, they are nonetheless an irreplaceable, time-honoured security asset.
Meet the Pagi, footprint trackers whose ability to decode the desert’s shifting canvas is an important aid to border safety. They need no satellite imagery or motion sensors, just their eyes attuned to the subtlest disturbances in sand.
Though less sophisticated than modern reconnaissance technology, these human ‘tracking systems’ are highly reliable in their desert domain, capable of reading patterns which would, for everyone else, be just meaningless ripples. They can, for instance, not only deduce who crossed a border, but also how many there were, what they were carrying and what their intentions were — all from impressions left in the sand. From following narcotics smugglers to guiding military operations during full-scale wars, these border guardians are always ready when the nation calls. As tensions flared up between India and Pakistan, the Pagis of Banaskantha, Kachchh and Patan districts mobilised as they usually do during emergencies. Their knowledge, passed down from generation to generation, allows them to detect signs and markings invisible to the untrained eye and protect a frontier that is vast, open and often unfenced.
Wartime Heroes
In the 1965 and 1971 wars with Pakistan, the Indian Army took crucial help from Pagis to navigate hostile terrain and detect enemy movement. Their guidance, given without hi-tech tools, often determined the course of battles.
One of the most legendary figures of this community was the late Ranchhod Rabari, better known simply as Ranchhod Pagi. He served until the age of 100 and helped Indian troops during wars. His contributions were so significant that General Sam Manekshaw himself recognised his service with a personal reward of Rs 300 in 1971.
After his death in 2013, aged 112, BSF named one of its Banaskantha outposts in his honour. “My grandfather dedicated his entire life to serving the country,” recalls his grandson, Anil Rabari. “After taking voluntary retirement earlier in his career, he continued his service with unwavering devotion, even when he was 100.”
Equally revered is Revaji Rathod from Jaloya village in Suigam taluka of Banaskantha district. Born in 1927, he joined the police force as a Pagi on Aug 4, 1962.
For 28 years across Suigam, Vav and Dhanera, Revaji was instrumental in helping Indian forces during both wars by guiding them across terrain and identifying enemy movement, based on footprint analysis. His skills earned him prestige and recognition, including the Sangram Medal and the Western Star (both militry honours conferred for service during 1971 War).
“Whenever conflict arises at the border, we are called. This is our duty,” says his grandson Vihaji Rathod, now a third-generation tracker.
Science Of Tracking “When the conflict between India and Pakistan escalated, we took help from these Pagis, whose knowledge of local terrain proved invaluable in preventing intrusions,” says a BSF officer posted in Suigam.
One of the reasons that the Gujarat border — despite being unfenced in parts — remains secure is because of these trackers’ constant vigil. They don’t just spot footprints, they interpret them. “We keep updating ourselves,” explains Ganesh Rathod, Revaji’s son. “We know what kind of shoes are sold in which markets, how weight affects walking patterns and how to differentiate between men and women based on footprints.”
The New Generation
The tradition continues with the younger generation. Suresh Rathod, Vihaji’s son, has put together a team of 5-10 trained Pagis and 20 aides who stand ready to assist security forces during emergencies.
Currently employed as a guide at the Nadabet border under the tourism department, Suresh seeks full-time position as a Pagi in the police force. “Our young men remain vigilant and prepared to serve the nation at all times. Their only request is permanent employment, which will allow them to continue this essential work without the burden of financial insecurity,” he says.
This sentiment echoes throughout the community. Bharat Thakor, grandson of Sagthaji Thakor, who fought alongside Revaji and Ranchhod Pagi, says: “My father served for over three decades. He was part of the operation that captured Nagarparkar. We’re hopeful govt will enhance support for our families.”
While some Pagis were officially inducted into service, the numbers remain low. “They are not just Pagis (trackers), they are also Khojis (investigators),” says Chirag Koradia, IGP of Gujarat Police’s Border Range. “They can identify a person from footprints, determine if someone is carrying weight, whether they have animals, and provide many other details. In 2014, based on the home department’s 2013 guidelines, we permanently recruited 25 Pagis at the Class IV pay grade.”
Modern Relevance
The Pagis are not just historical heroes. Their relevance continues even today. Tejmalji Sodha, a 70-year-old Pagi from Kutch, worked between 2001 and 2017 and was key to tracing narcotics smuggling and multiple intrusions. “I could track footprints to their exact location, no matter how far they had gone,” he says.
Having made significant contributions, the Pagi community is seeking better recognition, appropriate compensation and permanent jobs for the next generation. “We don’t wear uniforms, but we protect the land nonetheless,” says Suresh Rathod.
WHAT A PAGI CAN DO
➤ Identify intruders based on footprint shape, depth and pattern
➤ Determine age, weight, sex, and what kind of load was being carried by studying footprints
➤ Detect movement of animals, smuggled goods and armed men
➤ Assist security forces during war, in peacetime patrolling, and against smuggling attempts Pagis possess deep knowledge of the local terrain, routes and footwear markets. Their skills are passed down as part of family tradition, and not through formal education
