Hyderabad, Sept. 7: Hyderabad is hosting a unique national-level gathering of India’s K9 professionals, with personnel from leading security, police and disaster-response organisations participating in the RRU K9 Masterclass 2026.
The five-day specialised programme is being held at Commando Kennels in Kompally and will continue until September 8. It has brought together K9 commanders, veterinary officers, senior personnel and dog handlers from the NDRF, SSB, Assam Rifles, ITBP, BSF, Andhra Pradesh Police and Telangana Police’s OCTOPUS, besides the Swami Vivekananda State Police Academy in West Bengal.
The Masterclass is being conducted by Commando Kennels in association with Rashtriya Raksha University (RRU), an Institution of National Importance under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
A K9 training programme involves the specialised training of dogs and their handlers for specific operational duties. According to BPR&D data cited by the organisers, more than 5,200 sniffer and tracker dogs are deployed with State and Union Territory police forces and Central Armed Police Forces across India.
K9 Masterclass focuses on security, disaster response and cross-agency learning
K9 units have become an important part of India’s security and emergency-response infrastructure. Specially trained dogs are used for explosive and narcotics detection, search and rescue, tracking, security operations and other specialised tasks.
Against this backdrop, the RRU K9 Masterclass provides a platform for professionals from different organisations to improve their skills and exchange operational experience. The programme focuses on K9 training, handling, deployment, management and related professional practices.
The participation of multiple central and state organisations has also created opportunities for cross-agency learning and knowledge exchange. The programme brings together three key areas of K9 operations: command, veterinary care and handling.
The organisers said the effectiveness of a K9 unit depends not only on the training and capabilities of the dog, but also on the expertise of commanders, handlers and veterinary professionals responsible for its health and operational performance.
Col. B. S. Rao, Associate Professor at Rashtriya Raksha University, said K9 capabilities have become an integral part of modern security, law enforcement and disaster-response operations.
He said structured training and cross-agency knowledge sharing are essential to developing stronger, more professional and interoperable K9 capabilities across the country.
Philip Butt, Dean of the Rashtriya Raksha University Commando K9 Academy, said the role of K9s has expanded beyond conventional policing to include national security, disaster response, detection and specialised operations.
He said the Masterclass provides an important platform for K9 professionals from across India to share operational experience and adopt contemporary practices.
The programme also highlights Hyderabad’s growing role as a venue for specialised professional education in the security sector. The city, widely known for its IT and pharmaceutical industries, is now also hosting specialised national-level training in K9 security capabilities.
The collaboration between Commando Kennels and Rashtriya Raksha University combines field experience with structured academic learning. Organisers said the broader objective is to strengthen professional standards and capabilities across India’s K9 ecosystem.
The Masterclass will conclude with a graduation ceremony at 12 noon on September 8 at Commando Kennels, Kompally. The ceremony will mark the completion of five days of specialised training and recognise the participating personnel.
The organisers said the programme is intended to go beyond classroom training by creating a stronger professional ecosystem around India’s K9 capabilities through experience, expertise and cross-agency collaboration.
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