Ajay Sudan
What makes someone want to become a warrior? What does it look like to transition from a civilian to a Police Officer? How does it affect individuality?The journey of my life for the police begins from childhood; a child being charmed by the khakhi uniform of a police officer and ambits to become a police officer he dreamt of.
That child knows the Police Officer that remains standing on the roads guiding people to their destinations, the khakhi that remains standing in between protestors and getting succession in pacifying them, the khakhi that remains standing day and night to catch thieves, the khakhi that remains standing long hours outside colleges/University to prevent eve-teasing, the khakhi that remains standing in handling crisis created by natural calamity, the khakhi that remains standing day and night on nakas even on festivals, the khakhi that remains standing to protect important installations from terrorists, the khakhi that remains standing for collection of intelligence from reliable sources, the khakhi that remains standing for taking appropriate actions against those spreading rumours, the khakhi that remains standing in the control of anticipation of any law and order situation, the khakhi that remainsstanding for the effective and smooth election management, the khakhi that remainsstanding for cordial arrangements of fairs/melas, the khakhi that remains standing for welfare of his subordinates and their families, the khakhi that remains standing in providing medical aid to road accidents victims, the khakhi that remains standing for curbing the menace of drug abuse, the khakhi that remains standing in providing humanitarian assistance to border displaced persons during tensions time with enemy countries, the khakhi that remains standing for ensuring fundamental rights of its citizens and the Khakhi that remains standing for the whole of his tenure of job; or life to be the right word.
Being a civilian with no police background neither in family nor in relatives, the desire for wearing the khakhi was always high. Interacting with police personnel always adds up in me with more josh and enthusiasm towards fulfilling my aim of getting the khaki with stars on my shoulders.
“Ambition is the first step to success. The second step is action”
Understanding the basic procedure of exams, I kept myself in a fit posture by doing running in morning and gymming in the evening. Being lucky that after completing my graduation as an Engineer; got in the same year notification for joining the police as an officer. After filling; the pace for the preparation escalated to a next level. Doing job as an Engineer, and taking out time for the preparation was another challenge. Better Time management helped a lot for dealing and in conquering this challenge. Finally, the golden key for entering the police department was given to me by SSP Sandeep Choudhary (then SP City South Jammu) through his Operation Dreams; a coaching for competitive exams aspirants.
After clearing all the hurdles in the exam and getting success. Now it is the time to join the police academy. Before joining the academy there was an imaginary picture of the academy and seeing it with naked eyes was even more mesmerizing.
The best part in beginning of training was in allotting the accommodations; where we were instructed to live with candidates of different religions, different places and different languages. That step helped everyone of us in understanding everyone’s religion, their native places, and importantly learning new languages from one another. The department made everyone’s religion to Khakhi only, everyone place to motherland nation, everyone Language to each one language. It was probably the first time in our life when many of us were celebrating festival without their families; but celebrating them with same zeal with the course mates developed brotherhood in us. Managing to place things back in an orderly way in room, taking bath, changing uniforms, having breakfast and reporting on time in the classes was a hard one in beginning; but later it become a habit.
During the initial days; many of us were with over weights, finds difficult to run couple of kms with weapons, drill twice a day in the scorching heat of June – August months, totally new subjects apart from what we had studied before. But with the good guidance of trained and experienced staff we make ourselves reach to the standards of the academy. Later it becomes a part of our habit; our stamina level increases and we are made capable of doing 150-180 plank pushups, 50-60 knuckle pushups, can run 5 kms + with weapon and pitho, climb any class of rope, can do 20 kms + walk with BP jacket, BP patka, and weapon in our comfort zone. The police academy has given us a chance to learn and play new games – horse riding, unarmed combat, yoga, basketball, football, handball.
“Rewards and punishments, are the desk of the soul, that is a means of enslaving a child’s spirit, snf better suited to provoke than to prevent deformities”
Punishments are inevitable in trainings. No onr can save himself from punishments. Every platoon has the composition of number of candidates who remains absent from leaves/defaulters, reaching late in the grounds, does makra in the working, giving sick report, visiting whole of the area outside the academy without permission by crossing walls. Ustads and senior officers too have devised methods for bringing these candidates into the mould of police department by inflicting physical punishments- carrying pitho with bricks, moving along with picking up the trunks, front rolls, back rolls, bends, running around the wing by holding up the weapon, side rolls and a lot more.
This training has made everyone independent and responsible by learning to wash and rinse clothes, to iron the uniforms, to orderly arrange room, to clean washroom, to live without the delicious fast foods, and to apply the financial discipline in their lives.
“When you take responsibility for yourself; you will develop a hunger to accomplish your dreams”
Now comes a U-turn in our training, when we were in the last leg of our training, counting the remaining number of days for our POP (Passing Out Parade) the COVID-19 pandemic steps its foot on the soil of India. The Government ordered to close all educational institutions. We too were instructed by the higher authorities to go to the fields, and imparting our service by taking command inthecorona virusperiod. We gave our service in the field for four months. In these four months we witnessed five lockdowns and two unlock downs. This field experience during the training period enriched our knowledge. We learned and performed well in interacting with public – requesting public to stay home, compelling them to wear masks and use sanitizers, urging them to download and use Aarogyasetu app, making cordial relation with civil authorities, receiving love and affection from general public. The public too in return makes us feel proud by battering utensils as a show of respect towards covid warriors on urge of Prime Minister of India. Many people garnered us flowers, felicitating with certificates which made us to work with zeal and enthusiasm. We have become Corona Warrior. After giving our duties we were called back to complete our remaining training. Now the training has a different look. Strict instructions were given to us for wearing masks in any activity round the clock, a sanitizer must be in our pockets all the time, maintaining 3 feet distance from everyone is mandatory, indoor classes too changed into online classes. These steps instructed by the higher authorities resulted onto positive side. Everything went well, we completed our remaining training, gave our exams and passed them. Now comes the Day- everyone especially I had waited a lot in my life.
We all passed out with the stars on our shoulders. The warrior which was in making has now been made. The Khakhi bearing the responsibility and respect for our motherland.
“Wahin Garjengey sher toh koi geedadh dahadega kya jis desh ke rakshak karodon mein hon us desh ka koi bigadegahkya..!!”
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