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| God Bless Wright Bros. |
The
IPS journey started on Dec 17th 2017 with Air India flight from TIA (Tribhuvan
International Airport) to IGIA (Indira Gandhi International Airport). The first
lesson we learnt in India was “Know where you have to go in the Airport”. We
had the next connecting flight to our destination Hyderabad nearly after five
hours. Something happened as we were wandering around the terminal, and as it
happened, we entered where we shouldn’t have. That’s what the Airport officials
said. We went for another “check-in” whereas we had the “Direct Luggage
Transfer” tickets. And once we went there, the security personnel didn’t allow
us to get out again… like there was no turning back now… Damn… It felt like a
black hole NASA had been searching for. The ticketing staff said that we made a
mistake crossing that “point”. And we had the connecting flight to catch in
about a couple of hours or so, I guess. I so much wished that we could make
ourselves invisible at that time. The only option that we were left with was to
get our previously “Checked-in” luggage and again Check-in from IGIA. That was
when we felt far from our motherland. The first hurdle in our journey. Well,
you gotta do what you gotta do. I stayed back as a collateral to the four
others while they went to get the previously checked in luggage from the
conveyer belt. May be nearly after 45 minutes, they came back with the luggage.
The Transfer Ticket that was issued from TIA was void. After the second
check-in, we were issued another ticket for flight to Hyderabad. We then rushed
towards the boarding gate. Finally we made it to the plane… Sigh… It felt like
a relief after the flight took off… We really felt like the fugitives of
“Banged Up Abroad” in NatGeo, making it out of the Delhi and flying off to
Hyderabad.
Short Documentary Movie "Hyderabad Diaries: IPS Training"
After
two hours of flying over the clouds, we landed on the runaway of RGIA (Rajiv
Gandhi International Airport), Hyderabad. The representative from the SVP NPA
(Sardar Vallabhbhai Pater National Police Academy) was waiting for us. (Later,
he turned out to be the Parade Expert/Veteran since 1972). We collected our
checked-in luggage and then headed towards the Academy where we were gonna
spend the next 10 months.
After
all, we were there for the training… Police Training… IPS Officers Basic
Training. After Dinner, we had to get haircut for the next day’s training. We
would be staying in the SOS Mess Annexe named S.M. Diaz for a week until the
Central IPS Mess was ready for our accommodation. This was the Zero Week (aka
Orientation Week). There were altogether about 186 participants in the
training, including the 15 Foreign Officer Trainees—Nepal (5), Maldives (4),
and Bhutan (6). By the end of the 10 months of training, the number came down
to 118. Some took EOL (Extra Ordinary Leave), some got selected into IAS
(Indian Administrative Service), some got relegated to the next year, and some
had to postpone their participation due to personal issues.
Zero
week went away with some preliminary formalities along with Training Kits
Collection, Demonstration and such. The entire batch had to be divided into the
eight squads in a way that each squad was similar in terms of physical fitness
and other aspects, viz. SPAT (Sports Proficiency Aptitude Test), BET, BCA, etc.
I was allotted to Squad 5 as the only Foreign Officer in the Squad while other
squads had two each. Maybe I myself alone was equal to the two foreign officers
in other squads...!!! Yet to see that…
The First Saturday of the Zero Week was “Shramdan” in the Academy as a part of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Swachh Bharat Abhiyan” (Clean India Campaign). In the afternoon, all the foreign officers were shifted to the Central IPS Mess from S.M. Diaz. I was allotted to Room No. 127 (Ground Floor). In the evening, we went to the Academy’s Cooperative Store: Surakshya Plaza to buy the essential daily items for the training.
One
of the good things about the Central IPS Mess was the “Music Room”. All kinds
of musical instruments were there… from Guitar to Sitar, Keyboard to Harmonium,
Drum Sets to Tabala, you name it. Me and my batchmate from Nepal who I
addressed as “Dai” (Big Brother) became the patron of the music room. I used to
play guitar while he used to sing.
The
training formally started on Dec 26th 2017 as the First Week, where we had to
wake up by 5 am in the morning and get ready and “fall-in”, i.e. assemble for
the PT by 0535 hrs. Maybe due to the abrupt change in the environment, my body
wasn’t feeling so well. I skipped the PT one day as I had a slight fever. The
whole day I was feeling uneasy. During the afternoon training hours, I had
fever of 101.6˚F. I was admitted to the Academy Hospital. The day was Friday…
Dec 28th, 2017. I was discharged only after two nights at hospital, that too
because I made a special request to the Doctor there as I had to perform in the
New Year Eve Program scheduled on Dec 31st, 2017. I was discharged from the
hospital the same day. That evening we performed the all-time popular Nepali
song “Yo Man ta Mero Nepali Ho…” originally by the 1974 A.D. Band.
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| While My Guitar Gently Weeps (At Darjeeling) |
There
used to be several visits and Guest speakers as a part of training. The
briefing given by DGP Vinoy Kr. Singh, IPS during our Visit to Telangana State
Prison was one that really touched me. Few of the things he said:
Credibility
is when you tell something and then do the same thing.
If
you lead your subordinates properly, they are ready to lay down their life for
you. This Police service is the only service where you can get such loyalty
from your team.
It’s
a myth that politicians interfere in the Police. In fact, it is us ourselves who
cultivate the politicians in our organization. We seem to be more than ready to
give away anything to get that “Chair”.
There
is a fine line of difference between “Good Police” and “Successful Police”.
Be
a Good Police. When you want to become successful as a police officer, chances
are that you have to sacrifice your honesty and friendship for the benefits.
Policing
is not the means of earning in your life. It is a gift to you. Use it to do
something good. If you want to be successful in life, better choose another
profession.
If
I am given another life, I’d still choose to be a police officer.
If you are doing things with good intention, you become invincible. This is the service where you can enjoy only when you have conscience and honesty.
Maintain originality. Develop the conviction to think and speak up. You should grow everyday… psychologically and emotionally. Read more books besides the text books.
Then
there was a Photo Competition in the Academy. One of the category was “Popular
Photo” in which the Special Prize would be awarded to the Photo with the
maximum popular votes. I asked some of my friends to “Vote” for my Photo. And
as it happened, my photo won the most “Popular Prize” and I was awarded Rs.
1000 as the Prize. Later I contributed the Prize Money to the “Samvedi
Society”, the Club organized for Charity and Welfare works.
Then
there was this “Public Speaking” session one Saturday organized by LPCAP. The
good thing about NPA here is that it gives you the platform and opportunities
for self-expression. Well, whether you take on to that opportunity or not…
that’s your choice.
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| Do the Flip! |
Back
when I was in school, I used to be a gymnast. I even participated in the
National Level Open Gymnastics Competition (Under 16) in Nepal. My inner
gymnastics-child was revived when I saw a trampoline at the Academy. What more
did I need? Went up there and did some flips… Man, I still got skills. Later on
the Independence Day of India, I showed some Acrobatic Flips during the UAC
(Un-armed Combat Demo).
Apart
from the regular Outdoors and Indoor classes, there used to be some TAC modules
which we really enjoyed. The Special Tactics Wing (STW) used to take Tactical
classes. The training methodology of “Learning by Doing” was the best thing about
it… from making an IED to preparing water charge to disrupt it and undertaking
House Intervention during Urban Tactics where we had Paintball guns to fire.
Lesson learnt: Paintball hurts.
ITBP,
Rock Climbing, River Rafting and Bungee
The
occasional Attachments in between the period of 2-3 weeks was the best part of
the training. Our first out-of-the-academy attachment was with IRTE (Institute
of Road Traffic Education) at Faridabad. Following the two-day module at IRTE,
we went for ITBP (Indo-Tibetan Border Police) Rock Climbing Attachment to
Mussoorie, Uttarakhand. We would be spending three days there. We already had
this kind of Rock Climbing module back in Nepal during our Basic Training, only
for a couple of days. Here in ITBP also, the first couple of days were
dedicated to Rock Climbing, one day for artificial wall where we did Slithering
and Top Rope Climbing. The next day we had to climb the natural rock—Balanced
Rope Climbing, Rappelling, Knotted Rope Climbing and Stomach Rappelling.
Stomach Rock Rappelling required the Guts, literally. After the completion of
ITBP Attachment, we headed towards Rishikesh for River Rafting and Bungee
Jumping. River Rafting through the Ganges, going through several levels of
Rapids which they named as Gulf, Crossfire, Double Trouble, were very exciting.
Floating on the Ganges with life jacket made me feel like an expert swimmer. I
think that they should allow us to swim in the swimming pool with the life
jackets on. The River Rafting module ended with the Cliff Jumping from the
height of about 20 m. Next day we had Bungee at Jumping Heights, India’s
highest Bungee Jumping Point—84 m. We have much more adventurous Bungee Jumping
points in Nepal, much higher than the one I did at Rishikesh. But wherever you
do it, it requires Guts. That’s why the “Badge” they gave to us after the jump
had “I’ve Got Guts” printed over it. It requires courage. Everyone is afraid of
Jumping. If somebody tell that he or she isn’t afraid, that person must be a
living dead. Everyone fears of the height. I do. But I have got courage... the
guts to take that leap of faith... Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of
fear, not absence of fear.-Mark Twain.
The
Jumping Heights gave us the Certificate, and I really liked what they had there
written over it, which goes as follows:
Making the Mother Earth and Grandpa Gravity proud by Bungy Jumping from the height of 83 meters, with only a rubber cord and discovering the Tarzan within oneself...
Following the adventurous and breathtaking experiences at Mussoorie and Rishikesh, we went back to Delhi for IB (Intelligence Bureau) attachment. Not much to write about this, nor should I. It’s classified.
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| Vidyshankara Temple, Sringeri |
Karnataka
Election
A
couple of weeks at NPA, Hyderabad, then again we had to go to Karnataka for
Election Attachment. From Hyderabad, we went to Bangalore. From Bangalore, four
of us were sent to Chikamagalur District. Indian PM Modi had a visit to the
district when we were there. But the SPG Guys stopped me from entering the
venue citing some Protocols. But I have to appreciate the District SP K.
Annamalai Sir for doing his best to get me in. From the district, I was sent to
Sringeri. It was a beautiful place—mostly forest areas. Cool weather. Frequent
Drizzling. The Police Station Inspector was very friendly and welcoming.
After the completion of Five-day Election Attachment, we went for two weeks Mid Term Break back to Nepal from May 14-May 26.
World
Cup 2018
The
2018 FIFA World Cup started on June 14th. Our Indoor Exams also started around
the same time at NPA. But I got to admit, on behalf of all the Foreign Officer
Trainees there (including those from Maldives and Bhutan too), that the Exam
Week was the best week in the training… No Outdoors. Only Indoor exams. On the
Top of that… FIFA World Cup. What more could you wish for? Popcorn and Coke?
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| Sea water is very Salty! |
Study-cum-Cultural
Tour (SCCT) aka Bharat Darshan
Soon
after the Exams were over, we had SCCT. The entire batch was divided into eight
groups for the purpose of the Tour. My group was allocated to Odisha, West
Bengal, Darjeeling and Sikkim. The Bharat Darshan started on June 23rd flying
from HYD to Odisha, Bhubaneshwor Airport. There in Odisha, the most memorable
part was the stay at Puri. We stayed at Toshali Sands which was nearby the Sea
and the Resort had its private Sea Beach. There was Konark Temple near the
Beachside—Marvelous Architectural Masterpiece. Standing on the beach, makes you
a philosopher… After a visit to the beach, it is hard to believe that we live
in a material world. The ocean is so vast that you will feel so insignificant.
Your egos will be washed away by the Salty Water. And Yes, after taking few
dives into the Sea, I found it with first hand (and tongue) experience that Sea
water is actually very very salty. Hence, Proved.
After
Puri, Wheeler Island was on our schedule, but I wasn’t allowed there because I
was a foreigner. So I had to stay back on the Mainland for the night. Then we
went to Calcutta by train. There we visited Victoria Imperial Palace, Belur
Muth, and Kali Temple. Sunderban Mangrove was our next destination.
From
Calcutta, we went to Darjeeling. Now I got speak my own language. Felt much
like Nepal. From Darjeeling, we even went to Nepal. Along with other IPS
Probationers, we entered Pashupatinagar, Ilam. Then we went to Mirik. That
evening, with a little change in the plans, we went to Kursheong to meet the
Legendary South Indian Actor Rajnikant.
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| Beautiful Sikkim! |
Beautiful
Sikkim!
Bidding Goodbye to Darjeeling and my Nepalese-origin brothers there, we left for Sikkim after crossing the Teesta River. Something happened between me and the IPS Probationers there that I almost created a Diplomatic Row in the batch. Well, a lots water has passed through the Teesta River. There in Sikkim, we went to Nathula, the International Border Line between China and India at the altitude of 14140 ft. The next day we left Sikkim for Bagdora Airport through Silguri. SCCT Done. A couple of weeks well spent.
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| AKM |
GreyHounds
We used to have 21 days of Tactical Training back in our Basic Training in Nepal. Here at NPA, the theoretical aspects of Tactics were well covered in between the normal training activities. One-week of attachment with GreyHounds, the Commando Unit of Telangana Police, was meant to provide us with the exposure of Jungle Survival and Tactics. For Five days, we were going ups and downs through the rocky boulders and steep slopes of Deccan Plateau. The way the rocks were stacked one over another defied the Physics. Newton’s Law failed. We had to work in buddy pairs during the Jungle Survival. Together, three of us made our group and that’s how we completed the attachment where I was the main cook, cooking puddings every afternoon and packing it for the evening. Anurag and Ajit were in my group and they were really helpful. The Five days in the jungle was really awesome. I guess I was born to live in Jungle, like a Tarzan.
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| CGRL |
CSWT
We
returned back to the Academy from Greyhounds Jungle Operation in the morning.
The same afternoon we had to catch the flight to Indore, Madhya Pradesh for BSF
CSWT (Central School of Weapon and Tactics) Attachment. I really appreciate
their training methodologies, the way they prepare and present the Demos are
really amazing, creating real life scenarios. The time at CSWT was full of new
experiences—firing through new weapons like Sniper Rifle, Assault Rifle, LMG,
CGRL (Carl Gustav Rocket Launcher), Hand Grenade and 51 mm Mortar and finally
carrying out CASO (Cordon and Search Operation) at the nearby Village. The stay
at Indore was completed with Visit to Ujjain Mahakaleswor Temple.
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| I can Fly! |
After
returning back from Indore, we had Athletic and Aquatic Meet events. To be
honest, I was never the physically active or athletic kind of guy. In fact, I
used to be a Bookworm when I was in school. Thanks to my Gymnastics enrollment,
I am what I am today because of that one decision, which helped me for physical
endurance development. Even though I got few medals and accolades at the
Athletic Meet, I never took any pressure and anxiety during the events. The
competition was not with others; the real competition was with me myself.
The
Phase-I training was nearing towards its final weeks. A couple of weeks was for
the Phase-I Final Exam: Both Indoor and Outdoor. One good thing about the exams
is that it is very relaxing. It should be. What I think is that the training
should be so tough that the exams feel like a cake walk. As for me, Swimming
was the only thing that made me nervous. Not that I am afraid of water, but we
had to swim the entire 50 m length of the Pool without stop, and it was more of
a psychological thing for me… It all depended on the first dive into the water.
And as it happened, I completed the length of the pool without any stop. This
is one of the few self-improvements I have made coming to the IPS Training.
Next thing, we had to jump from the diving board. I jumped from 7 m height. No
big deal.
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| Side Triceps! |
Phase
I of the training ended with the Mr. NPA (Body Building) Competition on Oct
5th. This was one thing I dedicated myself to from the beginning of the
training. I used to hit gym, take guidance from the Gym Instructor whenever I
could. Our Gym instructor was the Eight Times Mr. Telangana Winner. For the
competition, I lost around 8 kgs weight in three weeks. On the competition day,
we had to do water-drop, i.e. No water intake until the competition is over. I
only took lemon drops to squelch my thirst. For the competition we got tanned.
And then the competition started. I finished at 5th Position… not bad for the
beginner. Again, I never took anything as a competition against others. The
real competition is with me myself. How far I have come from where I started is
what really matters.
We returned back to Nepal on Oct 9th, two days after everyone else left the Academy at Hyderabad. Luggage weight really became a headache for us. After a few minutes of to-and-fro shifting of the items between the luggages, we were issued boarding pass. Aahh… What a relief… Once again, we felt like fugitives escaping from the Hyderabad Terminal. Next Stop… SC Bose International Airport. Then to our motherland… Nepal.
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