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Policeman who turns to social services

September 23, 2017 10:43 AM

Punjab News Express/Y.S. RANA
CHANDIGARH : A policeman turns to social service after shedding his “Khakhi.” He teaches English and Mathematics to underprivileged students of Naya Gaon in Chandigarh free. Not only this but he also gives scholarship of Rs 500 each bring them at par their counterparts in convent schools. The policeman is S.M. Sharma who grew up like any other child of a village Dhanpur in district Hamirpur of Himachal Pradesh as his father was a teacher there. Because of his sheer determination and hard work he rose to the rank of DGP (Security) Punjab Police and took pre-mature retirement in November 2011. Because of his sheer determination and hard work he achieved much more than he desired. A look at his varied portfolio explains why he chose police over engineering as a profession.
While talking to HTW at his residence in Sector 42 Chandigarh said that after completion of primary education from government higher secondary school, Nadaun he did his pre-engineering from DAV College, Jalandhar in 1967-68. He moved to Agriculture University Ludhiana and graduated in Agriculture Engineer in 1972 from there. He also post-graduated in Industrial Engineering from Madras.
Back to his hey days, Mr Sharma said that after finishing his post-graduation he joined the National Productivity Council, a government of India undertaking as director-consultant at New Delhi. He disclosed that turning point came to his life after marriage in 1978 when his wife Dr Sudha Sharma, director general, Income Tax (Vigilance) had inspired him to join civil services. “I have passion for police force since childhood. I appeared for civil services for this first time and cleared it in 1979, ” he said. and opted for Punjab Police.
A multi-dimensional personality Mr Sharma has been a meritorious academic career throughout but also a sportsperson of repute. He is known for his revolution that made the Punjab police functioning hi-tech when he was ADGP, IT. He has introduced eye-in-sky plan to use UAV (unmanned serial vehicle) for active surveillance. Punjab Police became the first state police in the country to be e-Literate. Police forces in Delhi, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh and Haryana have evinced keen interest in switching over to this practice.
Even National Police Academy, Hyderabad started developing requisite Question Banks to replicate it for various examinations on the pattern developed by Mr Sharma for online examination for police personnel. “On-line examination is aimed at fair, transparent and instant system facilitated simultaneous and instand screening constables at more than 30 different training centres set up all over the state, ” said he. These centres cover each district and range for imparting high education in computer skills. He scripted a success story introducing on-line examination for Punjab police personnel.
Usually police force uses conventional wireless system which is not proved effective in the present time of advance technology. To translate his words and ideas into action, he vehemently introduced information technology in the force. Possessed with rare drive and untiring commitment towards his profession for a common man, the dynamic Mr Sharma has opened new paths to bigger things for the Punjab force during his stint.
Mr Sharma said that it was always a challenge to create a force equipped with quality and skill for him. He chalked out elaborate plans to introduce information technology in the police force when he was given the charge of IT, Security and tele-communication. He had opened 37 full fledge training centres where thousands of police personnel are being trained in basic computer application and every police station now is connected with its headquarters in Chandigarh.
When he was asked about the professionalism in police force, Mr Sharma said that he was in the opinion that every policeman should be a sportsman as well. “Sportsmanship teaches us fair play even in adversity. Sportsman can be a good in his profession, ” says he. He stressed that ‘professionalism was not limited to police force everyone should be a sportsman and he would be professional in his field.
In 2008 in recognition of his meritorious services he was awarded President Police medal. In 1980 he won Maharaja Cup for his outstanding performance during his training as an IPS trainee at Police Academy. Under his charge, the Punjab Police had won all-India Lawn Tennis Championship nine times. He himself is a renowned veteran lawn tennis player. Mr Sharma told that he was among the 11 police officers who were selected from across the country for three-month senior command course to study the working of London police.
Mr Sharma has two daughters and one son. His son Jubsgyj is doing directorate from a university in London. Kinshuk has also been India’s No I lawn tennis player under 14, 16 and 18. He believes in constructive work and also like to extend his services to Himachal Pradesh in near future. EOM

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