https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

A Crusader Against Child Abuse

Indian Masterminds Stories

Child sexual abuse is a serious problem in the world, and India is not immune to it. Every now and then, one hears about these gruesome crimes. They not only affect the victims’ childhood but in many cases leave a scar which remains within them all their lives.

Fortunately, many people in or society are fighting the menace of child abuse tooth and nail. One such person is an IAS officer of Gujarat cadre, Ms Saroj Kumari. At present  posted as DCP (Administration), Surat, she has started the ‘Samajh Sparsh ki’ campaign to make children and parents aware about the “good touch and bad touch’’ of other people and to keep them safe from any kind of abuse. The campaign was so successful that aother campaign on these lines has been started by the Gujarat Government- and Ms Kumari is its nodal officer.

In the exclusive interview with Indian Masterminds, Ms. Kumari talks about her own struggles, initiatives, and aspirations, as also about her immensely popular campaigns against child abuse.

SAMAJH SPARSH KI

While being posted in Vadodara, she started the campaign named ‘Samajh Sparsh ki’ (Know the Different types of Touches) to fight with crime against children. “My heart aches when I hear about stories of child sexual abuse. In cities and towns, children are still somewhat aware, but in rural areas, they are often unaware and therefore suffer more. These crimes happen in houses, schools or on the way to school. One can’t keep eyes on the children for 24 hours. So, their safety can be ensured only if the children talk about everything that has happened with them. This is only possible with awareness. They should be able to identify what is good touch and what is bad”, says Ms. Kumari.

Team reaching slums in Vadodara

For the campaign, she selected few members of the police and started to organize workshops in schools and neighborhoods. In very short period, hundreds of people joined the campaign and it became successful in the public.

The state government also recognized her effort and launched an extensive program for the safety of children & women together. The initiative is named ‘ Kavach- Samajh Sparsh ki’ and Ms. Kumari has been appointed as the nodal officer. The campaign is dedicated to help children and women to fight against sexual abuse and harassment.

Other than this, Ms. Kumari has also started the ‘Nirbhaya squad’ for curbing incidents of eve-teasing & sexual harassment of women.

RESCUED SEX WORKERS

The 2011 batch officer who hails from Rajasthan was also posted as the SP, Botad. There, in 2016-17, she launched the project ‘Ujaas’ for the rehabilitation of female sex workers. At first, she rescued around 35 sex workers in which many of them were suffering from STD. Under the project, they were provided medical assistance, counseling and after that, they were given training for employment. Some of them were also roped in ‘Gram Rakshak Dal’. With the efforts of Ms. Kumari, they are all leading a happy and safe life today.

FOR THE BETTERMENT OF CHILDREN AND SENIOR CITIZENS

Ms. Kumari comes from a lower-middle-class family and has seen almost every struggle of life. Her father retired from the army when she and her siblings were very young. The pension was very less, and all of them had to work hard in farms to support the family. While the economical struggle was already there, Ms. Kumari also had to fight with all the social pressures to reach where she is now. Her story of aspiring for IPS is also very interesting. She says, “At that time we didn’t have enough money to afford newspaper or television. I had no idea about civil services, but I think it was my destiny that one day I got a newspaper cutting while working in the fields. It was an article about Kiran Bedi (herself a celebrated IPS of India). Then I decided to be like her someday, and by the grace of God, my dream got fulfilled.”

Now that Ms Kumari has become an officer she always wanted to be, she wants to work towards the betterment of peopl especially the children and senior citizens.


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
IAS Ashwani Kumar
Assam’s Bold Bet on Local Talent: IAS Ashwani Kumar’s Vision for a Digital Assam
Haryana Jungle Safari
Haryana’s Mega Jungle Safari Project Moves Closer to Reality; Phase-I Design Finalised
SBK Singh IPS CP
Delhi Police Commissioner S B K Singh Bans Aerial Platforms from August 2 to 16 for Security Reasons
IPS-logo-resized_new
10 Senior Cops Get New Roles In Bihar Police; DG Jitendra Kumar Gets Additional Charge of B-SAP
Indian Forest Services IFS officer
Jharkhand IFS Rajneesh Kumar Transferred Amid Ongoing Legal Proceedings - Details Inside
Uttar Pradesh UP Government
17 Review Officers Transferred in Uttar Pradesh Secretariat Administration Reshuffle - Details Inside
IFS-forest-resized
6 IFS Officers Transferred in Odisha to Strengthen Environmental Administration, Jagayandatt Pati Made RCCF, Koraput Circle
IAS Officers Indian Administrative Services IAS logo
4 Young IAS Officers Reshuffled in Uttarakhand, Rahul Anand Made Joint Magistrate, Dehradun
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
IAS Karn Satyarthi
How IAS Karn Satyarthi Transformed Gumla Through Empathy and Innovation
Ananth Rupanagudi IRAS
IRAS Ananth Rupanagudi’s Take on Corruption, Reform, and Duty
WhatsApp Image 2025-07-26 at 13.16
What Most Indians Don't Know About Jim Corbett
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
BPSC Bihar police
From Lantern Light to Police Uniform: How Praveen Kumar from a Small Bihar Village Cracked BPSC to Become SDPO
From a lantern-lit village in Bihar to becoming an SDPO, Praveen Kumar's journey is a testament to resilience,...
IAS Priyansha Garg
Why Mindset Matters: IAS Priyansha Garg’s Mental Health Mantra for UPSC
After two failed prelims, Priyansha Garg cracked UPSC with AIR 31 in her fourth attempt, proving how...
Ashish Akshat
From Setback to State Topper: How Ashish Akshat Topped JPSC While Working Full-Time
Ashish Akshat from Dhanbad topped JPSC 2023, proving that resilience, discipline, and family support...
Social Media
Mudumalai Tiger Reserve
Mudumalai Tiger Reserve: From India’s First Sanctuary to a Tiger Conservation Success Story | International Tiger Day Special
IAS Supriya Sahu Hails Mudumalai's Role in Tiger Conservation on Tiger Day. Declared in 1940, Now Among...
Mangroves
Mangroves: Nature’s Shield Against Disasters, Says Officer Parveen Kaswan on Mangroves Day - Watch His Post Here
Mangroves, with their dense, interlaced root systems, form a mesh-like structure that serves as a buffer...
Retired IPS Inderjit Singh Sidhu
Purpose Doesn’t Retire: How 88-Year-Old Retired DIG Becomes Chandigarh’s ‘Quiet Warrior’ of Cleanliness
Inderjit Singh Sidhu’s Dawn Patrol Earns Applause, Mahindra’s Praise for a Man Who Chose Action Over...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
IAS Ashwani Kumar
Assam’s Bold Bet on Local Talent: IAS Ashwani Kumar’s Vision for a Digital Assam
Haryana Jungle Safari
Haryana’s Mega Jungle Safari Project Moves Closer to Reality; Phase-I Design Finalised
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
IAS Karn Satyarthi
Ananth Rupanagudi IRAS
WhatsApp Image 2025-07-26 at 13.16
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT