In the quiet town of Bahadurgarh, Haryana, an extraordinary scene unfolds nightly. As the clock strikes six, over 50 students gather on the terrace of a two-story house, eyes fixed on a whiteboard. The air is filled with the hum of curiosity, and the teachings of one man—Ajay Grewal, a 34-year-old Head Constable with the Delhi Police. But here, he is more than a law enforcer; he is a teacher, mentor, and bhai to the thousands of young minds he has been nurturing since 2016.
Grewal, who joined the Delhi Police in 2009, has a unique mission: to offer free coaching for government job aspirants from financially disadvantaged backgrounds. “I know what it feels like to dream big but lack the resources,” says Grewal, his voice tinged with both humility and determination. “If I couldn’t achieve my UPSC dream, maybe I can help someone else achieve theirs.”
A NEW MISSION BEGINS
Grewal’s own journey towards becoming a coach started from his unfulfilled UPSC dreams. As a young man growing up in Haryana, he was passionate about wrestling and had dreams of passing the civil services exam. He trained at the local akhada built by his father, a retired Delhi Police officer, and continued to wrestle even after joining the police force. Wrestling helped him clear the physical exams for police recruitment, but his true ambition lay in cracking the UPSC exam.
“I wrote the UPSC exam five times between 2015 and 2020. In 2016, I cleared the mains but couldn’t pass the interview stage. It was heartbreaking,” he told Indian Masterminds.
But from the ashes of his disappointment, a new purpose arose. Around 2016, Grewal noticed that many children in his neighborhood were preparing for government jobs but couldn’t afford the steep fees charged by coaching centers. That’s when he decided to offer his services for free, turning the terrace of his house into a classroom.
“I started with one student, and now I have 10,000,” he says with a smile, the pride unmistakable.
THE NIGHT CLASSES THAT NEVER END
For nearly seven hours each evening, from 6 p.m. to 3 a.m., Grewal teaches subjects like general knowledge, reasoning, mathematics, English, and Hindi. His terrace turns into a hub of activity, with boys and girls sprawled across mattresses, eyes glued to the whiteboard. While the girls leave at 10:30 p.m. for safety reasons, the boys study through the night. Many of them sleep on the same terrace, only leaving after breakfast at Grewal’s home.
“It’s not just about teaching,” says Grewal, who also beams his classes live on his YouTube channel ‘Vidyan Mahadan,’ which has over 6,000 followers. “It’s about being there for them, like a big brother. Most of these kids come from difficult backgrounds, and I want them to feel supported.”
Among his students is 20-year-old Yogita, whose father has been bedridden for 14 years due to paralysis. “A government job is our only hope,” says Yogita, who dreams of cracking the SSC exam. “Ajay Bhaiya’s classes are our lifeline. He doesn’t just teach; he shows us that he cares.”
Then there’s Jitendra Gehlawat, a 27-year-old who has been battling gait and speech disabilities. “He walks 3 km every day to attend classes,” says Grewal. “He’s one of the best students I’ve ever taught, especially in mathematics and reasoning.”
A COP BY DAY, A TEACHER BY NIGHT
Grewal’s dedication to his students is matched only by his commitment to his job. By day, he works at the Delhi Police Training College in Jharoda Kalan, teaching recruits how to use the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS). After clocking out at 5 p.m., he rushes home to start his evening classes. “I sleep for just five hours, from 3 a.m. to 8 a.m.,” he admits. “But it’s worth it. I can’t abandon my students.”
Grewal’s students are just as dedicated. Deepanshu Kaushik, 18, helps his father with farming during the day but never misses his evening classes. “Ajay Bhaiya inspires us to dream big,” he says. “He doesn’t charge us anything, yet he gives us everything.”
MORE THAN JUST EDUCATION: BUILDING A GREEN LEGACY
Grewal’s impact extends beyond academics. Concerned about the environment, he initiated a tree-planting drive with his students, planting over 6,000 trees. Each student in his batch is given two saplings to nurture, and they’re expected to water the trees before each class. What was once barren land near a lake now stands transformed into a lush green space.
“We plant peepal, neem, and banyan trees. It’s my way of teaching them responsibility and giving back to nature,” he shared with Indian Masterminds.
A BROTHER TO ALL
Grewal’s care for his students goes beyond the classroom. In June this year, when candidates from far-off regions came to Jharoda Kalan for exams, he opened his home to 1,800 of them.
“They stayed at my place, had breakfast here, and I arranged for transportation to the exam center,” he recalls. “No one was left behind.”
For his students, Grewal is not just a teacher; he’s family. They all call him Bhai as he’s not just helping them with their studies; he’s changing their lives.
A LIFE OF SERVICE
Despite his demanding schedule, Grewal never takes a day off. “We study from Monday to Sunday,” he says, “and I do my best to be there for them every single day.”
As the stars twinkle above the terrace, the sounds of learning continue late into the night. For these students, Ajay Grewal is more than a cop or a coach—he’s a ray of sunshine. And with every lesson, every tree planted, and every dream encouraged, he continues to give wings to the government job dreams of those who need it most.
