As the country got immersed in splashes and showers of colours on Holi this year, there were a collective few who reported to duty as usual and spent this day in a sombre manner, keeping a watchful eye to ensure that the day passed by without any untoward incidents. They sacrificed their celebration to ensure that the country enjoyed a safe Holi. They are our police officers and personnel whose khaki colour instilled a sense of discipline among the revellers.
A few of them celebrated Holi with their families and colleagues a day after, as they also wanted to enjoy this most colourful festival of the year. There were some who did manage to play with colours on the D-Day itself and could not contain their glee as they took to social media to explicitly express their joy. Retired IPS officer from Maharashtra Meeran Borwankar Chadha falls in this category.
In many police headquarters, Holi Milan ceremonies were organised on the day after Holi, so that everyone could partake in the celebration freely without the heavy load of ‘duty’ weighing heavily on their shoulders. Needless to say, even then, they did not let their guard down for a moment as policing is a 24×7 job as crimes have no fixed timings.
As colourful, happy photographs emerge slowly on social media, Indian Masterminds curated some of these to highlight how the bureaucrats in general, and those from the police service in particular, enjoyed Holi in their own special ways, managing, at the same time, to paint a poignant picture of how as the nation erupted in joy, they stood still and firm to ensure everyone else made merry safely.
2011 batch IPS officer Anand Sharma, who is posted as SP in Alwar, Rajasthan, danced to the beats of the famous Holi song, “Balam Pichkari” from the movie ‘Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani’. This video went viral and netizens loved his moves.
अलवर में पुलिस की होली और एसपी आनंद शर्मा का डांस। यह वायरल तो होना ही था…pic.twitter.com/gR569PCkie
— Arvind Chotia (@arvindchotia) March 26, 2024
Retired IPS officer Meeran Chadha Borwankar (1981 batch) posted a photo with an interesting caption on social media platform, Linkedin.
She wrote, ‘8 hrs duty shift for police’. Let’s demand it as election manifesto of all political parties. Enjoying Holi post retirement… finally, cos life was spent in festival bandobasts😔”
ASP Manisha Singh, who is posted in Lucknow as ADCP (Central), shared an emotional video of a police visit to Aminabad on the day of Holi.
This video🎥 is made by Azhar Ahmed (journalist) during our visit in Aminabad on account of Holi festival. pic.twitter.com/D75SBuV7FG
— Manisha Singh ASP🇮🇳 (@Cop_Manisha) March 25, 2024
2014 batch IPS officer Vineet Jaiswal posted photos of his Holi celebration on X. Mr. Jaiswal can be seen in a joyous mood, playing with colours and dancing with fellow officers.
पुलिस वाली होली 😀 !!#HappyHoli @gondapolice @rajabanthia @iaspremprakash pic.twitter.com/DOMpUhUM4h
— VINEET JAISWAL (@IPSVineet) March 26, 2024
2015 batch IPS officer Mridul Kachawa, posted in Bharatpur, Rajasthan, celebrated Holi with colleagues by dancing to DJ music.
Indore Police celebrated Holi with great enthusiasm. Police Commissioner Rakesh Gupta, a 1999-batch IPS officer, sang Holi songs as well. Hearing him singing, officers and constables started dancing joyously.
The Commissioner gave an emotional speech and said that music does not discrimination between the rich and the poor, and one should celebrate such festivals with great pomp and show.
In MP’s Guna district, SP Sanjeev Kumar Sinha (1996 batch IPS Officer) danced with Collector Satendra Singh, an IAS officer of 2009 batch and other officials. Both came out riding in an open jeep at Holi Celebrations.
1997 batch IAS officer of UP cadre, Dr. Hari Om, posted some colourful photos, along with a poem, on X.
मुदित हवाओं ने फिर उम्मीदों की खिड़की खोली है
— Dr Hari Om (@dr_hariom_ias) March 25, 2024
फागुन के गीतों में फिर डूबी रसिकों की टोली है
लाल हरे बैगनी सुनहले रंग प्रेम के छाए हैं
झूम रहे हैं सब मस्ती में आज अवध में होली है
🌺🌸🌹❤️#Holi #Mubarak #drhariomias pic.twitter.com/jHHzXrDGO4
होरी-यारे….🌺 #holi #mubarak #csi #ias #lucknow #drhariomias pic.twitter.com/zq5SvNgJrZ
— Dr Hari Om (@dr_hariom_ias) March 25, 2024
Dr. Hari Om also shared photos of him playing colours with his family.
रंग-बिरंगे प्यारे-प्यारे कितने सारे…….
— Dr Hari Om (@dr_hariom_ias) March 26, 2024
(ख़ाली जगह भरें)😃🌺🌸💐#drhariomias #holi #coulors pic.twitter.com/jThFfHUSfi
2017 batch IAS officer of Madhya Pradesh cadre, Sher Singh Meena, shared a photo, in which he can be seen drenched in colours.
Happy Holi 🎉 pic.twitter.com/Yc1tMP0ZEa
— Sher Singh Meena (@SherSingh_IAS) March 25, 2024
IRS (C&IT) Association organised a ‘Holi Milan Samaroh’, an evening filled with colours, music and Delhi 6 Chaats.
IRS (C&IT) Association organised “होली मिलन समारोह”, an evening filled with colours, music and Delhi 6 Chaats.
— IRS(Customs & Indirect Taxes) Association (@IRS_CIT) March 24, 2024
Wishing a very colourful Happy Holi to everyone. #HoliCelebrations pic.twitter.com/UoiBU5ZsOr
2016 batch Indian Forest Services (IFS) officer Parveen Kaswan celebrated Holi with forest personnel.
When the Holi special duty ends. During this season special protection duty is performed for four days. Which includes no leave, special field camping and anti poaching drive. With the team. pic.twitter.com/D6ZOAvBFlW
— Parveen Kaswan, IFS (@ParveenKaswan) March 26, 2024
2009 batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer Basir Ahmed posted some lovely pics of Holi celebration.
Wishing you all Happy Holi 2024 💐💐🪷🪷🙏, May the colours of joy lasts forever @IndianEmbJkt @KBRI_NewDelhi @Kemlu_RI @MinOfCultureGoI #HappyHoli #happyholi2024 pic.twitter.com/Yh1nngfVcX
— Basir Ahmed (@BASIR_IFS) March 25, 2024
