The Great American philosopher of 19th century, Ralph Waldo Emerson once remarked, ‘The only person you are destined to become is the person you decided to be.’
Nothing is impossible with hard work and determination. One can even change his destiny, as did this boy from Chattisgarh whose family remained on the verge of starvation for long, but who rose to become an IPS officer by showing exemplary grit and determination.
Difficult Childhood
In his childhood, lady luck decided to frown upon Mr Bhojram Patel. His parents would farm on a small piece of land, and often little Bhojram would help them in their toil.
Born in a poor family of Raigarh district of Chhattisgarh, his family’s entire subsistence depended on the piece of land that they owned in the Tarapur village. But there was a silver lining in the dark clouds which remained hanging on this poor family. Though the boy’s parents were uneducated, they understood the value of education. And therefore, they encouraged Bhojram to pursue his studies. He was enrolled in the primary school of the village, and used to help his parents in farming after coming back. He said in a video interview that there would be days when his family had less or nothing to eat. To douse the hunger pangs, his mother used to put excessive chili in the vegetables or lentils. This would have the effect of filling the stomach with less food. These bad days taught him much about the vicissitudes of life, further motivating him to work hard towards his dreams.
Teacher becomes Civil Servant
After completing his graduation, Mr Bhojram got a teacher’s job in a middle-school. He retained this job for seven years, between 2005 and 2012. Mr. Patel’s consider this period as the “turning phase’’ of his life, as he got opportunities to meet with various experienced and intellectual people. They told him about the UPSC and encouraged him to go for it. With the support of his parents, Mr. Patel took leave from the job and started preparing for civil services.
In 2014, his hard work paid off and he got selected as an IPS officer.
Gaining Peoples’ Trust
After completing his training in the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy, Mr Bhojram got his first posting as a Superintend of Police (SP) in Kanker, Chattisgarh. Recently, he was appointed the SP of Gariyaband, situated on the border of Odisha. In fact, both these districts- Kanker and Gariyaband- have been affected by the naxal activities and his leadership skill in tackling this menace has been appreciated by the state government.
Mr Bhojram said in an interview, “When I wore the uniform for the first time, I felt a sense of responsibility. Then and there, I decided to work to increase the trust of people in police.”
Mr. Patel calls himself an avid learner. He believes that where ever he goes, he learns new things. This trait helps him to handle unwanted situations with ease. He feels communication is the only power which can make a difference, whether it is with common people or people associated with naxalism. His main focus is to rope more and more naxals into the mainstream. And he is determined to achieve this goal.
