Lessons to learn

Suresh Khopade is  well known name in the ‘police’ circles. A very respected retired IPS officer, he is recipient of the President's Gallantry Medal for his courage in a near fatal encounter with inter state criminals. He has also been awarded the Police Medal for Meritorious Service. He shot into fame with his innovative platform, ‘Mohalla Committee’ which he coined to fight communal riots in Bhiwandi in 1992.  Here, he helped bridge the gap between the people and police where each could discuss and resolve matters directly.  This committee proved to be a very effective way for changing the attitudes of people.  The discussions in Mohalla committee helped in shaping the attitudes of the police and the people.  The discussions in the work improvement committees (quality circles) helped in changing the attitudes of both the senior and the junior police officers.

Today, he is now venturing out onto a new proect – Navi Disha Academy where is promoting the concet of schools without doors and labs without walls. Known as 'Kudachi Shala'  and 'Binbhintichi Prayogshala',  this ‘school’ located in rural Maharashtra is his new experiment, aimed at providing a new direction to the education system as well as exploring life through innovative thinking.  This school will also organize small workshops for innovative thinking on issues like fair price for farmer's produce, public movements or industrial unrest. The school will promote linear thinking and teachers will be several experts from a number of NGOs.

Kudos to people like Khopade who constantly strive to do something for the betterment of the society. Irrespective of his political affiliation to AAP, one has to respect this IPS officer for doing such relentless, thankless work.