A successful and meritorious career needs to be acknowledged. But when it comes in the form of the President’s Police Medal, it is indeed high praise. IPS officer Jitender, Additional DGP and Director of the Telangana State Police Academy, recently won this award for his distinguished service and he couldn’t ask for more.
Sharing his thoughts, he says, “The medal is in recognition for the service we have been putting in and it is a great fillip to do better.”
Reflecting on his journey of 25 years, Jitender says, “I worked in various ranks — SP, DIG (Grey Hounds), IG (CID), CBI, Additional CP (Traffic) — and successfully cracked several high-profile cases (including the '21,000, crore scam of Speak Asia). I always believed that whatever society has given us, we should reciprocate with dignity and commitment. The opportunity to serve comes to only a few people in the society. I guess God has been really kind and has given me more than what I have expected.”
He gets nostalgic while recalling childhood memories. “I was born in an agricultural family in Ferozpur (Punjab), which was 8 km from Pakistan. We used to go to picnics on our bicycles (laughs). Later, I moved to Delhi and passed out from JNU. I always wanted to get either into public service or business, so I am destiny’s child.”
Jitender explains that he has evolved over the years. “The Art of Living has influenced me a lot. It has shaped up my personality and made me a better person. I have learnt to balance anger, emotions and pressures that come with this job and I feel blessed to have a supportive family.”
But tackling the challenges wasn’t always easy. “Initially, life was difficult. There were times I spent sleepless nights because of Naxalite problems. But over the years, I learnt to cope with work and eventually balance family and work.”
When he is away from work, Jitender likes to go on short vacations with his family and friends.
