Dinesh Kumar Kaushal, currently posted as Superintendent of Police with the Special Branch in Sagar, has spent 28 years in the police force, yet the most striking part of his career came before he ever wore the SP's badge, when he held and then walked away from eight separate government jobs on his way to the post. Known among colleagues for being warm, calm and easygoing off duty, he is described as equally strict once the job demands it.
A Patwari's Son Who Became A DSP
Kaushal grew up in an ordinary middle class household in Chhatarpur district. The pull toward a uniform first took hold during his teenage years, when he put on the NCC uniform, and that early spark eventually turned into a determination to join the police force. The path was far from straightforward. He belongs to the 1998 batch of DSPs, but reaching that rank meant clearing eight different government job openings first. His working life began as a Patwari. From there he moved through five separate positions inside the police department itself, starting at Constable and rising to Sub Inspector, before he was finally selected for the DSP post.
Facing Down A Gang Of Dacoits In Datia
In 2004, while serving as SDOP in Datia, Kaushal received word that a gang of dacoits was plotting a kidnapping. His team kept watch through the night in anticipation. The following morning, the gang opened fire on a passenger bus, and Kaushal's team moved in and confronted them head on. Two of the gang's top leaders were killed in the exchange. One of them alone had 35 criminal cases pending against him, and police forces in three different states had separately announced rewards for his capture.
Ten Terrorists Caught, A Riot Defused
Later, as DSP with the Anti Terrorism Squad in Bhopal, Kaushal led the team that tracked down and arrested 10 dangerous terrorists, an operation for which the Chief Minister honoured him with a Pistol Award. Posted afterward as Additional SP in Gwalior, he handled a major riot that had taken on a communal character with enough tact that the city recorded no loss of life during the unrest.
Fifteen Years Without A Single Sick Day
Away from the field, Kaushal's health routine has become just as talked about as his police record. For 15 years he has kept up regular yoga, cycling and swimming, setting aside two hours for it every single day, one hour fixed for yoga and the remainder split between cycling and swimming. The payoff is that he has not fallen sick even once in those 15 years, staying completely healthy through the COVID pandemic as well.
A Family Built On Education
Discipline runs through the rest of the household too. His wife specialises in law, holding an LLB and an LLM in addition to a PhD. Their daughter, Shruti, is now a doctor after completing her MBBS from Lucknow this year, while their son, Kshitij, became an engineer with a degree from IIT Delhi.
Gallantry Medals And Two Pistol Awards
Kaushal's record of bravery has earned him the President's Gallantry Medal, along with the KF Rustomji Award presented by the Madhya Pradesh government. He has now received the Pistol Award twice in total. For a generation of young job seekers, his journey from a Patwari's desk to an SP's office stands as proof that persistence eventually pays off.
