From Being Mother of the House to Being Mother of the City: DCP Saroj Kumari

Mrs.  Saroj Kumari IPS  who is DCP  of Administration and Headquarters in Vadodara city shares about her playing the role of a mother of her house as well as the city.  She stays with her nephew and niece who are seven  & eight years old and her parents who are 70+. She says that at the same time she has to think about her old age parents, kids in the house, the police staff, people in the city on every ground possible one at the same time.

She says she performs her police duty running ” Varishth Nirbhyam” (senior citizen cell), police kitchen, “Samjh Sparsh Ni” ( campaign for kids safety from sexual crimes), provides all supporting things to police on the field and also takes care of kids at home who are less than 10 years and also old age parents as a daughter. But rather she also feels more proud and glad for a fact that during this calamity she is able to help and serve her country as much as she can. Therefore, she says that her concern for her family is secondary and her service is primary.

Asking her about giving time to the kids in the house she says,  because there are no schools for kids nowadays, so they are completely free, so they wish for a quality time, instead of that I have to make kids understand as in these times I  have to go for duty early, and cannot reach home before 10 pm every day. But then kids spend time at home and study by themselves and rather support me for the cause.

Mrs. Saroj Kumari further says that she plays a role of a woman of the house and also Deputy Commissioner of Police Administration and Headquarters, so she also tries to take personal care of her staff which includes their food, nutritional supplements, PPE kits,  masks, sanitizers, their medical checkups, medicines, etc.  She also takes care and keeps a check on where are they performing their duty and keeping them in constant contact.  She also keeps in contact with their family members and keeps them informing about the dos and don’ts. She says she keeps on doing constant research work nowadays for keeping their health well, for which she provides Vitamin C Tablets to them, provided everyone in the staff packets of Drumsticks powder whose soup is good for keeping health well being. She says this way I feel responsible on both sides thoroughly.

Mrs Saroj Kumari also says she looks after 700 registered senior citizens of the city who are living alone through ” Varishth Nirbhyam” cell.  She further says she and her staff have provided more than 2000 people with medial facilities, checkups, medicines, and in this way she has extended families. Also during this lockdown period, when the senior citizens in Vadodara who live alone, demand to spend time with them, which these days is not recommended due to their corona susceptibility, so they are also providing psychologists and psychotherapists to help them out. They also take care of the homeless kids in the city and provided them with food facilities through their “Samjh Sparsh ni” team. They have started “Police Kitchen” where they make food for more than 500 people daily, from day one of lockdown. Therefore she says, I have provided services which I had never thought of as a part of my duty, but yet m doing and feel happy about the same.

On asking about maintaining balance on her both ends, Mrs. Saroj Kumari says, Yes, it is difficult but not impossible to maintain the balance. If one is doing it that means one can do.  Yes, it is difficult sometimes, because there is so much conflict within yourself, inspite of that one is performing.

Mrs. Saroj Kumari on asking about how she takes care of herself she says, as I am the center of the house and responsibility bearer at workplace,  so it is important for me to be healthy .One should take good care of health, as PM Modi Sir has said, first you should help yourself, then only you can help others.