Himanshu Shekhar Trivedi. Picture by Sanjay Choudhary

From Indian Army to Indian Police Service (IPS), Himanshu Shekhar Trivedi has covered a long journey in a span of eight years.

A 2010-batch IPS officer, who is currently undergoing field training in Aurangabad district, Himanshu has switched as many as eight jobs since 2002, when he had joined as a lieutenant in the army. In 2006, he quit the army to join as a scientific officer at Bhabha Atomic Research Centre.

An exceptional student, Himanshu qualified for the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission twice and was offered the post of deputy superintendent of police. He was also offered the job of a junior executive officer in Airports Authority of India in 2007 and Andaman and Nicobar State Service.

Himanshu, a postgraduate from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, has also worked as an assistant professor (permanent), Delhi University, for a brief period.

“IPS is my eighth job,” the young officer told The Telegraph. But he does not seem to be in a mood to rest. Himanshu wants to join the Indian Administrative Service and is preparing for the civil service exams once again.

Originally from Rae Bareli in Uttar Pradesh, the IPS officer is reporting to his senior Sidharth Mohan Jain (2006 batch), superintendent of police, Aurangabad.

For Himanshu, army and police are like two “different worlds”. While the army is well-equipped, the state police are still deprived of basic ammunition to deal with armed Maoists.

“It hurts me when I see the working condition of Bihar policemen in remote areas,” he said.

“The living condition of army personnel is quite different from that of the state police force. But the government now seems to have become sensitive towards the problems of the policemen. Efforts are on to improve their living condition,” he added.

Himanshu said police service has given him more opportunities to serve the people and apply innovative methods of policing. He praised the steps taken by present director-general of police Abhayanand and his senior Sidharth Mohan.

The officer, however, regrets quitting the army. “My batchmates have been promoted to the rank of major. I really miss the Indian Army,” he said.