Editorial Board Contents - Bureau of Police Research and ...

A Journey that turnedmy DestinyShri Shyamal Datta, IPS (Retd.)My voyage to the world of Intelligence beganrather late for a variety of reasons. Instead of theyear 1969, I set sail to report to the IntelligenceBureau (IB), New Delhi only in January, 1979, afterhaving served in three districts as Superintendentof Police and Divisional Commissioner of Policein Calcutta. The creature comforts of life in Police,made the initial years of ‘battle inoculation’ in thisgreat Institution, somewhat difficult to bear. It wasnot easy to adjust to the unwritten convention of“doing everything yourself” in the IB.In the midst of trying to come to terms with the‘new culture’, the training in the Basic IntelligenceCourse breathed a fresh air of novelty, of learningsomething new and in such depth. The factthat Intelligence, like the Law Enforcement, isan intricate science was not known. A glimpseinto the world of unknown went a long way inkindling an urge to know more and more in thevast field of knowledge which, in turn, helpedovercome the pains of leading the life of an “aamadmi”.After the basic training, began the most difficultperiod of months of understudy of the DeskOfficer, under the supervision of seniors, knownto be brilliant in their areas of specializationand hard task masters. They would not expressany annoyance or displeasure at omissions andcommissions, but through merciless correction ofdrafts presented for their vetting, would conveyvery loud and clear, in “silence”, that therewere glaring inadequacies in the analysis, andwould express the same analysis with brevityand lucidity. They would also inspire and mouldthe young mind to read, think and to question.However, it would be left to the “green horn” todecipher and take initiative to hone all the skillsrequired for analysis and the IB style of writing.Side by side with this, emphasis was laid onmastering the art of making oral presentation ofthe assessment report, in brief, for the benefit ofthe DIB every week, in the forum of the FridayMeeting. The quality of presentation wouldbe judged, in general, by the impression it leftin the minds of listeners. The institutionalisedmechanism of Friday Meeting singularly helpedinstilling the aptitude of speaking in public withclarity and confidence. I still recall the sweets Ihad to offer as per the prevalent practice, to mycolleagues, including seniors, for the complimentsI received on my maiden performance in theFriday Meeting.Another unique feature was the 'Lunch Club'where all the officers attached to differentanalytical desks, would assemble during the lunchbreak and learn how to break bread with oneanother. This, not only provided some measureof relief, after the arduous morning session ofthe day’s work, but also infused a feeling oftogetherness. Notes were also exchanged, ingeneral, on latest happenings in different parts ofthe country while sharing the lunch. That’s howthe process of cementing of bonds began to makelearning interesting.With the passage of time, a realisation dawnedthat an ‘unstated and inbuilt‘ design in thegrooming of a new entrant in the IB was first tode-romanticize the mind and bring the officerdown to a level where he would be required toslowly assimilate the essential ingredients of alife, which would be faceless, shorn of pomp andsplendour, associated with the uniform job andbehind the curtain, characterised by anonymity.All these called for tremendous understandingand adjustment through continuous mentaltraining.Another implicit focus of the great Institutionwas on “self development”. Nothing would bedone to impose any thing from above to make38The Indian Police Journal, October - December, 2012, Special Issue