Padma Shri Kanwarpal Singh Gill, popularly known as KPS Gill, is physically no more. Sad and shocking the news is, but it is an irrefutable fact that such legends never die. They become immortal even after their physical demise. Institutions like him remain forever, notwithstanding the love-hate relationship which they might have had during their lifetime.

Born in the mid-thirties in the British India district of Ludhiana, KPS joined the Indian Police Service in 1958 and was assigned to the erstwhile United Assam, a Northeastern Province of the Country.

I had the good fortune of working under his leadership during his second tenure to Punjab, starting 1992. I had then just returned from some sensitive postings abroad and in Delhi, after a gap of about a decade. In this time span Punjab had changed a lot. Militancy was rampant in this border state and Machievellian Politicians of this sensitive state were busy playing their nefarious games behind a smoke screen, many of them contributing their might in destabilising Punjab in particular and India in general.

This was for the first time that I came in touch with KPS. His no-nonsense and daring style of functioning that earned him the sobriquet ‘Super Cop’ made me to take some time in getting used to his style of working.

A man of few words, he took time in trusting colleagues around him. But once he knew the individual who could fit into his schemes of things, he stood by him like a rock. Working in official milieu, where

back-stabbing was/is/shall remain the trend, I found it surprising finding that any senior police officer can stand by his junior(s). It was a wonderful feeling and it inspired confidence in me.

My past and for that matter even the subsequent experience has been different. I have had burnt my fingers and the trust KPS showed won me over.

KPS chose me to be posted as DIG (Intelligence), Punjab, which was the centre of strategic decision making. O.P. Sharma, who later succeeded KPS, was the head of Intelligence Wing of Punjab Police.

He too was a man of few words with strong likes/dislikes, like KPS himself. Very often these two strong personalities agreed not to agree on various issues, because of which KPS often chose to directly deal with the cutting-edge officials in the field as also in the headquarters. It was a great strategy but KPS always ensured that none

of these cutting-edge officials succeeded in creating a situation which could lead to a direct head-on confrontation between him and OP Sharma. KPS was an expert in the art of administrative compartmentalisation, ensuring that each and every cog including the politicians, whom I have always instinctively distrusted, remained firmly in their place. He did not permit anyone to overstep.

Yes, KPS was ruthless when it came to combating militancy. He was harsh and did take some extreme steps both because of his commitment to the nation and because of his basic nature of having extreme likes and dislikes. His role in controlling and combating militancy in a very ruthless manner did make him immensely unpopular among a section of Punjabis living in Punjab as also at other places all over the globe. But he could not care less. I have seen many officers changing colours like a chameleon, but not KPS. He was distinctively different.

I have no hesitation in bringing on record my disagreement, as DIG (Intelligence), with him on certain core decisions vis-a-vis combating militancy. At many occasions, I was openly snubbed by him but that did not, in anyway, lower the immense admiration and loyalty that I had towards him both as a “bloody” junior and as a human, who, as per his habits, has been fond of going in for a post-mortem of a given situation from various  angles.

Yes, I am also one of those innumerable persons who loved to hate him at times but without lowering my admiration and loyalty in the line of my duty. Orders are orders, but I feel that they have to be carried out diligently and after putting forth one’s own viewpoint.

Post-retirement KPS moved on to the national scene. His stature had risen. There was not one issue of national and strategic importance on which he was not consulted. And it was above party lines. He had become a strategist, a master strategist.

I remember having met him at conferences in Delhi. His advice was sought on Kashmir, on Naxals, on militancy and such issues even beyond the Indian territory. He had an immense understanding and grasp. His views were listened to carefully.

This was the official side of KPS. He was multi-talented. He was a writer and a philosopher too. He was fond of Urdu poetry — a fact not many know.

He had a vibrant personality. He was social star and icon. No social evening was supposed to be complete without him. Witty as he was, he was equally fond of the glass. I see so many similarities in his and late Kushwant Singh — ‘bindaas’ and open-minded. They both loved to live.

He reminds me of Rajesh Khanna in some movie ‘Kuchh to log kahenge, logon ka kaam hai kehna…’

I salute the hero despite the difference of opinion I had with him on certain occasions. He was, is and shall remain a tall and iconic personality and what a glorious institution he was in himself.

No one can ever undermine such a great institution. May God bless his soul.

(The writer is a former Punjab director general of police, prisons)