Mumbai, January 31: It was a chance encounter when we got to know that the man behind resolving criminal investigations of all minority classes was also a man with a keen perception for poetry along with enjoying other literary forms of pros and narrative writing. The person of many talents being an unlikely IPS officer Quaiser Khalid stationed in Mumbai headquarters.
Our interest in his work was a result of his own body of work undertaken both in his professional as well as personal stead. Apart from being deeply involved in the literary works and writing himself with two published books and a Sahitya Award to his name, Quaiser Khalid is a known figure across Mumbai for his direct involvement with the slums of Mumbai where the youngsters are not just inspired by his own personal story but also counselled and motivated to study and make better with their lives instead of getting radicalised into a life of illegal or criminal activities.
Here are excerpts of the interview with Mr Khalid as he talks about his love of poetry and his passion for his job…..
Q. Mr Khailid tell us about your journey which led you to your love for poetry and literature?
Ans. I belong to a small village in Bihar by the name of Araria Bihar where there wasn’t much development during my growing up years and therefore everything was a matter of struggle and will power since nothing was easy to get, even primary education. Despite the odds I grew up loving books and would end up reading every thing right from magazines to books my father would get for his own consumption.
My favourite were the ones penned by Ibn Shafi and were the ‘Jasoosi’ genre of books where the poet would describe in great details different parts of the world and their lifestyles. Sitting in a small village these books gave me an insight into how life was far beyond my geography and this was my first exposure to creative imagination.
Reading helped me think of the world in more creative ways and thus made my mind fertile to filter in information which would enhance my imagination and let me think perceptively about how life must be viewed by others as well.
Q. Did your own struggles in life contribute to your understanding of literature?
Ans. Yes they were a paramount reason why I got drawn closer to Urdu poerty and pros later in life. You see as a youngster I was sent to live with my maternal relatives to get proper secondary education. Away from home and amongst relatives I realised that behaviour had changed and this was my window to realise that human emotions were open to great scrutiny since a sensitive perceptive person will acknowledge that even the smallest change in his life will alter his thinking greatly.
I studied hard for my IPS and later through my interaction with people from all walks of life inspired me to pen down my emotions and thoughts in the way of Shayari and poems because it was important to bring out the essence of everyone’s life struggles through creative writing.
Q. You won a Sahitya academy award along with having books published to your name. How does it feel to have achieved so much at such a young age?
Ans. Awards are people’s way of showing their appreciation of your work and I respect that but my aim of writing has never been to receive awards. I write because it provides me with an outlet to express my thoughts in the most artistic way possible. I always write with the aim of maintaining my own distinctive style of writing without any compromise on the standard of work which is finally presented.
Apart from this my work in the police is a way forward for me to work for the community which has its own challenges. People don’t like it when they are told about the harsh truth about their own reality and many a times oppose your actions but I work with the intent of bringing about a change from the grass root level so that no youngster is forced into accepting a life of crime and radicalisation.
Q How do you find time to write despite a busy schedule as a special IG posted in Mumbai Police headquarters?
Ans. Police work is about team work so I have trained my team to work effectively even in my absence. This enables them to work without constant supervision nd gives me enough time to reflect on various aspects of life which is important for any creative person…. The time to reflect. If any one wants to write well then they must find time to reflect on what they experience and I manage that much time for my own thoughts. Apart from that we have a very vocal and an intellectual environment at home as well. We talk, discuss and sometimes even argue about differing viewpoints and that further adds to my understand which eventually helps me write better.
Q. Any advise to budding writers?
Ans. Read read more than you listen …… constant and voracious reading is the key to sharpening one’s creativity and imagination. As one reads more they come across knowledge of all kinds and this will help you build up on different perspective. Read everything that you can. Despite coming from a rural village background it was my exposure to a secular form of education along with my personal unending love for reading which gave me a sense of thinking beyond my won physical and emotional constrains.
For any one who wishes to explore literary writing it is important to build on your distinctive style of writing without compromising on the standard off writing. Improve your vocabulary and improve your reading lists and that will be the key to achieving literary satisfaction.
