It’s all fun and games at IPS officer’s meet

Bhopal: Usually busy with the policing duties and maintaining law and order in their respective areas, it was heartening to see the senior cops enjoy various cultural events as a part of two-day state IPS Officers conclave. The cultural event organized at Police Officers Mess and attended by CM Kamal Nath, was a colourful affair. In the morning sports and other interactive activities were organised for the participants at the two-day event, which began on Wednesday.

State teams were divided in four zones, with each zone competing and having an option of selecting their cultural performance, be it drama or dance. Ankita Singh, wife of one of the officers said, “We look forward to this annual event where families of IPS officers also get to meet, interact and develop a deep bond. We have been practising for over a month. The best part is that we not only prepare our respective cultural performances, but also get to know about one another’s culture and that is what make it a memorable experience. This is also the time where we take a break from our routine jobs and enjoy interactive activities.”

The evening began with a performance by Gwalior zone, where a play was staged, revolving around the overlapping relations in a joint family. A comic skit followed, veering on the confusion arising from an arranged millennial marriage that kept the audience laughing throughout. Another play unfolded the mythological history of India, showcasing country’s unity in diversity. It was a power-packed performance as the artistes danced to spiritual songs with dramatic effect created by deft sound and light effects.

Bhagoria dance was also presented on this occasion, where tribal lifestyle was brought to life by artistes dressed in vibrant costumes. Narrator threw light on the rich tribal life existing in Madhya Pradesh that needs due recognition for it strikes a perfect balance between humans and nature, advocating a sustainable lifestyle.

An IPS officer, Simala Prasad, who performed on evergreen Bollywood number 'Piya tose naina laage re' was appreciated a lot by the discerning audience. She said, “This is the third meet I am participating in the conclave; it is a great experience to meet and bond with friends, colleagues and their families.”

The event continued late in the night. From Sufi performances, to qawwalis, drama, dances and group performances, diverse entertaining hues kept the audience glued to their chairs. CM also appreciated the symphonies played by the police band and encouraged the artistes. Jabalpur zone was adjudged first, Bhopal was second and Indore/Ujjain was ranked third in the zone-wise competition.

On Thursday, solo performances will be presented after which best performers in several categories will be awarded.