PROJECT PROPOSAL FOR CELEBRATING

BIRTH ANNIVERSARY OF LATE SHRI

K.F.RUSTAM JI

-SUBMITTED TO-
Superintend of Police (S.P.)
District -Harda
State Madhya Pradesh

Submitted by:
Innovation Welfare Society Bhopal
BM- 65 Nehru Nagar, Bhadbhada Road, Bhopal. M.P. – 462003
Email: innovationwelfaresociety@gmail.com.
Web Site- www.innovationbhopal.com
Ph: 09827755506, 9200007015, 9407444000, 09425991688

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PROJECT PROPOSAL FOR CELEBRATING BIRTH ANNIVERSARY OF
LATE SHRI K.F.RUSTAM JI

LATE SHRI K.F.RUSTAM JI

Submitted To-
S.P.Office
Distt-Harda M.P.

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CONTENT

1. About K.F.Rustamji
2. Early life
3. Career
4. Bibliography
5. Awards
6. BSF’s icon: the life and times of K F Rustamji
7. KF RUSTAMJI: INDIA’S ICONIC POLICE OFFICER
8. Shri Khusro Faramurz Rustamji

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 ABOUT SHRI K.F.RUSTAM JI

Name : Khusro Faramurz Rustamji

Alternate name : K.F. Rustamji

Date of birth : 22 May 1916

Place of birth : Kamptee, near Nagpur (India)

Date of death : March 2, 2003

Place of death : Mumbai, India

Religion : Parsis

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Shri Khusro Faramurz Rustamji

Khusro Faramurz Rustamji, better known as K F Rustamji, is the only police

officer in India, thus far to have been awarded the Padma Vibhushan India's
second highest civilian award. This award has been in recognition of his
multifarious achievements, including the Public Interest Litigation (PIL).

1. The founding Father of BSF, Khusro Faramurz Rustamji was born on

22nd May 1916 at Kamptee (near Nagpur), Maharashtra and grew up in
Nagpur. He did his schooling at St. Francis De Sales School and Master’s
Degree in Science, he began his career in 1936 as a demonstrator in
Zoology at the College of Science Nagpur.

2. Late Shri K F Rustamji selected for the prestigious Imperial Police (IP) in
1938 the fore runner of the present day Indian Police Services (IPS) within
four years of service, in November 1942, he was awarded the Indian Police
Medal for overpowering dacoits in Madhya Pradesh (MP) and for tackling the
riots at Nagpur. He was inherited with bravery, honesty hard work and
farsightedness.

3. Late Shri K F Rustamji was selected as Principal of Police Training

College, Sagar after putting in 10 years of glorious services as Sub-Divisional
Officer, Asstt. Supdt of Police, Distt Supdt of Police in Madhya Pradesh.

4. In 1952, he joined the Intelligence Bureau (IB) as Deputy Director and

besides other duties, was appointed as the Chief Security Officer to Prime
Minister Shri Jawahar Lal Nehru for six years, till 1958, he visited 22
Countries with Nehru ji, who after initially vetoing, finally allowed him to be
reverted to Madhya Pradesh (MP) as Inspector General of Police. Prime
Minister Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru invited him to a farewell lunch with his
wife, he received an autographed photograph from Nehru ji, who wrote, “In
memory of many journeys together and with all good wishes”.

5. Late Shri K F Rustamji got experiences in three ways by the company of

Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru, the first was Pt. Nehru’s personality whereby he

5
was benefited by his knowledge, experience, farsightedness, human behavior
and to win over the strangers by his qualities, the second one was to get the
experience from the high dignities surrounding. Nehru ji and the third one
was from the officers and the Political leaders who had good knowledge about
the soul of India.

6. The International borders of India with Pakistan, both East and West
were being manned by the respective state Police forces till the Indo-Pak war
in Sept 1965. During the second Indo-Pak war of 1965 the inadequacies of
managing such a long land border had become quite evident. It was then
decided by the Government of India to raise a single force under the centre to
guard the vast International Boundary between India with Pakistan (East &
West) on the recommendations of the study Group and Prime Minister Lal
Bahadur Shastri, Rustamji was chosen to raise and BSF was raised under the
Charismatic leadership of Shri K F Rustamji, IP, on the Ist December 1965
with 25 Battalions in beginning and the number was increased to 77
Battalions within a period of nine years.
7. In the year 1969, on the motivation of Rustamji, a rocket club was
established. The BSF was an amalgamation of State Armed Police and the
Indian Army. Previously their organization, training, tactics and formation
were different but by the farsightedness, guidance and advice of Rustamji,
they were knitted in oneness.

8. Rustamji had seen of his own the war of 1965 and had observed the
weaknesses of the Police. All the experiences gained from 1965 war, Shri
Rustamji applied them in the Indo-Pak war in 1971 and formed Mukti Vahini,
where they also took alongwith them some small rockets. These rockets
played a vital role during 1971 war in order to boost up the morale of our
troops. BSF fought an aggressive and unconventional War. Shri V V Giri, Ex-
President of India applauded the role of BSF in the 1971 War,

9. “The role of the BSF in 1971 War won for it the unstinted admiration of
the entire Nation. The BSF forged great camaraderie with the Indian Army,
with whom they fought shoulder to shoulder”.

6
10. On the 31st of May, 1974, he retired from BSF and consequently joined
as Special Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs. He structured the BSF,
ITBP, CISF in the Central Police Organisation and initiated the formation of the
Coast Guards. It is believed that his handling of the Railway strike was
noteworthy. Two of his articles in Indian Express on callous treatment of
inmates in jails of Patna and Muzaffarpur became the basis of a Public Interest
Litigation in 1979. Rustamji was awarded with Padma Vibhushan in 1991 for
his exceptional contribution. The legend passed away on March 2, 2003 in
Mumbai at the age of 87.

11. There is a saying that “nothing succeeds like success”. It is proved by the
farsightedness of Rustamji as the persons selected by him and allotting great
responsibilities, rose to very high levels.

Early life

Rustamji was born in Kamptee, near Nagpur (India) on 22 May 1916. His
parents were both Parsis from Bombay (now Mumbai) His entire school and
college education was in Nagpur. He studied in St Francis de Sales School and
had his college education in Science College. He passed his M.Sc (Zoology) in
1936 securing the first position in the Nagpur University. He worked as a
Demonstrator (Assistant Professor) in the same college from 1936 to 1938.
Rustamji topped the competitive examination for selection to the prestigious
service the Indian Police (also sometimes referred to as the Imperial Police) in
1938 from the erstwhile State of Central Provinces and Berar, later known as
Madhya Pradesh (MP).

Career

When he had put in four years service and was still an Assistant
Superintendent of Police, he was put on duty in Nagpur to quell the riots that
took place during the course of the disturbances due to the Quit India
Movement in August 1942. He was up against a life-threatening situation and

7
dealt with it courageously. He was awarded the Indian Police Medal for his
exemplary handling of the situation.

Soon after the independence of India, he was posted in December 1947

as Superintendent of Police to Raigarh district in the eastern part of the State
of MP. He had to oversee the integration of the princely States of Raigarh,
Sakti, Sarangarh, Jashpur and Udaipur, consequent on the Government of
India's decision to integrate the princely States into the Indian Union.

In May 1948, he was posted to Akola, a district bordering the erstwhile

princely State of Hyderabad. He took part in the Hyderabad Police Action,
which was ordered by the Government of India as the Nizam of Hyderabad
was unwilling to integrate the State with the Indian Union.

In 1949, Rustamji was promoted as Deputy Inspector General of Police to

Aurangabad (then in the State of Hyderabad). He had to deal with the first
Communist insurgency movement.

In August 1952, Rustamji was selected to be the Chief Security Officer to

India'a first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. He remained in that post for six
years till June 1958, when he was appointed as the Chief of the Madhya
Pradesh Police.

As Inspector General of Police of Madhya Pradesh, Rustamji dealt

successfully with the problem created by the armed dacoits of the Chambal
region. The formidable gangs of Amritlal, Rupa, Lakhan Singh and nose-
chopping dacoit Gabbar Singh (who became a household name after the film
Sholay) and many others were eliminated.

In 1965, Rustamji was selected to raise the Border Security Force (BSF).
By the time he retired the BSF had a strength of 60,000 men. The BSF played a
significant part in the Indo-Pak War of 1971 and in the Liberation of
Bangladesh. After retirement from the BSF, he was made Special Secretary in
the Ministry of Home Affairs and while in that position, he headed a

8
committee which submitted the report for the formation of the Indian Coast
Guard, an organization to patrol the maritime border.

He was responsible for the setting up of the National Police Commission

and later became its member from 1978 to 1983. In 1978 he visited the jails in
Bihar and wrote about the conditions of the undertrials languishing in the jails
for long periods without a trial. His two articles in the national daily, The
Indian Express formed the basis for the first Public Interest Litigation
(Hussainara Khatoon vs State of Bihar) As a consequence of the judgement in
this case, 40,000 undertrials were released all over India.

In his retired life he spent his time writing articles on subjects of topical
interest, many of which were published in the newspapers and magazines. His
exposes were highly appreciated and they were recognised with the award of
the Padma Vibhushan in 1991.

Bibliography

Books on/by Rustamji

His diaries and writings were edited to bring out two books which were in the
nature of an autobiography.

I Was Nehru’s Shadow

The British, The Bandits and The Border men

Encyclopedia of Indian Police

Awards

Indian Police Medal in 1942

Police Medal for Distinguished Services 1958

Padma Bhushan 1972

9
BSF’s icon: the life and times of K F Rustamji

The founding Father of BSF, Khusro Faramurz Rustamji was born on 22nd
May 1916 at Kamptee (near Nagpur), Maharasthra and grew up in Nagpur. He
did his schooling at St. Francis De Sales School and Master’s Degree in Science,
he began his career in 1936 as a demonstrator in Zoology at the College of
Science Nagpur.

Late Shri K F Rustamji selected for the prestigious Imperial Police (IP) in
1938 the fore runner of the present day Indian Police Services (IPS) within
four years of service, in November 1942; he was awarded the Indian Police
Medal for overpowering dacoits in Madhya Pradesh (MP) and for tackling the
riots at Nagpur. He was inherited with bravery, honesty hard work and
farsightedness.

Late Shri K F Rustamji was selected as Principal of Police Training

College, Sagar after putting in 10 years of glorious services as Sub-Divisional
Officer, Asstt. Supdt of Police, Distt Supdt of Police in Madhya Pradesh.

10
 In 1952, he joined the Intelligence Bureau (IB) as Deputy Director and
besides other duties, was appointed as the Chief Security Officer to Prime
Minister Shri Jawahar Lal Nehru for six years, till 1958, he visited 22 Countries
with Nehru ji, who after initially vetoing, finally allowed him to be reverted to
Madhya Pradesh (MP) as Inspector General of Police. Prime Minister Pandit
Jawahar Lal Nehru invited him to a farewell lunch with his wife; he received
an autographed photograph from Nehru ji, who wrote, “In memory of many
journeys together and with all good wishes”.

Late Shri K F Rustamji got experiences in three ways by the company of

Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru, the first was Pt. Nehru’s personality whereby he
was benefited by his knowledge, experience, farsightedness, human behavior
and to win over the strangers by his qualities, the second one was to get the
experience from the high dignities surrounding. Nehruji and the third one
were from the officers and the Political leaders who had good knowledge
about the soul of India.

The International borders of India with Pakistan, both east and West
were being manned by the respective state Police forces till the Indo-Pak war
in Sept 1965. During the second Indo-Pak war of 1965 the inadequacies of
managing such a long land border had become quite evident.

It was then decided by the Government of India to raise a single force

under the centre to guard the vast International Boundary between India with
Pakistan (East & West) on the recommendations of the study Group and
Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri, Rustamji was chosen to raise and BSF was
raised under the Charismatic leadership of Shri K F Rustamji, IP, on the Ist
December 1965 with 25 Battalions in beginning and the number was
increased to 77 Battalions within a period of nine years.

In the year 1969, on the motivation of Rustamji, a rocket club was established.
The BSF was an amalgamation of State Armed Police and the Indian Army.
Previously their organization, training, tactics and formation were different
but by the farsightedness, guidance and advice of Rustamji, they were knitted

11
in oneness. Rustamji had seen of his own the war of 1965 and had observed
the weaknesses of the Police. All the experiences gained from 1965 war, Shri
Rustamji applied them in the Indo-Pak war in 1971. BSF fought an aggressive
and unconventional War. Shri V V Giri, Ex-President of India applauded the
role of BSF in the 1971 War, as “The role of the BSF in 1971 War won for it the
unstinted admiration of the entire Nation. The BSF forged great camaraderie
with the Indian Army, with whom they fought shoulder to shoulder”.

On the 31st of May, 1974, he retired from BSF and consequently joined
as Special Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs. He structured the BSF,
ITBP, CISF in the Central Police Organisation and initiated the formation of the
Coast Guards. It is believed that his handling of the Railway strike was
noteworthy.

Two of his articles in Indian Express on callous treatment of inmates in

jails of Patna and Muzaffarpur became the basis of a Public Interest Litigation
in 1979. Rustamji was awarded with Padma Vibhushan in 1991 for his
exceptional contribution. The legend passed away on March 2, 2003 in
Mumbai at the age of 87.

There is a saying that “nothing succeeds like success”. It is proved by the

farsightedness of Rustamji as the persons selected by him and allotting great
responsibilities, rose to very high levels.

KF RUSTAMJI: INDIA’S ICONIC POLICE OFFICER

His centennial birth year is an opportunity to celebrate the man who set up
the Border Security Force and laid the ground for the first Public Interest
Litigation case

Though he was born a Parsi on May 22, 1916, Khusro Faramurz

Rustamji, one of modern India's most celebrated police officers and the first
Director General of the Border Security Force, was cremated, according to his
wishes, as per Hindu rituals in March 2003. A passionate nationalist, Rustamji
also wrote extensively on minority rights of Hindus and Muslims, and rued the
12
fact that his journalistic writings were not acknowledged. However, now, in
the 100th year of his birth, Rustamji's writings are finally being acknowledged
as religiously as his remarkable leadership in the police and BSF.

In 1971, in an acknowledgment of his leadership capabilities, Prime

Minister Indira Gandhi wrote a letter at the end of the India-Pakistan war, in
which Rustamji had so brilliantly deployed the might of the BSF, a force he
nurtured: “As the first lie of our defence, the Border Security Force had to bear
the immediate brunt of the enemy onslaught. The manner in which they faced
the fire and support they gave to the army played a crucial role in our ultimate
success.” Defense Secretary KB Lall, in his letter to the Home Secretary also
praised the role of the BSF: “A special word of thanks to the Director General
of the Border Security Force and to the men and officers under his command,
is overdue. It is their initial initiatives, their boldness courage and, if I may say
so, imagination, which provided eventually an opportunity to the Defense
Services to do their part.”

In the midst of Pakistani fury when Bangladesh was preparing for the
swearing-in ceremony, selection of the place was critical. Rustamji was clear
he wanted this historic ceremony to be witnessed by the maximum number of
people. The spot also had to provide for the possibility of strafing by a
Pakistani plane which did this ruthlessly all over East Pakistan. Accordingly, a
triangular piece of land jutting into India with a beautiful mango grove was
selected in a village called Baidyanathtala which later became Mujib Nagar. It
was a unique way for the new Government of a new nation to be sworn in, in
the midst of a global Press.

Rustamji nicely summarised this. He said, “The first process of

Government of a newly born nation was to commence not in a man-made,
gaily decorated and illuminated building of carpeted floor and chandelier
decorated ceilings but in a place which had for its canopy the sky, and for its
decoration the trees. Decades or centuries hence when the citizens of
Bangladesh would look back on the birth of their country and the tragic
circumstances attending it, they could legitimately be proud, among other

13
things, of the fact that their first Government sworn to democracy, secularism,
and socialism came in an area where nature had bestowed her gifts in
profusion and in the wake of ceremonies which were not only immaculate but
also daring in their conception and courageous in their execution.”
After his retirement in 1974, Rustamji was much sought after for his
expertise. As Special Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs, he structured
the BSF, the Indo-Tibetan Border Police, the Central Industrial Security Force
in the Central Police Organisation. He also initiated the formation of the Indian
Coast Guard and was responsible for setting up the National Police
Commission. He later became its member from 1978 to 1983.

Not many know about this but, in 1978, Rustamji visited the jails in
Bihar and wrote about the conditions of the undertrials languishing for long
periods. Two of his articles in The Indian Express formed the basis for the first
Public Interest Litigation case, Hussainara Khatoon vs State of Bihar, which
led to the release of 40,000 undertrials all over India.

14
 BUDGET

Indicative items of expenditure for which Grants-in-Aid may be claimed under the scheme.

S.No Expenditure Head INR Rs

Hiring of auditorium shamiana, public address system,

1 35,000/-
illumination, Tent ,chair etc.

2 Cultural Programme, children’s Activity 20,000/-

3 Honorarium/TA-DA to Speakers /Guest members 25,000/-
4 Quiz Debate/Essay competition (including prizes) 22,000/-
Painting competition and painting material, (including
5 15,000/-
prizes)
Cyber Security Awareness programme (School, colleges
6 20,000/-
etc)
7 Road safety programme, gift distribution etc 25,000/-

8 Volunteers honorarium for programme 20,000/-

9 Refreshments, Foods , water etc 22,000/-

10 Invitation cards. Publicity , Advertisement Material etc. 20,000/-

11 Transportation 15,000/-

12 Miscellaneous 5000/-

Total 2,44,000/-only

For Innovation Welfare Society

Authorised signatory

THANK YOU

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