Top UK Cop helps needy children in India

Appalled at the quality of school education in rural Indian
Punjab during a visit in 2001 with Non Resident Indian friend Balbir Singh who was
visiting his native village, a top British cop has dedicated his life
for the upliftment of school children. Meet fifty-years old David Gee
former head of Criminal Investigation Department, Derbyshire, whose
school education initiative in villages Seham and Singhpur Done in
Jalandhar district has sparked a mini revolution of sorts, something
that Gee terms as Indo-UK friendship through education.

"It was so disturbing to see the depilated government school building
that we decided to raise money in England to help the children", said
Gee as this journalist caught up with him at Seham elementary school, about 5
kilometres off Jalandhar-Nakodar road. In the last five years over
fifteen thousand pounds sterling have been raised including 2500
pounds by a group of mountaineers who scaled three different peaks in
England , Wales and Scotland respectively with 'We climb every
mountain for Seham' written on their T-shirts.

"There were no desks, chairs, writing implements in the school and the
children were without cover when I came on a holiday in 2001, he says,
as he points towards the newly constructed school building, that has
an impressive orange makeover and has the Indian tricolour painted on
the parapet.

"Hello", say the children as they greet the Gora (white man), they prefer calling
him that, with an air usually visible in a public school upbringing.
And accompanying us are two young Goris (white women), Sarah and Amy, both
university students from UK, who will be staying for five weeks,
teaching the children English and environmental science on voluntary
basis.

"There's a world of a difference between now and then", says Gee who
has braved all odds, including the Indian hot weather, power cuts and
village politics in order to make available quality education to the
less privileged children.
"Probably I'm the only one who wears a Kurta Pyjama (traditional Indian dress) when in the
village, as almost all males wear a trouser and a shirt", he says
laughingly.

Gee presently posted as Advisor to the Home Office for rape and sexual
offences and homicide is on his seventh visit since 2001. He stays
with Balbir Singh's elder brother Sardool Singh who has provided him
un-conditional support in the endeavour.

"He is considered a god-sent and very highly respected in the
village", says Ravinder Singh Kang, in-charge of Seham elementary
school. "We have learnt a lot from these young British lady teachers",
he said as they use available resources to the best of advantage.
"They have taught the children with proper pronunciations, English
alphabets, different colors and body parts", he adds.

We are enjoying our stay, say both the girls, though poverty disturbs
us, they claim.

Gee's initiative since the last year has percolated to the
neighbouring village of Singhpur Done and the elementary school is
getting a new building from funds raised from UK. We have an account
where all the funds are credited and whenever the school in-charge
wants to spends, he discusses with me in England and withdraws the
money accordingly. The funds are managed impeccably, he adds.
"We are here to provide support to whatever the needs are,
And in his effort to teach the young, has picked his part of the
Punjabi…iltaan na karo (don't be naughty).
By:Khushwant Singh