FOCUSED: SP Bosco George climbed the highest peaks in the police force through sheer determination. He is the rare instance of a Goan serving officer appearing for the Goa Public Service exam to achieve the grade I rank of SP.

By Rajan Narayan

A young 36-year-old who joined the Goa police force as a police sub-inspector has set an example on what hard work and commitment can achieve. Bosco George retired from active service as Deputy Inspector General on January 31, 2023.

IF you are focused on your career and work very hard you can reach any target you aim at. A successful life is not a question of the status of your qualification or passing highly competitive exams like the Indian Administrative Service which includes the Indian Police Service, but the will to succeed. Not only in private organizations, but even in government departments merit is recognized and rewarded.
Bosco George joined the Goa Police Force at the age of 25 as a public sub-inspector recruit. The Panaji boy, Bosco George, married a young woman, Sunita, who was a teacher in physics, chemistry and mathematics at Green Rosary School at Dona Paula, Panaji. Truly it is said that behind most successful women there is a woman and the case of Bosco George it has been Sunita.

POLICE PROMOTIONS
IT IS perhaps not widely known that all government departments including the police department, have regular examinations to enable its staff to improve their status. Bosco George appeared for the exam which facilitated the direct promotion of a police sub-inspector to the post of a deputy superintendent of police. The post of DYSP is a gazzetted post and recognized on par with the rank of junior civil service officer in the service of the state.
Most other police officials would have satisfied themselves with their progress from police sub-inspector to DYSP. Not in the case of Bosco George. Bosco took the opportunity to appear for the exam for direct appointment as superintendent of police, which is one of the most senior posts in the police force. And as in the past, he succeeded and was promoted to the rank of superintendent of police. Towards the end of his career, he was elevated to the Indian Police Service.
George was awarded the President Gold Medal, the DGPs insignia on the occassion of Goa police raising day. He was awarded the chief ministers gold medal for meritorials service on December 19, 2007. The President police medal has granted to him on Independence Day 2015.

SECRETARY TO SATYAPAL
JUST before his retirement on January 31, 2023 Bosco George served almost for a year in Arunachal Pradesh as secretary to the governor Satyapal Malik. Malik has been very critical of the functioning of the Goa government when he was governor of Goa and repeated the criticism when he was posted to Arunachal Pradesh.
The general belief is that only officers who are chamcha of the ministers and particularly the home minister, who is in charge of the police, climb right up to the top. This was not true of Bosco George. In a rare exception Bosco George was an honest and very conscientious officer. Nobody dares to point a finger at him to say he danced to the tune of his political masters.
In fact, when he was the superintendent of police in North Goa, he was transferred because he lodged an FIR and charge-sheeted a close relative of former chief minister Laxmikant Parsekar. Bosco
George’s ability to handle major events with law and order implications saw him being appointed as the commissioner of the St Francis Exposition in the 90s.

ST FRANCIS EXPO
INDEED, the first time I met Bosco George was when he was in charge of the 1994 exposition of the relics of St Francis Xavier. Every ten years in a major international event the relics of St Francis Xavier are brought down in the casket at the Bom Jesus Cathedral and exhibited for the public to pay their respects for ten days.
That year I had the honor of being part of the group which carried the saint’s casket from the Basilica to the Se Cathedral. What was curious was that while Bosco George was the commissioner in charge of the exposition, his deputy was DYSP Alan d’Sa. Allan, who was much senior to Bosco, had been overtaken by Bosco George because of his determination to succeed.
In any sphere of life there are enough opportunities for climbing the ladder and reaching the peaks. Every department even in the government has provision for the promotion of their staff for which regular exams are held. Unfortunately, most Goa government staff do not show the determination of Bosco George.
At the time of his retirement Bosco George held several important assignments. This included the post of inspector general of prisons. Bosco has a reputation for being a compassionate officer. When he discovered that the Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB) Dinesh Dessai had not received his disability compensation, though he was suffering from 100% disability, Bosco intervened to restore his salary and pension.
Among his last assignments was to preside over the Republic Day function at Colvale jail when some prisoners are set free. Bosco has also been active in helping NGOs involved in women’s and children’s rights. Officers like Bosco George are a true inspiration to all government officials and not just policemen.
And talking of the police, we have a classic case where police constable Dinesh Dessai, a very low-key gentle person who retired as a police sub-inspector, educated his son to become a doctor who is a specialist in endocrinology (the science of diabetes). We are referring to the distinguished Dr Ankush Desai, Head of the Department of Endocrinology at the Goa Medical College & Hospital.
So you see even in government service if you work hard enough with sincerity and honesty, there is scope to rise to the highest rank and do yourself proud not only in your own eyes but he eyes of society and those who look up to you with admiration and full faith.