After many years of service to the Government, when one has nothing left but to retire, then one guards the memories of the brilliant period one has got in the past and dusts them with especial care.

A life which had spent in performing the assignment given by the almighty to the full, it is what we call a fruitful life. One may retire from one's service, one may take leave from his duty but the memories of the good old days never leaves him.

It is this searing nostalgia that enables the former IPS officer of Manipur, the first batch officer of Manipur Police Service to look into his past life with content that he had done what the god asked him to do in his life.

At eighty most people need a stick to support their feet but very rarely one can see in the former Deputy Inspector General (DIG), even at his age keeping his department intact.

Irom Chhatrajit Singh was born in Moirangkhom, Loklaobung in 1929. His father late Irom Chandrahas was an educationist and mother Irom Ongbi Ibetombi Devi, a devoted house wife.

His father late Irom Chandrahas was instrumental in establishing the CC High School.

During the period before second world war, Johnstone High School which was located at Khagempali was the only school for higher education after Primary School. Only 50 meritorious students were selected to admit in the school.

Late Chandrahas in order to get higher education to the left out students made efforts with like minded friends and established a High School at Madnamohon Kongba which later came to be known as CC High School and shifted to its present location.

I. Chhatrajit got his first schooling from Petrigrew College, Thokchom Leikai. It was the first lower primary school in Manipur.

He then went into CC High School and read upto Class VII. At that time the second world war broke out and the bombing at Imphal on the 10th May 1942 had severely affected the academic atmosphere for some years in the valley.

In 1944 he entered the Johnstone High School and passed the matriculation examination under Calcutta University in 1946. He then went to Vidyasager College at Nabadwip, West Bengal for further study but he came back to Manipur and read at DM College Imphal.

While he was about to appear his BA Examination, an offer came to him to take the profession of teaching at the newly established Ukhrul High School. Without appearing the examination he went to Ukhrul to become a teacher.

The High School was established by Rishang Keishing and I Chhatrajit mentioned with a smile that both Th. Muivah, the NSCN (IM) leader and WA Shishak, the Chief Justice were his students in the school.

While serving as a teacher in the school he passed BA as private candidate under Gauhati University. He was also a National Cadet Corps (NCC) officer in the High School. He continued his service in the school upto 1962.

The Chinese war broke out and the Government was looking for young and energetic youths to be recruited as police officers. Chhatrajit along with Gangte, W Damodar, Jugeshor (late) and others were appointed as commission officers as the first batch of Manipur Police Service officers in the Police Department, Govt of Manipur.

He went to Mt Abu, Central Police Training College and then to National Police Academy, Hyderabad specially deputed by the Govt for IPS training. On deputation on promotion he was sent to Central Industrial Security force at Durgapur Steel plant as chief security officer and served as Asst Inspector General Eastern Zone and posted at Calcutta.

After serving there for some time he returned to Manipur as Superintendent of Police and posted at Thoubal district. He was the first SP of Thoubal. He was transferred to Ukhrul and Tamenglong districts as SP and returned to Police Headquarters Imphal on promotion as AIGP.

Then he was promoted to the rank of DIG and served as IGP prison in the rank of DIG for some year and again came back to civil police as DIG and got his superannuation.

In the early 70s when Manipur attained Statehood, there were altogether six districts - Ukhrul, Tamenglong and Churachandpur in the hills and Imphal, Thoubal and Bishnupur in the valley. Due to lack of manpower and other facilities, there were fewer police stations those days.

There were only six police stations in the valley, Imphal, Bishnupur, Moirang, Thoubal, Mayang Imphal and Lamlai. The police station at Thoubal handled the law and order problem upto Chandel and Moreh. But the crime rate was minimal as compared with to-day in the whole of Manipur.

Police personnel were feared and respected in those days. Even a Havildar in Khaki uniform can control an entire mob with a lathi in hand. All crime related matters involving theft, murder, robbery etc were well controlled and police stations were the places where many disputes relating to land and marriages were settled amicably between the opposing parties.

Now this responsibility has bene shifted to the local clubs, NGOs and Meira Paibis. This is a discredit to the police force to-day lamented the former DIG.

Police did grease their palms with money from the public in the name of resolving cases but not so open as done in these days. Police were less corrupt at that time in comparison with to-day. To-day no one respect and fear the police except the police commandos, said the retired IPS officers.

Irom Chhatrajit was decorated with many medals and awards including meritorious service award from the President of India. Just after his retirement he was actively involved in establishing Maria Montessory school in the State. But now he takes rest from all these activities.

If the almighty embraced him today and call him to his permanent abode, Chhatrajit will go back to his home when the autumn of his life ends.

But he will carry to the eternal world the gold coins of achievement stalked in his bags and he feels that the gate of heaven will surely open for him and welcome him warmly when the day comes.