The hero we need: This Delhi police constable is changing lives of kids in slum

Often we hear the word “police” and we immediately get nervous, but Than Singh, a Delhi police constable, is on a mission to change that. Than Singh teaches more than 80 children every day at his own “Than Singh ka Pathshala”

Than Singh himself was born and raised in a slum in Bharatpur, Rajasthan along with his two siblings. His father used to iron clothes, and he was out on the streets selling corn as a child. But never neglected his education. “My father wanted to be a police officer, but unfortunately he couldn’t, I wanted to achieve his dream. So in 2009, after two attempts, he cleared the examination for Delhi police constable” he says.

The idea of teaching underprivileged children for free came to his mind when in 2013, he saw a few children picking up rags near Red Fort. The children were already smoking, eating gutka, and indulging in other vices. So he decided that he will come forward and help the children do only what they should do at their age, study.

In 2015, “Than Singh ka Pathshala” started with only 4 children, fast forward to 2023, and he now teaches more than 80 children daily, including Sundays. The classes begin at 3:00 pm and end at 5:30 pm. Last year, with the efforts of DCP Sagar Khalsi, they were able to enroll more than 60 students in government schools.

He says, “My main objective is to prevent these children from committing crimes and inculcate good behaviour among them for the betterment of their future.” Keeping this in mind Than Singh continues to selflessly work and help these children to live a better life.