SHIMLA/NESANG(KINNAUR): The demand to name Government High School at Nesang in Kinnaur after martyr IPS officer Daulat Singh Negi has gathered fresh momentum, with retired senior police officers from Assam and Meghalaya, former civil servants and residents of his native village urging the Himachal Pradesh Government to honour the braveheart.
Residents of Nesang told Himbumail that they were deeply encouraged by the appreciation and tributes paid to Daulat Singh Negi by former DGPs and senior IPS officers who had personally known and worked with him. However, they said they were “stunned” by what they described as the indifferent attitude of Kinnaur MLA and Revenue and Tribal Development Minister Jagat Singh Negi towards a popular sentiment in the district.
“When former DGPs and senior IPS officers who actually worked with Daulat Singh Negi are unanimously describing him as an exceptionally brave, honest and upright officer, it is difficult to understand the hesitation over honouring him in his own native village,” residents said.
They pointed out that Negi made the supreme sacrifice at a time when Assam was facing the grave challenge of militancy.
On July 29, 1990, while returning after conducting a raid against militants, his vehicle was ambushed by around 10–15 ULFA militants. Despite being attacked, he fought back and reportedly injured two militants before succumbing to his injuries.
Residents said the personal sacrifice of the officer makes the demand even more poignant. His wife was pregnant at the time he confronted the militants and laid down his life in the line of duty. Knowing the dangers of his assignment, Negi nevertheless continued to discharge his responsibility without stepping back from the threat.
“He sacrificed his life while protecting the sovereignty and integrity of the nation. His family made the ultimate sacrifice along with him. Such a brave and upright officer deserves to be remembered not merely in official records but in the village where he was born,” residents told Himbumail.
Daulat Singh Negi was born at Nesang village in Kinnaur on January 1, 1946, and belonged to the 1976 batch of the Assam-Meghalaya joint IPS cadre.
Before joining the police service, he served for five years as a sepoy in the Indian Army and fought in the 1971 Indo-Pak war. He later completed his graduation from DAV College, Chandigarh, before entering the All India Services.
During his IPS career, Negi served as Superintendent of Police in several important districts of Assam, including Cachar, Nagaon, Dhubri and Dibrugarh, besides serving as SP Guwahati. His service coincided with the height of militancy in Assam.
Despite threats from militants, he continued operations against insurgents and earned a reputation for courage, professional integrity and leadership.
He was subsequently awarded the President's Medal for Gallantry posthumously for his exceptional courage and sacrifice.
The proposal to name the school after him has received strong support from senior retired police officers who knew him personally.
Former DGP Meghalaya M.S. Iyer, a 1956-batch IPS officer, described Negi as one of the outstanding officers of the combined cadre and praised his dedication to both military and police service.
Former Assam DGP B.D. Kharkwal, a 1959-batch IPS officer, said he had held Negi in high esteem and described him as a brave officer who sacrificed himself in the line of duty.
Former Assam DGP P.V. Sumant, a 1967-batch officer who knew Negi from his early days at the Police Training Centre, described him as an excellent officer, a true gentleman and an exceptionally courageous officer.
Former DGP Meghalaya S.B. Kakati, Negi's IPS batchmate, has also backed the proposal, calling it a befitting gesture to the braveheart.
Former DG Home Guards, Assam, Umesh Kumar, who worked as Additional SP under Negi when he was SP Guwahati City, described him as “honest to the core” and an exemplary leader who always led from the front and supported his subordinates.
Residents said the unanimous appreciation from former DGPs and senior IPS officers who knew Negi personally should leave no room for political hesitation.
They urged Education Minister Rohit Thakur to intervene and approve the naming of Government High School Nesang after Daulat Singh Negi.
“This is not a demand for any political favour. It is the minimum the state can do to honour our brave and upright officers and soldiers who sacrificed everything in the service of Himachal and the nation,” the residents said.
The retired public servants' group pursuing the proposal has also urged the government to consider the matter on merit and above political considerations.
The group said priority in naming public institutions should be given to those who made the supreme sacrifice for the country.
For the people of Nesang, the issue is now about more than a school name. They say it is about ensuring that the next generation grows up knowing the story of a son of Kinnaur who, despite having a pregnant wife waiting for him at home, chose duty over fear and ultimately laid down his life protecting the sovereignty and integrity of the nation.
