Lucknow
In a rare display of intergenerational ambition and dedication, a 41-year-old retired Army havildar and his 21-year-old son have been jointly appointed as constables in the Uttar Pradesh Police. The duo—Yashpal Singh from Hapur and his son Shekhar Nagar—were among the 60,000 candidates who received appointment letters from Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath during the state’s largest-ever police recruitment drive in Lucknow this week.
According to The Times of India, Yashpal had voluntarily retired from the Army in 2019 after 16 years of service and was briefly employed with the Army Ordnance Corps in Delhi before returning to a quieter life. Meanwhile, Shekhar, freshly out of school, was contemplating a future in the police force. What began as casual family discussions soon turned into a shared mission—both father and son would attempt the same police recruitment exam.
Enrolling in the same coaching centre in Delhi-NCR, they studied side by side for over two years, tackling the same syllabus, mock tests, and exam delays. In the beginning, it was very awkward for me to sit in the same class with my dad, but slowly I got over it, said Shekhar.
Their teamwork paid off. Yashpal’s strength in general knowledge and military discipline complemented Shekhar’s aptitude for reasoning and math. The duo will now begin their official training—Yashpal in Shahjahanpur and Shekhar in Bareilly—marking a proud and unconventional start to their careers in public service.
