Vijayapur: A family of the Banjara nomadic community migrated to Maharashtra in search of job with a number of families from drought-hit Vijayapur in Karnataka. Their son Kiran Chowhan started schooling in Maharashtra.

When their son expressed his dream of becoming a police officer, his parents stayed on in Maharashtra so he could continue his studies there, even though many families returned to Vijayapur. He has now returned to Vijayapur to a proud parents and a proud community after becoming an IPS officer.

He will be leaving to the National Police Academy in Hyderabad. The community leaders gathered together to felicitate Kiran, who made the Banjara community popular through his hard work.

Also watch: Karnataka: Banjara man becomes IPS officer

Drought has been killing Vijayapur for decades now. Thousands of families from Banjara community have migrated to Maharashtra and Goa in search of job.

Kiran's father Gangaram too migrated to Maharashtra due to a drought in Vijayapur 25 years ago. The family lived at Chandagada in Maharshatra.

However, he decided to ensure his son Kiran was educated. He started preparing for IPS examination ever since he went to college. 

Most of the youths from Banjara thanks (communities)  are illiterate and work as daily wage workers.

Kiran passed the exam conducted by the Union Public Service Commission in 2017 and secured 779th rank. He studied for 10 hours a day was coached by a person named Praveen Chowhan while preparing for the exam.

He couldn't pass the exam in his first two attempts. But, he upped his game and passed the exam last year.

Kiran is the first person to pass the IPS exam from Vijayapur district and the thanda leaders organised an event to felicitate Kiran. They said that Kiran is the pride of the community.