“Kaka: a Man for all Seasons” by Ajay Singha - Raconteur Indica

Kaka for most and Puri Sahab for some, the persona of Devender Rai Puri was truly multifaceted. Born in a well to do lawyer family of Sialkot, the Puris shifted to Simla and then to Delhi after partition. When asked to choose his career, the handsome Punjabi boy told his father that he would “Neither don a lawyer’s black gown or a doctor’s white coat.” He had obviously set his eyes on the “khaki vardi” of a Police Officer. Kaka started preparing for competitive exams with all earnestness while pursuing his post graduate and Law studies in Delhi University. He often joked that his best companions then were Keesings Archives and the Asian Recorder, formidable journals renowned for their general knowledge and current affairs content. Another side of his persona was a firebrand student leader who was out there agitating on issues impacting students and the suffering humanity. Leading from the front he often found himself confronting the establishment and exchanging heated words with a vociferous, head strong Professor who represented DU’s vice chancellor and whom he was destined to encounter later in life. Busy with studies, student agitations, preparing for the civil services, the strapping Punabi boy was surrounded by multiple activities.

Then all of a sudden Cupid released an arrow and Kaka found himself smitten by a pretty young lady from Miranda House. This young girl was Ramini, who was completely taken in by the young man’s killer looks and a devil may care attitude. Sparks flew, Cupid’s arrow had found its’ mark, they were destined to happily tie the knot some years later. A romantic of the old school, he loved Mushairas, Ghazal evenings and poetry renditions. Kaka was adept at sher-o-shayari and could recite relevant poetry befitting each occasion. Shortly before the Covid lockdowns, my wife and I visited Kaka, for what turned out to be our last evening with him. Kaka and my wife recited several couplets, shers and poetry over some good wine and hors d’oeuvres.

Kaka began his career in the IPS around 1956 and his first posting was Ajmer where he made friends with my parents, Mr. & Mrs JP Singha. My father being senior in service invited the newly-weds for dinner one evening. My parents and their staff were taken aback when the young ASP showed up for dinner on a bicycle accompanied by his newly-wed wife. He had not bothered to summon a Police jeep to take his wife out for the evening and shocked everyone further by asking his wife to sit on the front bar of the bicycle for their post-dinner ride home. When asked why he couldn’t make her at least sit on the luggage carrier at the back, he quipped, “Our cycle doesn’t have a bell, so she must sit in front and keep shouting tring-tring, we have to keep pedestrians and cyclists at bay.” This story became the talk of the town and was regaled within generations of Police officials in Rajasthan.

In 1964 he was posted to Kohima for counter insurgency operations and did an excellent job befriending the Nagas, helping them reopen peace dialogues. Sometimes he took his family along when interacting with the Nagas, who in turn returned the honour by inviting him on social occasions. During one such interaction, a Naga leader, out of courtesy offered betel nuts to Kaka, warning him that they were extremely intoxicating. Kaka took the advise lightly and on his way out popped a few nuts in his mouth to show respect to the hosts. Within an instant he was on the ground and just passed out, only to regain composure some half hour later. With genuine fondness for the Nagas he used to recall this incident saying “It taught me never to disregard a well intentioned advise and most importantly never to act over confident about one’s ability to imbibe intoxicants”. Rano, Kaka and Ramani’s daughter was four when they were posted in Kohima. Walking home for lunch one day Kaka spotted Rano and their house help, a young Naga girl happily sitting in the garden, eating something from a pot. To his horror he discovered that the two had collected, boiled and were busy eating garden snails. When admonished, the young Naga girl replied that snails were very tasty and indeed healthy for little children, all the while exchanging conspiratorial smiles with her little ward. Kaka was fond of horse riding but office work in Kota did not leave much time for equitation. He devised a way out by personally joining the late night city patrol on horse-back. Word got around and citizens were greatly comforted to learn that the new police chief was out there on horseback at midnight. While posted in Kota, he was confronted with a large student protest. Having been a student protestor in his university days, he reached out to them, explaining the self-inflicting loss of missing out on exams. Unfortunately their leadership was controlled by politicians who cared two hoots for the students’ future. He had no option but to use police force and ensured that the exams were conducted peacefully. Endearing him to the university staff and students, this act miffed the State’s political leadership to such an extent that he was transferred from Kota, post-haste.

Shortly before the Indo-Pak conflict Kaka was posted in Bikaner where my parents and I also visited them. Kaka took us all out on a shooting excursion as shikar was permitted during those days. He was a firm believer in never shooting anything beyond the number required for dinner. Once we reached the limit set by him he packed away the guns and told us to go and eat bers (small red berries) from wild bushes nearby. “Now the children will eat bers and adults will enjoy beer” was his standard refrain whenever we went out for picnics and partridge shooting. A light eater himself, he enjoyed well cooked non-vegetarian food but made his disapproval known for any kind of indiscriminate shooting of wildlife. Kaka served in many districts of Rajasthan and had truly eventful postings throughout his career. In the mid 70s he joined the BSF and shifted base to Delhi for some years. Once he was invited to speak at a seminar on Student Protests and the role of the Police force. He was naturally speaking for the force and was taken aback to see his old bête noir from university days, the Professor whom he had rashly confronted many a time, was in fact holding forth on behalf of students. Life had taken a full circle, their roles were reversed, a profound respect and regard arose in Kaka’s heart for the old and retired Professor who continued to have only affection and patience for his students. For Kaka it was his “epiphany moment”, he quietly went up to the learned old Professor, touched his feet, sought his blessings and only then commenced his presentation.

They finally returned to Jaipur and he later became as Chairman of the Rajasthan Roadways. They lived in their beautiful home in Khatipura where he regularly met and regaled friends with stories from a rich and eventful life. Kaka and Ramani had a wide circle of friends which ranged from the highest echelons of society to the lowest. The tremendous “Joe de vivre” of recounting such a fascinating life could easily fill the pages of a voluminous book. To quote his neighbour and colleague, Shri Harnek Singh IPS “Kakaji had one great officer like quality. He was not just affable amongst his juniors but was equally popular with his seniors, both within the service and outside” Kaka had friends with the high and mighty but he was particularly kind to the underdog and lived up to Thomas Carlyle’s maxim that “A great man shows his greatness by the way he treats little men”.

In addition to being a neighbour, Kaka was the Uncle-in Law of Mr.Ved Ahuja who says “There are only two things I am afraid of, God in heaven and Kaka Puri on earth.” When Vedbhai made his new house Kaka conducted the entire Grah-Pravesh puja ceremonies, recited slokas and performed all the rituals. From the very inception he got actively involved with the setting up of the SOS Children’s Village in Jaipur. Raja Atal and later Ajay Atal kept him busy with the SOS, an institution to which he devoted most of his retirement years. A true karamyogi, Kaka was a doer, this aspect of his personality can be summed up in Oscar Wilde’s words “The smallest Act of Kindness is worth more than the greatest intentions.” He had a deeply spiritual side which stood him in good stead when a series of personal tragedies descended on him. The untimely death of his wife and son had left him helpless, lonely and immersed in grief. An unwavering faith in the almighty and his reservoir of spiritual strength saw him surmount and overcome these difficult periods. Kaka passed away on Monday 7th December at Jaipur leaving behind a grieving set of friends and family, especially his daughter, daughter-in-law and four loving grandchildren.