Meet Inderjit Singh Sidhu, retired DIG who cleans Chandigarh streets every morning at 87
A retired Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Punjab Police, Sidhu superannuated in 1996. Nearly three decades later, he's still serving, this time, by cleaning up his neighbourhood in Chandigarh's Sector 49. Every morning at 6 am, Sidhu sets out to collect litter from the streets, disturbed by the daily sight of garbage piling up in the area.
Sidhu, who lives in the IAS-IPS Officers' Cooperative Society, said he repeatedly complained to civic authorities, but no action followed. 'So I decided to do it myself,' he told ANI. 'There is no shame in cleaning. Cleanliness is next to godliness.'
Sidhu, a 1964-batch IPS officer, now uses a bag or even an abandoned rickshaw to gather waste and dispose of it properly. What began as a solo effort has slowly turned into a neighbourhood movement: one that his family and fellow residents now support. While some initially called him 'crazy,' his quiet determination has changed minds.
Upset that Chandigarh doesn't always top the Swachh Survekshan rankings, it came second in 2024-25, Sidhu says the 'City Beautiful' should aim for the number one spot. 'If you visit foreign countries, their streets are spotless. Why can't ours be the same?' he said.
Though he calls his contribution a small one, Sidhu says it brings him deep satisfaction. 'I like a clean place, so I clean. I'll keep doing it as long as I can.'
Industrialist Anand Mahindra, in his recent tweet, also praised Sidhu's powerful act of service.
Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra wrote on X (formerly Twitter), 'He says he wasn't happy with the 'low rank' Chandigarh got in the Swachh Survekshan listing,' Mahindra posted. 'But instead of complaining, he chooses action...a quiet, persistent belief in a better world...Purpose doesn't retire. Service doesn't age.'
He further added: 'Apparently, every morning at 6 am, in the quiet streets of Chandigarh's Sector 49, this 88-year-old retired police officer begins his day in service. Each piece of trash he clears is more than just litter removed. It's a statement… a belief in living with meaning, regardless of age or recognition.'
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