Gujarat guru helps IPS trainees pack a punch

VADODARA: At 3pm, nearly 169 IPS probationary officers kick, punch and lock themselves in vice-like grips while practising their self-defence moves keeping their eyes glued to the television screen.
While the training is going on as designed and in accordance with the training schedule, the most vital cog, the martial arts teacher, is missing in the picture as he is far away in Vadodara, thanks to the nationwide lockdown.
The probationary officers are being trained at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy (SVPNPA) in Hyderabad while their Gujarati guru, Donald Melville, teaches the finer points of the arts virtually. They would have lost out on the important self-defence lessons if the instructor, stuck in Vadodara, did not work out a plan with SVPNPA director, Atul Karwal, to ensure that officers got their key training sessions amid the pandemic crisis.
After 45 minutes of every practice session, the officers pose 64-year-old Melville questions, which he answers dutifully - all through the virtual domain. The officers, two in each room, practice every move while maintaining social distance.
"The officers, 20 of whom are from foreign countries, are enjoying the virtual sessions and also ask a lot of questions. I am glad that I am being able to train them even amid the lockdown. This is for the first time that the probationary officers are being taught martial arts virtually," Melville told TOI.
"The martial arts lessons are given in person as it requires lot of concentration. But due to lockdown, I couldn't go to Hyderabad in April for the training sessions. So we decided to impart training online," said Melville, who has taught at SVPNPA between 1998 and 2002 too.
Melville has trained cops since 1988
The martial art guru, who has 46 years of coaching experience, has trained many officers, including 30 female officers, in kicks, punches and the basics of self-defence, especially when one is unarmed.
“Unarmed combat is very important as it can be used during operations and in law and order situation. We have ensured that the trainee officers maintain their fitness and learn the unarmed combat even during the lockdown,” said Karwal, who added that the institute invited Melville for the training looking at his vast experience.
Melville has been training the Gujarat police since 1988. Feted with the ‘Best Chief Instructor and Lifetime Achievement Award’ by the Gujarat government, Melville had even coached the special task force (STF) of Tamil Nadu that encountered the dreaded sandalwood dacoit, Veerappan.