If economic compulsions in his family wouldn’t have compelled him to join the police force at the age of 20 in 1990, Beesetty Venkateswara Rao, would have become a writer or a playwright.
But after the roll of a few years as constable, posted in Visakhapatnam district, and settling down in his job, he revived his passion for writing and has already written two books and the third is due for launch on Saturday.
After completing his Bachelor of Arts in Telugu literature, Venkateswara joined the AP Police, as constable and today, he is posted as head constable in MVP Police Station.
His writing and compering skills, has brought him recognition and many senior IPS officers and former officers, still stop by to enquire about him.
He thanks R. Seetarama Rao, who was the then DIG (Range), for bringing back his passion for writing.
“It was immediately after IPS officer Umesh Chandra was killed by the Naxalites in SR Nagar, Hyderabad, in September 1999, the DIG having heard of my writing skills, asked me to write a playlet. I wrote it and also formed a team to stage the play. This brought me instant recognition, as it was well appreciated and from then I took to active writing,” said Mr. Venkateswara Rao.
He published his first book ‘Aithe’ in 2008, which was a compilation of short stories, revolving around police officers and the services done by the police to the public.
“I have served across the length and breadth of the district, including in Maoist-affected area of Chintapalli. I have come across many officers and policemen, who have been doing their duties selflessly, and I draw inspiration from them and their work,” he said.
His second book ‘Salute’ is about the officers and men who have laid down their lives in the line of duty and includes the stories of IPS officers such as Umesh Chandra, G. Paradesi Naidu and K.S. Vyas and inspector M. Gandhi.
“They were daring officers who led from the front and still stand as inspirational figures in the force,” said Mr. Venkateswara Rao.
Book release
His third book ‘Salaam Police’, which will be released by the former vice-chancellor of Andhra Universtiy G.S.N. Raju at Visakha Public Library on Sunday, is again a compilation of short stories that focusses on policemen who continue to do their duty, rain or shine or during COVID or in insurgency-prone areas.
“It is about a traffic constable who spend hours regulating the traffic for the good of the people during peak summer or the commandos of Greyhounds who patrol the jungles under high risk to keep the Maoists under check,” he said.
Apart from writing books and articles for the police magazine ‘Suraksha’, he writes short plays and also stages them with his colleagues. He has been compering the shows for the police, including Police Commemoration Day, for the last 23 years.
“When a DGP rank officer such as Kode Durga Prasad or B. Prasada Rao, enquires about me or calls me aside amidst other senior officers to exchange a few pleasantries, I feel that I have succeeded in my work and it is my biggest recognition,” said Mr. Venkateswara Rao.
