Hyderabad: Nearly a month after two-time world boxing champion Nikhat Zareen joined the Telangana police as Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), another famous sportsperson from the state Mohammed Siraj officially took on the new role in the state police.
The member of India’s national cricket team on Friday reported to Telangana’s Director General of Police (DGP) Dr Jitender.
Siraj was accompanied by MP M. Anil Kumar Yadav and Chairman and President of Telangana Minority Residential Educational Institutions Society (TGMREIS), Mohammed Faheemuddin Qureshi.
Mohammed Siraj expressed his deep appreciation and gratitude to the Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy for this honor.
Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy had previously announced that Siraj would receive a prestigious Group-I government position. This promise was fulfilled on Friday with Siraj joining the services. Reddy emphasized his government’s commitment to encourage sports and support athletes in the state, with plans to nurture future stars.
Both Anil Kumar Yadav and Faheemuddin Qureshi thanked the Chief Minister for this gesture. They highlighted the CM’s dedication to promoting sports, mentioning the vision to establish a Sports University to develop athletes across Telangana. They also noted the ongoing efforts to integrate sports facilities statewide under the CM’s guidance and stated that work on establishment of Young India Sports University was also in progress.
It was in July that the Chief Minister announced a residential plot and a government job for Siraj when the latter called on him after India won the T20 World Cup. He had congratulated Siraj, a member of the victorious T-20 World Cup team, for bringing laurels to the country and a great honour to Telangana in international cricket.
Highlighting Siraj’s achievements and his contribution to India’s T20 World Cup victory, Chief Minister had told the state Assembly recently that the Group-I job to the international cricketer will give him direct entry to high-ranking positions such as Deputy Superintendent of Police if he chooses to join the police force.
The Chief Minister said that though Siraj was not educationally qualified for the Group-I job, the Cabinet has given him the exemption as part of its efforts to encourage sportspersons. “For Group-I job the required educational qualification is a degree. Siraj has passed intermediate (12th class) but we have given the exemption to provide him the Group-I job,” the Chief Minister said.
In August, the state government allotted a house site measuring 600 square yards to Siraj in Hyderabad’s upscale Jubilee Hills. It issued an order allotting the land free of cost to the pacer at Road No.78, Jubilee Hills.
Earlier, the State Cabinet, at its meeting, decided to allocate 600 square yards of house sites each in Hyderabad for shooter Esha Singh, two-time world boxing champion Nikhat Zareen and fast bowler Mohammed Siraj.
The state government also decided to provide Group-1 jobs to Nikhat Zareen and Siraj. Nikhat joined the Telangana police force as DSP on September 18. Hailing from Nizamabad district, Zareen has been a two-time world boxing champion and has also won a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games and a bronze medal at the Asian Games. She recently participated in the Olympics held in Paris.
