Creative wizardry of a BSF officer

Recounting Mohd. Ishrat Khan’s exploits requires some mental calisthenics. So varied have been his accomplishments that they seem an almost impossible feat for a man of his age and demeanour. This 53-year-old Deputy Inspector General-BSF has managed to cram his life with the most unimaginable derring-dos. From cycle shows to Kathak performances, Khan has done it all!
A keen sportsman, Khan has put his articulatory skills to good use.“I have been a national-level commentator for equestrian, aquatic and athletic events, among other sports,� says this man of multiple parts.
Kathak caught his fancy when he was posted in Indore in 1996. “Indore seemed like a sleepy little township and I thought that Kathak would invigorate my creative sensibilities,� smiles Khan, who visits his home at Sector-26, Noida, whenever he comes to Delhi. He lives with his wife in Cachar (Sector HQ BSF) while his 25-year-old son Saif, equally talented, if not more, keeps home in Noida for him.
Research in Genetics and M.Sc. in Botany from Agra University are some of Khan’s academic achievements. He taught as a lecturer at Bareilly College and simultaneously trained as a state-level wrestler, a sport he inherited from his father who was a wrestler. The other sports in his repertoire are body-building, football and badminton.
Incidentally Khan’s younger brother, Mohd. Rustam Khan has been a national champion in hammer throw and is currently the sports officer in Madan Mohan Malviya Sports Centre, Allahabad.
Khan joined the BSF in 1971 and his first posting was in Tripura. He married a colonel’s daughter in 1975. “She has been my worst critic and I must admit that she writes better than me,� says Khan with pride writ large on his face. His literary skills have found expression in the form of articles and stories for various magazines. He also has a collection of over 300 transparencies, courtesy his fetish for photography.
What is truly remarkable about this BSF man is that his avocations have in no way dwarfed his professional achievements. From fighting enemies at the peak of insurgency in Kashmir or training as a commando, Khan has performed his duties with élan and come up trumps in all his endeavours!