JAMMU, Aug. 21 -- Former inspector general of police (IGP) Basant Rath, on Wednesday, announced free coaching to IAS-IPS aspirants from Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh and northeast at his coaching centre coming up rapidly at Noida.

"Right from my police training days in Poonch district when P L Gupta was my IGP, Jammu, I knew that I must do something for the students of J&K and Ladakh. He inspired me to reach out to people as people, not as numbers in government files. To empower them as a community. We had our arguments and differences, but he was magnanimous enough to let me do things my way even though I was a mere probationer. And he was a brilliant mentor. A bit blunt, though," he told HT.

"Education is the most powerful tool to empower...