India, March 28 -- Recently in Jammu, I attended a moving event where an NGO honoured the families of a few police officers who had laid down their lives in the line of duty. The recognition was dignified and heartfelt. It reminded everyone present of the courage and sacrifice that policing demands in a country as complex and diverse as India. Yet the moment also raised a deeper question in my mind. For every martyr's family that receives recognition or support through such initiatives, how many others quietly continue their lives without sustained institutional care? The sacrifice of a police officer does not end with a ceremonial salute. Its impact lives on for decades in the lives of spouses, children and elderly parents.

The continui...