On 21 August, as the world observes World Senior Citizen Day, I shall be less than a month away from celebrating my 73rd birthday. Having lived thirteen full years past the conventional threshold of sixty, the day naturally invites introspection. World Senior Citizen Day was conceived to honour the wisdom, contributions, and dignity of older adults, while drawing global focus to their safety, health, and welfare.

In India, where reverence for elders is deeply woven into our cultural ethos, such a day ought to be an occasion for celebration. Yet, standing at this milestone of life, I am compelled to ask an uncomfortable question: Is this a day to celebrate, or a moment to lament? When I turned senior, I felt a distinct sense of pride in receiving my Senior Citizen Identity Card. Shortly thereafter, I obtained another for my wife, Mrs. Arun Bala Chugh.

These cards were not merely tokens of age; they represented a societal covenant – an assurance that after decades of public service, senior citizens would be treated with dignity, care, and basic security. However, no one knows better than the wearer where the shoe pinches. My commentary here is not an abstract critique, but a lived interface with law enforcement – specifically the Delhi Police – and reflects a broader struggle with public governance in general. It comes from someone who was invited by the prestigious Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy (SVP NPA), Hyderabad, to interact with and train police officers on Disciplinary Proceedings – a subject that demands deep........

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