The Khan Legacy: Salman Khan’s Grandfather Wore the DIG Badge in Pre-Independence India

Bollywood actor Salman Khan's on-screen police characters in hits like Dabangg and Wanted trace back to reality deep in his family history. Few of them know that Salman's grandfather, Abdul Rashid Khan, was a brilliant Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Indore State during the British Raj—the highest rank an Indian officer could achieve at that time. Beginning his service as an Assistant Superintendent of Police, Abdul Rashid Khan elevated man by man in a breathtaking exhibition of commitment and bravery.

 

His service was such that he was given a government bungalow at Mandleshwar, Madhya Pradesh, where he lived between 1942 and 1948, and was awarded the honorary title "Diler Jung" (gallant warrior) by the Holkar rulers of Indore. This tradition of service and bravery continues to inspire the Khan family, with Salman and his father, celebrated screenwriter Salim Khan, both being born in Indore.

 

So the next time you see Salman Khan playing the police officer on television, keep in mind—it's not merely a profession; it's an honorably proud family tradition founded upon honor, discipline, and patriotism.

 

Source: Siasat, Koimoi, Moneycontrol, Times of India