Meet ‘patwari saab’

Jasmine Singh 

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At 24, Navjot Kaur Chahal could be singing, dancing and acting for the camera, something that she loves to do. At 24, she could be wondering as to what to make of her life or career. But at 24, Navjot, a patwari at Bhikhi in Mansa district, spends endless hours in her office taking note of agricultural land measurements, collecting revenue information. A newly-married bride, Navjot has to strive hard to keep a decent balance between family and work life, “though the fulcrum tends to bend towards the work life more,” smiles she. 

Navjot, a popular name in the Punjabi entertainment circles, has been a model in many hit Punjabi songs, her last stint was in Parmish Verma’s debut film Rocky Mental, where she was cast in a song. 

From her glamorous stint in front of the camera to becoming a patwari, Navjot likes to call herself blessed. “I was doing well in Punjabi music industry as a successful model, and then I moved to Canada in 2015, but due to my father’s demise I had to come back after six months. I didn’t know then that my life was going to change forever.” Navjot cleared the 14 exams in the Patwar school, Jalandhar. After six months of training with a patwari she got her first posting at a station that is notorious for its corrupt practices. 

“Forget about a woman, no male official wanted a posting in Bhikhi,” adds this young patwari who took her posting as a challenge. “It’s been a month and a half only, and I am already getting good reviews from public,” she says, the choorha (wedding bangles) in her hand clanking. “This,” she laughs, “I have to snatch time to be with my lovely husband in Patiala, I don’t get to talk to him for days together.”

Even though Navjot’s modelling career in the entertainment industry has taken a back seat, she doesn’t mind taking up a good project if it comes her way. “I would take permission from my seniors for the assignment,” she smiles ear to ear. 

Social dilemma 

Despite being on the right side of 20s, Navjot has to rub shoulders with senior officials, she has to visit villages, meet villagers, listen to their woes for hours, something she loves doing. “When I was in the entertainment industry, I would get a different kind of respect and now that I am a patwari, I enjoy a different esteem.” Despite the respect that she enjoys, this pretty patwari has to fight stereotypes. “I am often asked not to wear jeans or anything formal if I am visiting a senior officer or going on a round. I don’t comply with such mentality, if I can work in a male dominated sphere, why can’t I wear what I am comfortable in, so, I wear jeans if I want to.”  

Finding time to be Instagram or Facebook, but whenever she has it, Navjot likes to share pictures of her and her husband. “But most of the pictures now are about official visits and functions,” chuckles Navjot who has a new Instagram id  ‘Navjot Kaur Chahal Patwari,” she smiles, “mainu hun log patwari saab kehnde nee.’

jasmine@tribunemail.com