Porch with a Badge: KI Bhaskaran's house that refuses to retire

KOCHI: For most officers, retirement means hanging up the cap for good. Yet, for Commandant K.I. Bhaskaran, retirement was just an excuse to build a bigger one—specifically, one large enough to serve as the roof of his home.

Tucked away behind the Gouriswaram school in Cherai, Ernakulam, sits 'Souparnika'—a house that doesn’t just host a policeman; it is a policeman. The porch roof is a massive, meticulously crafted replica of a Kerala Police cap, a permanent architectural salute to the force Bhaskaran served for decades.

"I wanted people to know, at first glance, that this is a policeman’s home," says the 69-year-old veteran. "It’s a tribute to the force that gave me everything."

The project wasn't a simple weekend DIY:

• The Build: It took 45 days of precision masonry to get the iconic curves of the cap just right.
• The Custom Seal: In a cheeky nod to his own legacy, the traditional "IPS" emblem on the cap’s seal was replaced with his own initials: KIB.
• The Reveal: When the house was unveiled in March 2009, high-ranking officers didn't just attend the housewarming—they stood in front of the porch and smiled. It is, after all, hard to maintain a "tough cop" persona when you’re standing under a giant hat.

The "police theme" isn't just an aesthetic choice; it’s in Bhaskaran’s DNA. He comes from a family where the uniform is the standard Sunday best:

• The Siblings: Out of five siblings, three (including his sister) are retired Sub-Inspectors.
• The Land: Even the soil the house sits on has a badge; he purchased the plot from a friend in the force.
• The Home Front: While Bhaskaran kept the peace on the streets, his wife Nisha—a retired SBT officer—ensured everything ran smoothly at home.

Fight for the Title

Bhaskaran’s journey to the rank of Commandant was as disciplined as his architecture. After joining the force in 1985 as a Reserve Inspector, he served across the map—from the AR camps of Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram to the rugged terrains of Idukki and Kannur.

However, his final promotion was won in a courtroom rather than a camp. After serving as a Deputy Commandant for 20 years while juniors climbed the ladder to SP, Bhaskaran took his grievance to the law. He fought a dedicated legal battle to secure the Commandant title he had earned, proving that whether he's wearing the cap or living under it, he’s always ready to stand his ground.