Rakhis of Gratitude: School Kids Honour Pune Traffic Police with Handmade Threads and Heartfelt Notes
Pune, 9th August 2025: This Raksha Bandhan, Pune’s men and women in khaki received a different kind of salute — not with ceremonial parades or official speeches, but with colourful rakhis, scribbled notes, and the pure honesty only a child can offer.
In a touching initiative by Pune-based electric bicycle brand VIR BIKE, students from Grades 1 to 6 at Army Public School tied symbolic threads of gratitude to the city’s traffic police. The gesture wasn’t just festive; it was deeply personal. Alongside the rakhis — some painstakingly handmade, others neatly packed — came handwritten postcards addressed to “polis uncle,” each carrying a heartfelt message.
The children’s words were unfiltered and endearing. Some thanked officers for “saving people,” others urged them to “catch bad peepal who break signal and honk too much.” A few even declared their ambition to “join police when big” — a sign that the connection between protectors and the protected had truly struck home.
The activity was part of Vahanscore.com, VIR BIKE’s civic awareness programme aimed at promoting responsible road behaviour and fostering community connection. The brand, known for championing sustainable mobility, wanted this Rakhi to go beyond tradition and become a message: “Please protect us from those who break traffic rules.”
“Managing traffic may appear easy, but it’s one of the toughest jobs — done in heat, rain, and round the clock,” said Ravi Kumar, Co-Founder of VIR BIKE. “They are the first to respond, often unnoticed, yet they safeguard countless lives daily. This Rakshabandhan, tying a rakhi to them was our way of saying thank you, and we salute the Army Public School students for honouring our traffic policemen as true protectors on the road.”
Echoing this sentiment, Sahil Uttekar, Co-Founder and Director, VIR BIKE, said, “Rakhis have always been a symbol of protection. This year, we reversed the roles. We tied them to those who protect us, day in and day out.”
The rakhis were formally handed over to Additional Commissioner of Police Manoj Patil and DCP (Traffic) Himmat Jadhav, who ensured they reached officers across the city.
This Raksha Bandhan, Pune’s streets saw more than just traffic flow. They saw gratitude flow back to those who keep the city moving.
