Basking in the Rays of Kiran

chillibreeze writer — Aradhika Sharma

Aradhika Sharma meets the icon called Kiran Bedi

Kiran Bedi is the humane and fearless icon who has come to be the most admired lady in the Indian Police Service. Ms. Kiran Bedi, who is currently serving as the Director General at the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D), has recently been awarded the Suryadutta National Award 2007. Actually, she has received many awards, including the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award and the FICCI award, to name a few.

This visionary, with her holistic view on betterment of the country, set up ‘Navjyoti’ and ‘India Vision Foundation’ a few years ago as formal organisations to channel her ever-increasing involvement in community services.

Born on 9 June 1949 in Amritsar, Ms. Bedi has been a path breaker in prison reforms, community policing, crime prevention strategies, drug abuse treatment, spirituality in police training and schooling of street children. She has come a long way from her well-known and much-talked-about stint at the Tihar Jail to holding prestigious international postings like UN Civilian Police Advisor and national ones like Director General in Home Guard and Civil Defence.

We caught the first and the highest- ranking woman IPS officer in a light mood on a social visit to another eminent lady of the country, Mrs Inderjit Kaur, the first woman Vice-Chancellor of north India. This scribe sat in a corner taking notes, as the two women chatted and laughed together over a cup of tea. Kiran Bedi had just visited the Panjab University, Chandigarh, and was in an upbeat mood.

Dr Kiran Bedi: I just met the Vice- Chancellor of the Punjab University. The good news in that the university is going to start a course in Masters in Police Administration this year, maybe even as early as in May or June. We plan to sign an MOU between the police where we and the bureaucracy will research subjects together. Once the partnership comes through, the police, bureaucracy and the students will work in tandem.

Mrs Inderjit Kaur: Really? What would that mean in actual terms?

Dr Kiran Bedi: Well, it would mean that we get good people in the police force, there would be less abusive language used, respect for women would increase, among other things.

Mrs Inderjit Kaur: Talking of the university, did you know that I was the principal of the college where you studied?

Dr Kiran Bedi: Where? GCW? I must have been after I was studying there.

Mrs Inderjit Kaur: Yes, I joined after you had left.

Dr Kiran Bedi: Actually, it’s a lesser known fact about me that I have also had a teaching career.

Mrs Inderjit Kaur: Oh, I know that. It was in the Khalsa College for Women, wasn’t it?

Dr Kiran Bedi: Yes, in Amritsar. And I was picked up when I was doing my post graduation course. I was chosen purely on merit, mind you …and in those days I had even shorter hair than this. (She points to her close-cropped hair).

Mrs Inderjit Kaur: Weren’t there any objections from the authorities?

Dr Kiran Bedi: Well, they did mildly suggest that it would be nice if I would think of growing my hair, but they also knew that I was there only till I cleared my Civil Services Examination and they wanted to use me as an academician for as long as I was there, so I guess, they overlooked the hair.
(Both ladies laugh)

Mrs Inderjit Kaur: Do have some more cake.

Dr Kiran Bedi: Oh! No! Thank you. I already had one piece. Do you know, the only way I resist goodies, like, say, pastries, is by thinking that I’ve saved, maybe, 362 pastries a year; otherwise they would be in my tummy. And maybe a 100 rasagullas! I probably do eat 50 a year; I just love the spongy Calcutta ones. But really, sometimes I think that if God had made a route for the food to get expelled directly from the mouth, without taking the digestion route, people would be eating all the time. They would not even stop eating to talk.

Mrs Inderjit Kaur: Well, you are very fit.

Dr Kiran Bedi: The first hour and a half of my morning is my fitness time. I do a brisk 45-minute walk, followed by exercise on the stepper and then Yoga. Often during my walk, I listen to some audio books, listen to some news. So, my morning begins in a beautiful way. Vaise, you should do some yoga too, you know!
(The two ladies discuss yoga asanas for the knees and some breathing exercises)

Mrs Inderjit Kaur: I loved your book, As I see… It reflected your positive approach, your energy and your intense love for the country. It is simply impossible to put it down.

Dr Kiran Bedi: Thank you. Praise from you is real praise indeed! But really, through the book I have stressed the importance of planning one’s career, self-introspection and always being aware of where you are headed. It is important to constantly update and upgrade yourself with personal and professional training.

Mrs Inderjit Kaur: How was your experience in the UN Peace-keeping Mission? Is it true that the UN is highly politicised?

Dr Kiran Bedi: It is politicised. The Security Council has an overreaching influence and is decisive but you know, you can find your way around. Countries like Japan, Germany, Australia are alert and vigilant.

I was a part of the selection process of the Commissionaire of Liberia. Did you know that when we went to Liberia, the treasury did not have even a dollar to its name? The people were so poor that they did not even have a copy and pencil to write with?

Kiran Bedi then took her leave. Here is when this scribe piped in:

Scribe: “Ma’am, Our magazine is a part of Santabanta.com, the website that you’d inaugurated several years ago….”

Dr Kiran Bedi: Oh! Yes! I remember that quite well. It was the first website I ever inaugurated. I hear it’s doing quite well!

And then the multi-faceted lady had to depart, leaving behind an aura of positive energy.

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—About our writer:

Aradhika Sharma is the co-author of Astronaut Sunita Williams:
Achiever Extraordinaire, published by Rupa & Co. She has published hundreds of articles in leading newspapers, including The Tribune and The Indian Express. She has also taught English and was coordinator of several schools. She draws on all these experiences while working as an online Agony Aunt for one of India's top websites. Aradhika has a keen interest in yoga and in theatre.

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