Kiran Bedi – A True Inspiration
‘I have a clear vision; if I take up an assignment, I’ll do full justice to it; otherwise I’ll walk away’- Kiran Bedi.
Kiran Bedi (born on 9 June 1949)) is a retired Indian Police Service Officer, social activist, former tennis player, politician and the first woman to enter the Indian Police Service (IPS). After surviving in difficult assignments ranging from New Delhi traffic postings, Deputy Inspector General of Police Mizoram, Advisor to the lieutenant Governor of Chandigarh, Director General of Narcotics Control Bureau for 35 years she took voluntary retirement in 2007 when she was holding the post of the Director General of Bureau of Police Research and Development. She laid the foundation for the establishment of two voluntary organisations- Navajyoti and India Vision Foundation with primary aim to improve the living conditions of drug addicts and the underprivileged people. Her efforts have won national and international recognition and her organisation was awarded the Serge Soitiroff Memorial Award by the United Nations for drug abuse prevention. She received number of accolades for her work like Women of the Year Cadet Officer Award, President’s Place Medal, Asia Region Award, Lion of the year, Pride of India, IIT Delhi Alumni Award, United Nations Medal, Most Admired Woman in the country and Nomura Award. She is the first Indian woman to be appointed as a Police Advisor to Secretary General of the United Nations in the Department of Peace keeping Operations, she is one of the important members of IAC (Indian Against Corruption) along with Arvind Kejriwal and Anna Hazare. She also hosted a famous Television show ‘Aap ki Kacheri (court)’ on Star Plus channel. He introduced a number of reforms in Tihar Jail, Delhi between 1993-95 including measures such as detoxification programs, yoga, vipassana, meditation, redressing of complains by prisoners and literacy programs for which she won the Ramon Magsaysay Award and Jawaharlal Nehru Fellowship. Even after joining the police force she continues her studies and earned the Law Degree from Delhi University and later completed her PhD from the Department of Social Science, Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi and her topic for thesis was ‘Drug Abuse and Domestic Violence’. She is the current Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry.
A woman of guts and grit, Bedi showed immense commitment to her profession by towing the then Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi’s car for parking violation for which she earned the name ‘Crane Bedi’. In 1975, she was the first women to lead the all-male contingent of the Delhi Police at the Republic Day Parade. She is among those very few police officers who have taken few holidays/ leaves during their tenure.
She is a true role model for all of us.
