There is hardly anyone in India who doesn’t know the legend that is Dr. Kiran Bedi! From being India’s first woman IPS officer to being the first woman heading the UN Police Division–she shattered faulty societal norms and thinking throughout her career. She made people realise that efficiency, courage, and leadership aren’t about gender but one’s inner determination. So, in the latest episode of Stories From Bharat, our Editor-in-Chief Kamiya Jani visited Kiran Bedi’s ancestral home in Haryana’s Sohna, which she transformed into an NGO, and spoke to her about her journey. Here’s how it went down.
Kiran Bedi Talks About Her Journey, Fearless Upbringing & More
Dr. Kiran Bedi is the true definition of ‘nari shakti’! Born in a middle-class family with four daughters, her parents chose empowerment over societal norms for all of them. This fearless and forward upbringing shaped her career choice and made her take up a path less travelled. In 1972, she became the first woman IPS officer in India!
In a police career that spanned over 35 years, she was known for her fearlessness and bold behaviour. Kiran Bedi remembers a time when she towed away the then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s car in Delhi because it was parked in a no-parking zone. Did that deter her? Not at all, she just said good going and went about with her work!
We even spoke to her about her time in Tihar Jail and how she turned it into a model of reform. Kiran ji shared that at that time posting in Tihar was considered a punishment posting, but for her, it was just what she needed! She understood how criminal mentality originated in the prisoners and took steps to reform them. Her bold leadership even earned her the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award, which is often dubbed Asia’s Nobel Prize, for her work in public service.
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Her Advice To All The Women Out There
Besides being an outstanding IPS officer, Kiran Bedi is also applauded for her role as the Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry. There, she introduced transparency and citizen engagement in governance and won many hearts. With this kind of experience, we couldn’t help but ask her to give some advice to all the women out there. She said, “Aapna dhyan rakho, haar aspect main dhayan rakho! Phele aapna dhayan rakho, fir dusro ka dhyan rakho. Aapne support system ko samjho and uski kadar karo. Mentally, spiritually, physically, financially, professionally–haar aspect main aapna dhyan rakho.”
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Catch the entire video on the Curly Tales’ YouTube channel and know everything that went down during this exciting Stories From Bharat episode.
Cover Image Courtesy: Internal
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