It is hard not to get energized by supercop, mother, social worker and TV anchor Kiran Bedi (born 9 June, 1949). She is a bundle of energy and is always in a hurry. Her diminutive frame is deceptive. She is a woman of conviction and resilience to do what she has set out to. She has always attracted admirers and critics in equal measure.Kiran Bedi was the first woman to join the Indian Police Service way back in 1972. Never a darling of the establishment, they have seen her challenging the status quo and disrupting the existing order. Her peers detest her celebrity cop status and say she seeks the spotlight wherever she goes. When the Beijing Olympics torch was to pass through India, she boycotted the torch run and kicked up a storm. Yet, there are an equal number of people who see in her all what the Police force could and should be – honest, approachable and reliable.Kiran has always been in the limelight but for different reasons. Sometimes as a tennis champ, then as the first woman IPS officer, then for taking on the establishment and sometimes for the accolades and brickbats. She first shot into the national media very early in her career when she singlehandedly took on a sword brandishing mob. She once again came into the glare of the media when she ordered the car of Indira Gandhi, then Prime Minister of India, to be towed away. The press named her “Crane” Bedi. She writes columns in the national press and hosts a TV show Aap Ki Kacheri – where she dispenses her verdict over numerous domestic spats.She was awarded the Magsaysay award in 1994 for her work as the Inspector General of Prisons, Tihar Jail (Delhi) (1993-1995), for initiating a number of prison reforms and initiating several innovative programs yoga, vipassana meditation and literacy programs for the inmates of the jail. She also ensured that jailed mothers could keep children born in prison for five years, with their schooling and healthcare guaranteed. In December 2007, she took voluntary retirementand quit the Police force after being denied her next promotion. She launched her own e-portal, www.saferindia.com, where anyone who is refused help at a police station can write in to seek redressal.She has since been working with two NGOs – Navajyoti (which literally means New Enlightenment), set up in 1987, and India Vision Foundation, set up in 1994, which were established by her with the objectives of improving the condition of the drug addicts and the poor people. Her energy and impatience is contagious. “I want to die with my boots on. I dread being dependent on others!”, she says.She is the subject of a documentary Yes Madam, Sir produced and directed by Australian film-maker Megan Doneman. The documentary has won the USD 100,000 Best Documentary award and the USD 2500 Fund for Santa Barbara’s “Social Justice Award” at the festival.I caught up with her at her home in New Delhi which was teeming with volunteers and employees of her NGOs. Over a cup of chai, we taught about what makes her tick.
Abhijit Bhaduri: In a country where Police and corruption have become synonymous, what do you see is the way out? Kiran Bedi: The Police has to build trust. It is this trust that gets passed down from generation to generation. When you see the Police applying the law selectively, the common person feels let down. The law needs to be applied uniformly regardless of the person being impacted. The rich and powerful have a different set of laws and get preferential treatment. They have are immune to the consequences of breaking the law. This situation can never generate trust. The leaders of the country must vow to build back the confidence of the common person in the country’s administration in a time-bound manner.Abhijit: How could you personally stay away from the temptation of corruption?Kiran Bedi: I believed that I would always do the right thing and worry about the consequences later. I came into the Police force having been a tennis champ. Then with each assignment, the deeds built a track record on which my reputation was built. Then there was a time when my reputation preceded me in every new assignment. People would know that I was incorruptible and that I would not spare anyone who broke the law – no matter who they were.Abhijit: Where does your conviction come from?Kiran Bedi: From my parents. Being a tennis champ (national and Asian tennis champion) the game taught me to win in an environment that was transparent. You learn to play before the spectators and win. That gives you the confidence to do your best always. If you do the right thing, then the worst that can happen in a Government job is that you may get transferred to another location. That’s the worst someone could do. They can’t sack you for doing the right thing.
Abhijit: You won the Magsaysay award and many others. What do they mean to you?Kiran Bedi: I feel good momentarily and then continue working.Abhijit: In 2002 you were voted as India’s most admired woman and fifth amongst all Indians. What is it like being a role model?Kiran Bedi: You have to always self audit. You cannot remain inconsistent in your thoughts and actions. It is a responsibility that you bear. So even if I think of taking a vacation, I just think of my responsibility and turn it away.Abhijit: Your NGOs reach out to about 10, 000 people everyday. What do you see as the goal that you personally wish to accomplish through these two organizations?Kiran Bedi: My father taught me to believe in the saying you can do it, no matter what. I would like these two NGOs to help 20,000 people every day and be able to run on their own withoutmy being there.Abhijit: You are the subject of the documentary by Helen Mirren called Yes Madam, Sir. What happens if the documentary wins the Oscar?Kiran Bedi: It would be a dream come true. I want the world to know my parents. Through the documentary the world will know who they were and why we as daughters (four of us) were ahead of our times. It is such parents (like them) who produce daughters like me. (That is, if u like my kind).So if you appreciate what I stand for, you will know what brought that about.
Abhijit: You won the Magsaysay award and many others. What do they mean to you?Kiran Bedi: I feel good momentarily and then continue working.Abhijit: In 2002 you were voted as India’s most admired woman and fifth amongst all Indians. What is it like being a role model?Kiran Bedi: You have to always self audit. You cannot remain inconsistent in your thoughts and actions. It is a responsibility that you bear. So even if I think of taking a vacation, I just think of my responsibility and turn it away.Abhijit: Your NGOs reach out to about 10, 000 people everyday. What do you see as the goal that you personally wish to accomplish through these two organizations?Kiran Bedi: My father taught me to believe in the saying you can do it, no matter what. I would like these two NGOs to help 20,000 people every day and be able to run on their own withoutmy being there.Abhijit: You are the subject of the documentary by Helen Mirren called Yes Madam, Sir. What happens if the documentary wins the Oscar?Kiran Bedi: It would be a dream come true. I want the world to know my parents. Through the documentary the world will know who they were and why we as daughters (four of us) were ahead of our times. It is such parents (like them) who produce daughters like me. (That is, if u like my kind).So if you appreciate what I stand for, you will know what brought that about.
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please madam, can you help me? I am a goan citizen.there is a very brutal killing of a young girl of age 17 years which took place one year before. can you pls help me give justice to her family? I am not her relative. but I am a human being. I feel like to kill the people involved. but I dont want to insult my country. plese help me. it was a very very brutal murder. and the govt. also suppresed the case as many politicians were involved. where should we find help…? so thats why I am trying to contact you. I have my faith in you. dont break my faith and hope. or else may be one more Indian criminal may arouse. yours faithfully. mauvin fernandes. I am really serious about it. if you dont believe me here is my mobile number. +919923499272
Respected MaamTEAM ANNA ko Hindustan ka salaam!!!!!!!ANNA JEE ko Shat Shat Pranaam..Is andolan ki safalta par hum sabhi ki or se bahut bhaut badhai..Yeh Andolan aise hi chalta rahe aur safalta ki seeri par jakar hi khatam ho,,, Ishwar se yahi pray karte hain…..VANDE MAATARAM…….
Government kuch bhi mang karegi, time mang rahi hai. Please do not let it happen, ahi sab Indians jage hai, amtmavishwas hai unme..unhe time doge to support kam ho jayega….
Respected MAM,i wish to become like u.u look so good always & in every moment.jo cingari ab lagai gai hai jan lokpal bill se wo ab bhujne na paye.mai bhi aap logo ke sath aana cahati hu really by heart.ye mere dil ki awaj hai ki sarkar bato ko jaarur managi.bas aap log lage rahiye.and as the history says”NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE”.i want to write more $ more.i wish to meet u personaly but i know its not ease for u becoze u have lots of work.PLEASE REPLAY ME AS FAST AS U CANTHANKU & BEST OF LUCK TO ALL OF U.VANDE MATRAM,JAI HIND
hello ma’am,,i salute to you…you are my idol also i want to follow you throughout my lifeand just dream to meet you once in my life also i am strictly with you in this national campaign against corruption…i salute to team anna and all its members..THANKING YOU AND WISH YOU ALL THE VERY BEST
Dear MadamI have been always your admirer because i always find you a very powerful positive force to reckon with.You are lady with conviction.Yes you believe in bringing in good changes.Power & position has not made you corrupt.Wesupported your movement(Anna’s movement) against corruption and we all still the civil society team can bring out lots of changes.I still believe it will take time to change in a big country like us but if we can educate more people then change will be faster.In the end your Gunghroo act was truly deplorable.It doesnot suit a lady like.You can not break law act like a buffon.Common man see you as their role model.So you needto behave accordingly.For me not all politicians are chors some of your volunterrs are also chors.
first of all its absolutely true dat anna hazare has taken to maun vrat at the right time. he does not need to xplain for kiran bedi. second the day since whole of india has supported anti corruption movement , constant efforts to weaken it is going on. third if i have been alotted 100 rupees then i have full right to spend full hundred rupees or spend 20 and save 80 for a good cause.point is its being saved/spent for a good cause is what is important. its my choice and character that i am not spending it fully on myself rather thinking of doing something good for the country too. whereas which of the politicians actually even have a heart of atleast doing sumthing good.on the contrary they are mostly concentrated on relishing the top facilities for them n their family…baki dunia bhad me jaye type attitude.and focus was is and should be anti corrupt india, one man could shake the whole corrupt system is paiseworthy…atleast i as a citizen m with d movement
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Namaste mam mera naam ASHRAF ALI hai mai ek handicap person hu. mam mai ek garib famiy se bilom karta hu. ham five sister and two brother hat gher mai kamane wala srif mere father hai jiskee aamdani only 5000 rpees hai. jisse ghar ka karch bhut muskil se chalta hai. meree bhane ghar ke kharch ke liye ghar per silliee karleti hai. jisse hamara ghar ka kharch chaljata hai. mam me delhi university se IInd year kar rahh hu. maine apnee nukri ke liye employment exchange mai 2004 mai registration karbaya tha magar aaj tak nukri nahi milee. ja kar puchte hai tu bas yahi kahte hai ki abhi time lagega waha ke jo officer hai wo kahte hai kee noukri aise nahi miltee auske liye kahrch karne padte hai. hamare yaha m.l.a (leader bjp) hai maine hune bhi request ki pad wo tu risbat nahi magte mager apne noukro (serbent)se kahte hai ki bina kuck liye kisa ka bhee kaam nahi karna. mam hamari koi bhi madad nahi karta hamre desh mai charo taraf risbat khuro ki abadi bad gayee hai. mam ishme hum sab ko milkar saat dena hoga. mam aap mere message ko ignor na kare muje ye bataye ki muze apni nukri pane ke liye kya karna hoga. mere ma bap ka ek sapna hai ki muze nukri miljaye hamare bad koan khyal rakega.Thank youyour respectedAshraf AliBande Matram Jai Hind