Posted on September 25th, 2007 by affcadbury  •  Filed under: Famous Women

The name itself makes you compare it with energy, determination and many more powerful words. The most recognized face after Lata Mangeshkar, packed with unbelievable energy and stands with minimum qualifying height for her job. Currently the Director General of Indian Bureau of Police Research and Development, she is the 1^st woman to join the Indian Police Service(IPS). Born on 9th June 1949, this fearless lady of Amritsar ,Punjab, joined the IPS in 1972 and then there was no looking back.

She was born to the Peshawaria family as the 2nd of the four daughters. Her father, Prakash Lal Peshawaria was keen to educate his daughters even in the scenario where women were limited to their households. After completing her schooling from Sacred Heart Convent, Amritsar, she obtained her B.A. degree in English from the Government College for Women (1964-68). She has a Masters degree in Political Science from Punjab University, Chandigarh (1968-70). This was the time where she realized the responsibility as a citizen.

Beginning of her career was marked at Khalsa College for Women where she started as a Lecturer in Political Science(1970-72). She states her reason for joining the Police a “because of my urge to be outstanding”. She has unlimited contributions made to the society be it any area of control; narcotics, traffic management or VIP security. One of her major contributions being the one while her stint as the Inspector General of prison, Tihar Jail(Delhi), where she started a number of rehabilitation activities like yoga, vipassana meditation, detoxification programs, and redressing of complaints by prisoners. She also established 2 voluntary organizations, Navjyoti(1988) and India Vision Foundation(1994) with an objective of rehabilitating drug addicts and improving the condition of poor people. her organizations was awarded the Serge Sotiroff Memorial Award for drug abuse prevention by the United Nations. This being not enough, she has a Doctorate in the field of drug abuse and domestic violence, and is an author and subject of many films (Tejaswini) and books.

She continued to pursue her education even while in active service with Indian police and obtained a Law degree(LLB) in 1988 from Delhi University. Right from her childhood she was an active sports person. Nevertheless she is also a former not just all-India but also all-Asian tennis champion, and had won the Asian Ladies Title at the age of 22.

Her service to a number of tough assignments like Traffic Commissioner of New Delhi, Deputy Inspector General of Police in insurgency prone Mizoram, Advisor to Lieutanent Governor of Chandigarh, Director General of Narcotics Control Bureau and also a United Nations Depution is more than just worth saluting. This not being enough she once towed Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s car for parking Violation impressed by which she was invited for breakfast by Indira Gandhi. (came to be known as crane bedi)

She had been the Police Advisor in the United Nations peacekeeping department and has also been honored with the UN medal for outstanding service. In May 2005, she was awarded an honorary degree of Doctor of Law In recognition of her “humanitarian apoach to prison reforms and policing”.

This lady fearlessly moved ahead on the road of revolutionizing the country for better, may be firstly with small steps and later taking larger leaps for making this nation better and the best.

I have no amazements by the number of awards that she has received for her contribution to this society.

• President’s Gallantry Award (1979)
• Women of the Year Award (1980)
• Asia Region Award for Drug Prevention and Control (1991)
• Magsaysay Award (1994) for Government Service
• Mahila Shiromani Award (1995)
• Father Machismo Humanitarian Award (1995)
• Lion of the Year (1995)
• Joseph Beuys Award (1997)
• Pride of India (1999)
• Mother Teresa Memorial National Award for Social Justice (2005)
• Zee Astitva Awards(2007) Lifetime Achievement

It is not just like that , that Gautam Kaul, DGP Indo-Tibetan Border Police(was Kiran Bedi’s guru in Delhi Police), call her hard-nose and soft-hearted. It takes guts and vision to accomplish your dreams for your country, and being a woman what Kiran Bedi had done in the world of men is just so incomparable. I respect and salute her for the milestones she has achieved and more to come.

PS: You can read her old blog here.