Looking Back At Kiran Bedi’s Impact As The First Female IPS Officer

When you think of the Indian Police Service, you might imagine a person in a uniform with stars on their shoulders. Usually, that person is a man. But there's a story that changes that. It's about Kiran Bedi, the first woman to join the Indian Police Service. Bedi's journey wasn't easy. She faced a lot of doubt and prejudice because she was a woman. But she didn't let that stop her. With courage and determination, she broke through barriers and showed everyone what she was made of.

Birth and education

Born on June 9, 1949, Kiran Peshwaria belonged to a business family. She was second of the four daughters. Her parents, Prakash Lal Peshwaria and Prem Latha, broke orthodoxy and gave her an empowering upbringing. She began her education at Sacred Heart Convent High School in Amritsar, where she was a part of the National Cadet Corps (NCC). 

Peshwaria completed her graduation in English in 1968, masters in Political Science in 1970, her law degree in 1988 and her PhD in 1993 in social sciences, focusing on drug abuse and domestic violence. She also won the National Cadet Corps (NCC) Officer Award. It was not usual for women of that time to attain several degrees. But Kiran Peshwaria not only broke the norms but also paved the way for other women. 

A stint as a tennis player

Bedi has many firsts to her name, breaking the rigid glass ceilings of her time. She was also a tennis player, earning a national championship. At the tender age of 9, she began playing tennis. She participated in the National Junior Lawn tennis championship in 1964 and won the title of National Champion. She won several accolades for India as a tennis player, including the Asian Lawn Tennis Championship and a gold medal at the National Sports Festival for Women. 

Marriage and creating history

She married Brij Bedi, a fellow tennis player, in 1972 and later became known as Kiran Bedi. In the same year, she created history by becoming India's first female IPS officer. Bedi, who was initially assigned to Delhi's Chanakyapuri division, went on to make history as the first woman to lead an all-male contingent of Delhi Police during the Republic Day Parade in 1975.

Bedi is well-known for her expertise while working in different fields. She worked as a narcotics cop, an anti-terrorism specialist, an administrator, and more. She also served as Inspector General of Prisons in 1994, when she received commendation for her outstanding job. One such project was remodelling one of the world's largest prisons, the Tihar Jail. Bedi addressed concerns such as corruption, human rights violations, sanitation, and nutrition challenges and  set up a new literacy and drug recovery program.

Bedi has previously worked as Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) in Delhi, where he adopted numerous steps to regulate and reduce traffic problems. She received the Asian Jyoti Award for her exceptional traffic management skills. Apart from Delhi, Bedi served in Goa and Mizoram, where she received recognition for her successful problem-solving tactics in each division.

Bedi received the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 1994 for her efforts to eradicate crime, combat drug abuse, and reform prisons. In the same year, she was also awarded the Nehru Fellowship.

Her stints or series of successes did not stop here. She was appointed as the United Nations Civilian Police Advisor in 2003, making her the first woman and Indian in that position. She founded Navjyoti, a volunteer non-governmental organization, in 1988 and the Indian Vision Foundation in 1994. The two organizations planned to provide primary education, adult literacy programs, vocational training and counselling for women, and drug rehabilitation for inmates.

The famous 6Ps plan to curb crime against women

Her last stint was from 2016 to 2021, when she served as lieutenant governor in Puducherry. During that time, she implemented a 6Ps strategy to reduce crime against women.Bedi said, "6Ps means crime prevention plan within police, within people because community has a very major role to play. So the people, the police, the prosecution; then comes the role of the politician, the prisons and the media, which is the press and press also includes the films, and then comes the jail. So it is the 6Ps and a J." 

It's not that Bedi didn't experience gender inequality. One of the events occurred while she was attending the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Goa in November 1983. However, due to her daughter's medical condition, she had to return to Delhi immediately following the conference without first gaining official permission to leave. However, when she returned after six months, she was relieved of her responsibilities.

Why Kiran Bedi is still an inspiration for women

Kiran Bedi might have retired from her service but still remains an inspiration for women across the nation. She often speaks about women's empowerment and financial independence  to inspire women to break more glass ceilings. 

In one of the interviews, Bedi talked about the importance of financial independence for women. She said, "Women who earn usually put their money in a joint account with their husband. And, such women tend to ask money from their husbands for bus travel and more, despite being independent and educated."

She further added, "There is no problem in having a joint account. But women must have an account in their name as well. If, despite education and jobs, women are asking for money from husbands, what is the point of educating them? Running a family together is fine but having your own share of money is important. Do husbands ask for money from their wives? No right. So women are still economically dependent." 

She ended by citing a theory called Stokholm Syndrom and saying, "Women want to remain prisoners."

She also talked about  women's education and said, "We realized that while education was helping us grow and see the world from a different perspective, people back home were not willing to change a little bit."