Kiran Bedi was born on 9 June 1949 in Amritsar, in a well-to-do Punjabi business family. Encouraged by her father to play tennis, she became a national champion in both Lawn and Hard Court Tennis.

 

In 1972 Bedi joined the Police Service and following training became the first ever female Indian Police Service Officer. Following further training Bedi received her first posting to a sub-district of Delhi in 1975.

 

In 1979 Bedi was awarded the Presidents Police Medal for Gallantry, when she fought off a sword wielding attacker with her cane, whilst leading her platoon against 800 brick wielding religious/political rioters fighting each other in street battles.

 

Bedi was put in charge of the traffic management organisation of the 1982 Asian Games. During the games preparation, traffic in Delhi had become chaotic with construction work, trucks, illegal parking and traffic ordinances being poorly enforced. In her typical style she brought organisation to the chaos winning plaudits for doing so.

 

Over the next fourteen years Bedi was posted to various different areas of India, advancing her career by constantly bringing about innovation and reform to the police service.

 

Never afraid of controversy, Bedi had many high profile run-ins with errant politicians and lawyers, including arresting political leaders who were ignoring a ban on political gatherings.

One of her officers arrested a man for stealing from a woman’s purse and writing graffiti on the walls inside a women’s toilet. Arrested, handcuffed and taken to the police station he had given a false name. However on arrival was recognized as a lawyer.

His lawyer colleagues protested saying that no matter what, lawyers should never be handcuffed. Bedi defended and supported her officer stating equality under the law.

The lawyers, supported by aggrieved politicians then went on strike demanding Bedi’s suspension from office. Her superiors refused. She also got the support of Prime Minister Rajiv Ghandi.

The situation deteriorated resulting in the striking lawyers and certain politicians leading a procession to a police station where a scuffle ensued between the lawyers and police with a policeman being badly manhandled.

The police charged the striking lawyers in an attempt to disperse them.

Three weeks later a congressman organised a crowd of 600 to 1,000 to attack the lawyers in the court, smashing windows, cars and doing other damage whilst shouting slogans of support for Bedi and Rajiv Ghandi against the lawyers.

The congressman was ousted from his party, Bedi transferred to another position, an investigative committee appointed and the strike ended.

All this was about the belief among the elite that they be treated differently under the law, something Bedi was not prepared to countenance.

                                                         

Transferred to be the Inspector General of Delhi Prisons in 1993, her political enemies and jealous police rivals considered that they had got rid of her. Surely, being put in charge of one of the world’s most notorious prisons would be her comeuppance.

 

Delhi’s Tihar Jail, the largest in Asia, was built to hold 2,500 prisoners and was currently holding 9,500. Notorious as a violent and unmanageable place, it had a reputation for prison staff corruption, cruelty, drugs, prostitution, hardened criminals, gangs, extortion, illnesses, deaths due to lack of medical care, internal crime, appalling food, staff and inmate boredom, and more.

 

In just two years, Bedi transformed Tihar Jail beyond all recognition. At the end of two years staff corruption was non-existent. Staff confidence and enthusiasm had soared, hardened criminals had been segregated, gangs no longer functioned, medical care was provided, food quality and quantity improved, complaints procedures introduced, free legal aid established, educational programs and qualification courses introduced, simple work programs introduced (weaving, carpentry, baking), drug rehabilitation, yoga and meditation classes, inmate councils, even a small bank. Health days were established where 400 volunteer doctors and paramedics attended to inmates. NGO’s were encouraged to help.

 

President Clinton invited Bedi to visit him. Her political enemies refused to let her accept the invitation. Later a second invitation was sent. This time the New York Times got involved. Writing her story and stating that several politicians and superiors who were 'cut-up about her success', were stymieing the visit. The resulting press and public outcry made them give way and the visit went ahead.

 

The changes at the jail were so rapid and astonishing that they garnered worldwide attention and accolades. Many international awards were given to Bedi, but the antipathy and envy of her enemies towards this ‘upstart woman’ continued to grow.

 

Various pathetic, spiteful, trumped up accusations were brought against her by her old political enemies who were again agitating for her removal.

 

Bedi countered these trumped up charges by saying that these ‘unethical politicians are telling lies, making false allegations and misleading the public’, going on to say that her supervisors in the government had no "interest, vision or leadership".

 

Her enemies won and she was transferred away from the prison service. When the inmates heard of the transfer the whole prison went on hunger strike. She requested that her transfer be overturned and a commission of inquiry be established. Again her enemies won and her request was denied.

 

“Her transfer has been a victory for a handful of small-minded, envious people over a gutsy woman". Kushwant Singh – author, lawyer, diplomat, journalist and politician.

 

Although still overcrowded, thanks to Kiran Bedhi’s reforms Tihar Jail is now an exemplary prison rehabilitation centre. Many inmates have obtained qualifications through distance learning. Music is taught, a campus placement program is available for those about to complete their sentence. Many good conduct inmates are now offered work upon their release.

Manufacturing units have been incorporated in to the jail producing ‘TJ Brand’ goods – shoes, chemicals, handmade goods, tailoring and bakery products. The proceeds from TJ go to the Victims Welfare Fund.

 

After Tihar Jail

 

·       Head of Training – Police Academy.

·       Joint Commissioner of Police – Delhi.

·       Special Commissioner (Intelligence) Delhi Police.

·       Inspector General of Police – Chandigarh.

·       United Nations Civilian Police Adviser (Department of Peacekeeping Operations) – first woman to hold this post.

 

·   Thought to be in line to become Delhi’s Police Chief, her envious lawyer enemies lobbied to stop her. They were successful.

 

·       Director General Home Guards.

·       Director General Bureau of Police Research and Development.

 

·       Applied for the post of Delhi Police Commissioner – her political enemies thwarted her again.

 

·       Retired from the Police Service.

 

Charities

 

·       With her colleagues in 2007 Bedi founded the Navjyoti India Foundation. It has treated 20,000 drug and alcohol addicts, run crime prevention programs, educated street and slum children, established 200 single teacher schools, vocational centres and health care facilities.

 

·    Set up the India Vision Foundation for police and prison reforms, women empowerment,

      rural and community development.

 

·       With other activists formed ‘India Against Corruption’.

 

      Politics

 

·       Appointed Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry. 29 May 2016 to 16 Feb 2021

 

As Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry, Bedi immediately implemented best practice improvements in financial prudence, transparency, community support and open house meetings – all of which have contributed towards Puducherry’s massive development.

 

·       Speaker at the 50^th Governor's Conference – Delhi.

 

Personal:

 

Spouse – Brij Bedi (married 1972, died 2016)

Daughter - Saina

 

Sources: Wikipedia, New York Times, Book-"It’s always possible"

 

 

Back to Main Page