She is the super cop idolized by many for her integrity, candor and bravery, and there are very few people who can resist Kiran Bedi’s charm, ready wit, simplicity and warmth. A full house at the Palace restaurant saw Kiran Bedi mesmerizing a captivated audience as she shared her experiences. Kiran spoke of what it meant to be the first woman police officer in India, her brush with death twice, and the life altering changes at the notorious Tihar Jail that made her a true pioneer in prison reform.
Dr. Bedi was awarded the Ramon Magsaysay Award for government service. The award is considered the Asian equivalent of the Nobel Prize.
A short film documenting some of her work didn’t happen because of a technical glitch, so Dr. Bedi ended up giving a wonderfully illuminating talk instead. She recalled the dismay of the brass hats when she chose to join the Indian Police Service in spite of having qualified for the Indian Administrative services, the grudging respect she earned after she single-handedly fought a crowd of sword wielding agitators at India Gate with just her baton, receiving the gallantry award as a result.
She talked at length about how she turned the notorious Tihar jail into Tihar Ashram, incorporating activities like yoga classes and Vipassana meditation among the many other things she introduced in the jail. “We forget to live in the present moment and keep looking back at the past and worrying about the future,” Dr. Bedi said as she took the audience through an impromptu breathing exercise which is part of the popular Vipassna meditation- Vipassna is an ancient form of meditation rediscovered and taught by Buddha. She said the rest of the western world has the resources but not the mindset to change the way it deals with its prisoners. Thanks to her efforts many prisoners were rehabilitated through education and meditation and became responsible citizens after their release.
Dr. Bedi also talked about her role as Civilian Police Adviser in the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, the dangers involved and the work the UN does in stabilizing the countries that are facing turbulence within their interiors.
Apart from her official work Dr.. Kiran Bedi has founded Navjyoti to help rehabilitate drug addicts. The program is run by volunteers and professionals and received the UN Serge Sotiroff Memorial award.
Dr. Bedi also set up the India Vision Foundation to continue her work in education, rural development, to help the physically and mentally challenged, sports promotion and prison reforms. Apart from the prisoners themselves, children of prisoners too have benefited greatly through the foundation. They have been provided schooling and the ability to fend for themselves as a result.
There was an interesting Q and A session asking her questions that ranged from why did she choose to be a cop, what advice could she give young women inspired by her, to if she ever felt any fears, what does her work mean to her?
This was followed by a sumptuous dinner catered by The Palace.
Ani Agnihotri encouraged the audience to get involved and support Dr. Bedi’s foundation. GIACC ex chairman S.P. Reddy donated 5000 dollars in his father’s honor, and many other attendees made donations. The books depicting Dr. Bedi’s life and her work at Tihar sold out very quickly. Emory University’s Asian Studies Department was part of sponsoring the event. Dr.. Rakesh Ranjan, Director of Undergraduate Studies at Asian Studies was present as was Deepika Bahri, a very gifted speaker and writer who is Director of Asian Studies, English Department as were several eminent Atlantans from all walks of life.
For more information on Dr. Bedi and her work go to www.Kiranbedi.com