Book Review [110] : I Dare!

Autobiography/biography is a condensed form of life long learning of the person concerned. Every person should write one and read many so that reader and writer both can mutually benefit as well as the posterity. But this can also promote a kind of blind following so should be read with a pinch of salt. The hero worship is a peculiar problem that our country faces; we are not ready to accept any fault in our heroes, are immune to any criticism and readily add an aura of divinity to them. This is not good for our country and was strongly denounced by none other than great reformer Dr. Ambedkar in his seminal speech in constituent assembly.

'I Dare!' is a biography of the first ever and highly celebrated woman IPS Officer and a highly distinguished social activist Dr. Kiran Bedi. She (aka Crane Bedi) is a very inspiring icon of India and her life is a living record of many challenges that a woman (and a common man) in our country faces.  Dr. Kiran Bedi faced seemingly insurmountable challenges in her life, she passed in many and failed in few but in doing so she created a trail which many many Indians would like to follow. It is said that Kiran Bedi "ran" away from Mizoram assignment instead of taking the challenge head-on, she also "ran" away from Chandigarh and Goa assignments. Many critics and media personalities blame her and write with all the vituperation that they can muster for these "failures" but all these people fail to understand one basic thing that in our country its the woman (and specially the working woman) who has to make all the sacrifices. In Goa and Chandigarh assignments, she had to leave for Delhi because of the serious medical condition of her daughter and mother, though she had a husband and three more sisters but only she had to put her career at stake. In case of Mizoram i think she made a right decision but i would also say that her daughter should not have wasted the highly coveted medical seat and should have finished her medical studies. 

In this book she blames higher bureaucracy's antipathy towards her for not getting the prime post of Commissioner of Police, Delhi. She resigned within few months after her being overlooked for this post. I seriously believe that she should have been given the charge of Delhi Police, this would have sent an encouraging signal to Delhites specially the women. 

Her work in Tihar jail is the stuff of legends and she was duly awarded with Magsaysay award for it but even then she was not given any of the Padma awards. She could have been "utilized" in a better way by the Police establishment but Alas!

Change is the law. Growth is optional. Choose wisely.

Recommended (7/10)