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{{Short description|First female Indian Police Service Officer (born 1949) first IPS}}
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2016}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Kiran Bedi
| image = Dr. Kiran Bedi in 2017 (cropped).jpg
| caption = 
| birth_name = Kiran Peshawaria
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1949|06|09}}
| birth_place = [[Amritsar]], [[Punjab]], [[India]]
| citizenship = [[Indian people|Indian]]
| honorific_prefix = [[Her Excellency]]
| honorific_suffix = [[President's Police Medal|PPMG]] [[United Nations Medal|PNBB]]
| residence = [[New Delhi]]
| education = Sacred Heart Convent School <br /> Cambridge College
| alma_mater = S.R. Govt. College ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]] [[Honours degree|Hons]]) <br />  ([[Master of Arts|MA]]) <br /> [[Delhi University]] ([[Bachelor of Laws|LLB]]) <br /> [[IIT Delhi]] ([[Doctor of Philosophy|PhD]])
| office = 24th [[Lieutenant Governor of Pondicherry]]
| term_start = {{Start date|2016|05|28|df=yes}}
| term_end = {{End date|2021|02|16|df=yes}}
| 1blankname = Chief Minister
| 1namedata = [[V. Narayanasamy]]
| predecessor = [[A. K. Singh]]
| successor = [[Tamilisai Soundararajan]] ''(additional charge)''
| title1 = Director General of [[Bureau of Police Research and Development]]
| term_start1 = {{Start_date|2005||}}
| term_end1 = {{End_date|2007||}}
| successor1 = 
| title2 = Police Adviser and Director of [[United Nations Police]]
| term_start2 = {{Start_date|2003||}}
| term_end2 = {{End_date|2005||}}|
| party = [[Bharatiya Janata Party]]
| otherparty = [[National Democratic Alliance]]
| spouse = {{Marriage|Brij Bedi|1972|2016|reason=died}}<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/Kiran-Bedis-Husband-Brij-Bedi-Passes-Away-in-Gurgaon/2016/01/31/article3254670.ece |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160202180727/http://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/Kiran-Bedis-Husband-Brij-Bedi-Passes-Away-in-Gurgaon/2016/01/31/article3254670.ece |url-status=dead |archive-date=2 February 2016 |title=Kiran Bedi's Husband Brij Bedi Passed Away in Gurgaon |date=31 January 2016 |newspaper=The New Indian Express }}</ref>
| children = 1
| parents = {{ubl|Prakash Lal Peshawaria|Prem Lata}}
| relatives = [[Anu Peshawaria]] (Sister), Tek Chandra Arora
| awards = {{ubl|[[United Nations Medal]], 2004|[[Ramon Magsaysay Award]], 1994|[[President's Police Medal]], 1979}}
| website = 
| footnotes = 
| occupation = Athlete ,Police Officer and Politician
}}
'''Kiran Bedi''' {{post-nominals|list=[[President's Police Medal|PPMG]] [[United Nations Medal|PNBB]]}}  (born 9 June 1949) is a former tennis player who became the first Indian woman to join the officer ranks of the [[Indian Police Service|Indian Police Service (IPS)]] in 1972 and was the 24th lieutenant governor of Puducherry from 28 May 2016 to 16 February 2021.<ref>{{cite web |title=Kiran Bedi removed as Lt Governor of Puducherry |url=https://www.netindian.in/news/national/kiran-bedi-removed-as-lt-governor-of-puducherry |website=NetIndian |date=16 February 2021 |access-date=17 February 2021 |last1=Network |first1=Netindian News }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.abplive.com/news/india/kiran-bedi-removed-as-lg-of-puducherry-1776010|title= किरण बेदी को पुडुचेरी के उपराज्यपाल पद से हटाया गया, सीएम ने जताई खुशी|website= Abp Live|date= 16 February 2021|language=hi |access-date=2021-02-16}}</ref>{{sfn|Iyer|2012|p=26}} She remained in service for 35 years before taking voluntary retirement in 2007 as Director General, Bureau of Police Research and Development.

As a teenager, Bedi was crowned the national junior tennis champion in 1966. Between 1965 and 1978, she won several titles at various national and state-level championships. After joining the IPS, Bedi served in [[Delhi]], [[Goa]], [[Chandigarh]] and [[Mizoram]]. She started her career as an [[Assistant superintendent of police|Assistant Superintendent of Police]] (ASP) in the [[Chanakyapuri]] area of Delhi, and won the [[President's Police Medal]] in 1979. Next, she moved to [[West Delhi]], where she brought about a reduction in crimes against women. Subsequently, as a [[traffic police]] officer, she oversaw traffic arrangements for the [[1982 Asian Games]] in Delhi and the [[Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 1983]] in Goa. As [[Deputy commissioner of police (India)|Deputy Commissioner of Police]] of [[North Delhi]], she launched a campaign against [[drug abuse]], which evolved into the Navjyoti Delhi Police Foundation (renamed to Navjyoti India Foundation in 2007).

In May 1993, Bedi was posted to the Delhi Prisons as Inspector General (IG). She introduced several reforms at [[Tihar Jail]], which won her the [[Ramon Magsaysay Award]] in 1994. In 2003, Bedi became the first Indian and first woman to be appointed head of the [[United Nations Police]] and Police Advisor in the [[United Nations Department of Peace Operations]]. She resigned in 2007, to focus on social activism and writing. She runs the India Vision Foundation. During 2008–11, she hosted a [[court show]] ''[[Aap Ki Kachehri]]''. She was one of the key leaders of the [[2011 Indian anti-corruption movement]], and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in January 2015. She unsuccessfully contested the [[2015 Delhi Legislative Assembly election|2015 Delhi Assembly election]] as the party's chief minister candidate.<ref>{{cite web |title=Kiran Bedi: India's Pioneering IPS Officer Who Redefined Policing and Public Service |url=https://www.brutimes.com/news/social/kiran-bedi-indias-pioneering-ips-officer-who-redefined-policing-and-public-service |website=Bru Times News |language=en}}</ref>

==Early life and education==
Kiran Peshawaria was born on 9 June 1949 in [[Amritsar]], [[Punjab]], [[India]], into a [[Punjabis|Punjabi]] business family. She is the second child of Prakash Lal Peshawaria and Prem Lata (born Janak Arora).<ref name="AT_2015_joins"/> She has three sisters: Shashi, Reeta, and Anu.<ref name="BP_2014_serve">{{cite news |url=https://www.bangkokpost.com/print/402718/ |title=Living to serve |newspaper=Bangkok Post |date=31 March 2014 |last1=Viboonchart |first1=Nalin }}</ref> Her great-great-grandfather Lala Hargobind had migrated from [[Peshawar]] to Amritsar, where he set up a business. Bedi's upbringing was not very religious, but she was brought up in both [[Hinduism|Hindu]] and [[Sikhism|Sikh]] traditions (her grandmother was a [[Sikh]], although her other family members were [[Hindu]]).{{sfn|Iyer|2012|p=15}} Prakash Lal helped with the family's textile business, and also played [[Tennis]]. 

Bedi's grandfather Muni Lal controlled the family business and gave an [[allowance (money)|allowance]] to her father. He cut this allowance when Bedi's elder sister Shashi was enrolled in the Sacred Heart Convent School, Amritsar. Although the school was 16&nbsp;km away from their home, Shashi's parents believed it offered a better education than other schools. Muni Lal was opposed to his grandchild being educated in a Christian school. However, Prakash Lal declared financial independence and enrolled all his daughters, including Kiran, in the same school.<ref name="Deepa_2005">{{cite book |title=Our Leaders |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ch5YDhFPKhEC&pg=PA137 |publisher=Children's Book Trust |isbn=978-81-7011-988-3 |pages=137–160 |chapter=Kiran Bedi |author=Deepa Agarwal |editor=Geeta Menon |year=1989 }}</ref> Bedi started her formal studies in 1954, at the Sacred Heart Convent School in Amritsar. She participated in [[National Cadet Corps (India)|National Cadet Corps]] (NCC), among other extra-curricular activities. At that time, Sacred Heart did not offer science; instead, it had a subject called "[[Home Science|household]]", which was aimed at grooming girls into being good [[housewife|housewives]]. 

When Bedi was in Class 9, she joined the Cambridge College, a private institute that offered science education and prepared her for the [[Matriculation in India|matriculation]] exam. By the time her former schoolmates at Sacred Heart cleared Class 9, she cleared the Class 10 (matriculation) exam.{{sfn|Iyer|2012|p=20}} Bedi graduated in 1968, with a [[Bachelor of Arts]] ([[Honours degree|Honours]]) in English, from Government College for Women at Amritsar. The same year, she won the NCC Cadet Officer Award. In 1970, she obtained a [[master's degree]] in [[political science]] from [[Panjab University]] in [[Chandigarh]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.rediff.com/getahead/slide-show/slide-show-1-achievers-meet-indias-best-students-kiran-bedi-shyam-benegal/20100315.htm |title=India's best students: Kiran Bedi, CV Raman |date=15 March 2010 |publisher=rediff/Careers360 }}</ref> 

From 1970 to 1972, Bedi taught as a lecturer at [[Khalsa College, Amritsar|Khalsa College]] for Women in Amritsar. She taught courses related to political science. Later, during her career in the Indian Police Service, she also earned a [[Bachelor of Law|Bachelors of Law degree]] from the [[Faculty of Law, University of Delhi]] in 1988 and a [[Doctor of Philosophy|Doctorate of Philosophy]] from the [[IIT Delhi|Indian Institute of Technology - Delhi]]'s Department of Humanities and Social Sciences in [[New Delhi]] in 1993.<ref name="BP_2014_serve"/>

==Tennis career==

Inspired by her father, Bedi started playing [[tennis]] at the age of nine. As a teenage tennis player, she cut her hair short as it interfered with her game.<ref name="IE_comic_2014">{{cite news |url=http://indianexpress.com/article/cities/ludhiana/kiran-bedis-biography-released-in-the-form-of-32-page-comic/ |title=Kiran Bedi's biography released in the form of 32-page comic |author=Divya Goyal |date=21 November 2014 |newspaper = Indian Express }}</ref> In 1964, she played her first tournament outside Amritsar, participating in the national junior lawn tennis championship at Delhi Gymkhana. She lost in early rounds, but came back to win the trophy two years later, in 1966.<ref name="Pradip_2001">{{cite book |author1=Pratip Kumar Datta |title=A century of Indian tennis |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0OCBAAAAMAAJ |year=2001 |publisher=Publications Division, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Government of India |isbn=978-81-230-0783-0 |page=95 }}</ref> As the national champion, she was eligible for entry to the Wimbledon junior championship, but was not nominated by the Indian administration.<ref>{{cite book |author=Ratna Joshi |title=Inner Journey |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fCqtAloT5TkC&pg=PA32 |date=2010 |publisher=Dorrance Publishing |isbn=978-1-4349-0452-2 |page=32 }}</ref>

Between 1965 and 1978, Bedi won several tennis championships in India, including:

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Title
! Year
! Place
! Notes / Source
|-
| Junior National Lawn Tennis Championship
| 1966
| [[Amritsar]]
| <ref name="Pradip_2001"/>
|-
| All-India Intervarsity Tennis Title
| 1968
| [[Vishakhapatnam]]
| With her younger sister Reeta.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-andhrapradesh/andhra-university-tennis-team-confident-of-retaining-title/article982129.ece |title=Andhra University tennis team confident of retaining title |date=27 December 2010 |newspaper=The Hindu}}</ref> The pair won the championship three years in a row.<ref name="RMAF_1994">{{cite web |url=http://www.rmaf.org.ph/newrmaf/main/awardees/awardee/biography/155 |title=Biography of Kiran Bedi |publisher=Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation |access-date=19 January 2015 |year=1994 |archive-date=21 December 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161221004245/http://www.rmaf.org.ph/newrmaf/main/awardees/awardee/biography/155 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|-
| Northern India Lawn Tennis Championship
| 1970
| [[Chandigarh]]
| {{sfn|Saxena|2000|p=232}}
|-
| Asian Lawn Tennis Championship
| 1972
| [[Pune]]
| {{sfn|Saxena|2000|p=232}}
|-
| All-India Hard Court Tennis Championship
| 1974
|
| <ref name="Pradip_2001"/>
|-
| All India Interstate Women's Lawn Tennis Championship
| 1975
| New Delhi
| {{sfn|Iyer|2012|p=22}}
|-
| National Women's Lawn Tennis Championship
| 1976
| Chandigarh
| <ref>{{cite news |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Kiran-Bedi/articleshow/30881197.cms |title=Kiran Bedi |newspaper=The Times of India |date=10 December 2002 |author=Shivangi Yadav }}</ref>
|-
| Gold medal, National Sports Festival for Women
| 1976
| New Delhi
| With her sister Anu<ref name="RMAF_1994"/>
|}

Bedi was also a part of the Indian team that beat [[Sri Lanka]] to win the Lionel Fonseka Memorial Trophy in [[Colombo]].<ref>{{cite book |title=Careers Digest, Volume 10 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qlYhAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA1142 |year=1973 |page=1142 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://archives.sundayobserver.lk/2004/09/12/fea15.html |title=Kiran Bedi : She dared to care |newspaper=[[Sunday Observer (Sri Lanka)|Sunday Observer]] |date=12 September 2004 |access-date=22 January 2015 |archive-date=24 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924120802/http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2004/09/12/fea15.html |url-status=live }}</ref> She continued playing tennis until the age of thirty, when she started focusing on her Indian Police Service career. In 1972, she married fellow tennis player Brij Bedi; the two had met on Service Club courts in Amritsar.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Kiran Bedi |journal=Frontline |volume=12 |issue=10–13 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZadKAQAAIAAJ |date=June 1995 }}</ref>

==Indian Police Service Career==

As a young woman, Bedi frequented the Service Club in Amritsar, where interaction with senior civil servants inspired her to take up a public service career. On 16 July 1972, Bedi started her police training at the [[Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration|National Academy of Administration]] in [[Mussoorie]]. She was the only woman in a batch of 80 men, and became the first woman IPS officer. After a 6-month foundation course, she underwent another 9 months of police training at Mount Abu in Rajasthan, and further training with Punjab Police in 1974. Based on a draw, she was allocated to the [[union territory]] cadre (now called AGMUT or [[Arunachal Pradesh]]-[[Goa]]-[[Mizoram]]-Union Territories cadre).{{sfn|Iyer|2012|p=26}}

=== First posting in Delhi ===

Bedi's first posting was to the [[Chandni Chowk]]subdivision of Delhi in 1975. The same year, she became the first woman to lead the all-male contingent of the Delhi Police at the [[Delhi Republic Day parade|Republic Day Parade]] in 1975.<ref name="AT_2015_joins">{{cite news |url=http://www.asiatimes.com.au/kiran-bedi-joins-bjp-could-be-next-cm-of-delhi/ |title=Kiran Bedi joins Bharat Janata Party(BJP)|newspaper=Asia Times |date=15 February 2015 |access-date=22 January 2015 |archive-date=2 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190402081245/http://www.asiatimes.com.au/kiran-bedi-joins-bjp-could-be-next-cm-of-delhi/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> Her daughter Sukriti (later Saina) was born in September 1975.{{sfn|Iyer|2012|p=26}}

Chandni Chowk was an affluent area that included the [[Sansad Bhavan|Parliament building]], fish markets, and the residences of the [[Prime Minister of India|prime minister]] and the [[Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi|president]]. The crimes in the area were mainly limited to minor thefts, but political demonstrations (which sometimes turned violent) were a regular occurrence. During the 1980s, there were many clashes between [[Nirankari]] and [[Akali Dal|Akali]] Sikhs. On 3 December, a group of Nirankaris held a congregation near India Gate. A contingent of 700–800 Akalis organized a demonstration against them. DCP Bedi's [[platoon]] was deployed to stop the protesters and prevent violence. As the protesters resorted to brick-batting, Bedi charged them with a cane, although there was no tear gas squad to support her unit. One of the demonstrators ran towards her with a naked sword, but she charged him as well as other demonstrators with a cane. Ultimately, her unit was able to disperse the demonstrators. For this action, Bedi was awarded the [[President's Police Medal]] for Gallantry (1979), in October 1980.{{sfn|Saxena|2000|p=33}}

In 1979, Bedi was posted to Delhi's [[West Delhi|West District]], where there were not enough officers to handle the high volume of criminal activity. To compensate, she started recruiting civilian volunteers. Each village in the district was night patrolled by six civilians led by an armed policeman. She enabled anonymous reporting of any knowledge about crimes. She clamped down on bootlegging and the illicit liquor business to reduce crimes in the area. Bedi implemented an open door policy, which encouraged citizens to interact with her. She implemented a "beat box" system: a complaint box was installed in each ward, and the beat constables were instructed to have their lunch near this box at a set time each day. She regularly asked people if they knew about the [[beat (police)|beat constable]] assigned to their area, and also walked with the constables to raise their self-esteem. Within 3 months, there was a reduction in crimes. There was a drop in cases related to "[[eve teasing]]" (sexual harassment of women) and wife beating. This gained her the goodwill of local women, who also volunteered their services to help fight crime in the area.<ref name="RMAF_1994"/>

In October 1981, Bedi was made DCP (Traffic). The preparation for the [[1982 Asian Games]] had caused traffic snarls in the city. The construction of 19 sports [[stadium]]s and several [[overpass|flyovers]] had resulted in a number of blockades and diversions. Bedi encouraged coordination between the [[Municipal Corporation of Delhi]], [[Delhi Vidyut Board|Delhi Electric Supply Undertaking]] and [[Delhi Development Authority]]. She clamped down on errant motorists with a heavy hand. She replaced challans ([[traffic ticket]]s) with spot fines. Her team towed improperly parked vehicles using six [[tow truck]]s ("[[Truck-mounted crane|cranes]]") for traffic control. This earned her the nickname "Crane Bedi". On 5 August 1982, an Ambassador car (DHI 1817) belonging to [[Prime Minister's Office (India)|Prime Minister Office]] was towed away by sub-inspector Nirmal Singh, as it was wrongly parked outside the Yusufzai Market at [[Connaught Place, New Delhi|Connaught Place]]. Singh was fully supported by Bedi and her superior Ashok Tandon.<ref name="Deepa_2005"/>{{sfn|Saxena|2000|p=149}}

To raise funds for traffic guidance materials, Bedi presented Asian Games traffic management plan to a group of sponsors. The sponsors committed to providing road safety and other educational material worth {{INR}}35 lakh. She also bought traffic police jeeps for her officers; for the first time, four wheelers were allocated to inspectors in the traffic unit. After the Asian Games were over, she was given ''Asian Jyoti'' award for excellence. She refused to accept the award for herself alone, and recommended that it be given to entire traffic unit.{{sfn|Iyer|2012|pp=32–33}}

Bedi did not spare errant motorists from the rich and influential section of society, which resulted in a powerful lobby against her. Her victims included the director of the Central Bureau of Investigation and her own sister-in-law.<ref name="IT_1988_comeback">{{cite journal |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/special-report/story/19880430-my-goal-is-not-just-equality-but-to-be-very-independent-kiran-bedi-797203-1988-04-29 |title='I'm a comeback girl' |author=Raj Chengappa |date=30 April 1988 |journal=India Today }}</ref> After the Asian Games were over, she was transferred to Goa for 3 years. According to contemporary rumours, Indira Gandhi's aides [[R. K. Dhawan]] and Yashpal Kapoor, as well as her yoga instructor [[Dhirendra Brahmachari]] (whom Bedi had personally fined for a wrongly parked car), played a role in her transfer.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.abplive.in/author/rasheedkidwai/2015/01/20/article480352.ece/Throwback-Kiran-Bedis-brush-with-power |title=Throwback: When Kiran Bedi booked the PM's car |author=[[Rasheed Kidwai]] |date=20 January 2014 |publisher=ABP News }}</ref> According to another theory, the loss of revenue resulting from her experiment of holding classes for traffic violators (instead of fining them) was a major factor in her transfer.{{sfn|Saxena|2000|p=78}}

Her 7-year-old daughter suffered from [[nephritic syndrome]] since the age of 3, and was seriously ill at the time. Bedi requested the Home Ministry not to transfer her out of Delhi until her daughter's condition became stable.{{sfn|Iyer|2012|pp=34–35}} According to Bedi, she had put herself in a "very vulnerable situation", and the only people who could help her were the ones "who had been offended by my 'equal enforcement of law'".<ref name="RMAF_1994"/> Her request was not entertained, and she had to leave behind her daughter, who was too ill to accompany her.

=== Goa ===

Bedi arrived in Goa in March 1983, on a three-year assignment. A few months after her arrival, the [[Zuari Bridge]] was completed but not opened to public; the state government wanted Indira Gandhi to come from Delhi and inaugurate it formally. However, they were not able to secure confirmation from Indira Gandhi for several days. The public had to use ferries to transfer their vehicles across the [[Zuari River]]. One day, during a patrol, Bedi noticed that there was a huge mass at the ferry boarding point. She drove to the bridge, removed the blockades and diverted the traffic waiting at ferry to the bridge. This unofficial inauguration angered many politicians.{{sfn|Iyer|2012|p=36}} In November 1983, Goa hosted the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meet (CHOGM). Bedi involved NCC cadets in Goa for traffic regulation along the VIP routes.{{sfn|Iyer|2012|p=36}}

Shortly after the CHOGM ended, her daughter's medical condition worsened. Bedi applied for leave, so that she could go to Delhi and take care of her daughter. Until this point, she had not taken [[privilege leave]] in her decade-long career, and her leaves had always lapsed.{{sfn|Iyer|2012|pp=37–38}}<ref name="IT_1988_comeback"/> Inspector General of Police (IGP) Rajendra Mohan recommended her leave application, but the leave was not officially sanctioned by the Goa government. Bedi left for Delhi anyway, since she had enough leaves in her account. Her daughter was hospitalised at [[All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi|AIIMS]] for one week. After her daughter was discharged from hospital, Bedi decided to stay in Delhi until her recovery. Bedi sent a personal letter to the IGP, as well as a detailed explanation to the Goa government, with medical reports and certificates. However, in a statement to United News of India (UNI), the Goa Chief Minister [[Pratapsingh Rane]] declared her absconding and absent without leave. After seeing Bedi's daughter's condition in Delhi, UNI published a rebuttal to the chief minister's statement. This made Goa government even more hostile to Bedi.{{sfn|Iyer|2012|pp=37–38}}

=== Back to Delhi ===

After being declared absent without sanctioned leave, Bedi was not given any assignment for six months. When her daughter's condition became stable, she met the Union Home Secretary [[T. N. Chaturvedi]], who reinstated her. She was assigned to the [[Railway Protection Force]] in New Delhi, as a Deputy Commandant. Six months later, after appealing to a senior official in Prime Minister's Office, she was reassigned to the Department of Industrial Development, as a deputy director. There, she worked under the Directorate General of Industrial Contingency (DGIC), as a strike mediator between labor and management. Bedi left DGIC in October 1985, and shortly after her departure, the organization was wound up as part of an economy drive.{{sfn|Iyer|2012|p=38}}

In 1985, Police Commissioner [[Ved Marwah]] made a special request for Bedi to be assigned to the police headquarters. There, Bedi cleared several pending files and sanctioned 1,600 promotions in a single day to motivate the staff.<ref name="Deepa_2005"/>

==== Campaign against drugs ====

In 1986, Bedi became DCP of Delhi's North District, where the primary problem was rampant [[substance abuse|drug abuse]]. At that time, Delhi had only one centre for treatment of [[substance dependence|drug addicts]] – ''Ashiana'', which was run by the New Delhi Municipal Corporation. With help from her superiors, Bedi set up a [[drug detoxification|detox]] center in one of the police premises. The center relied on community donations of furniture, blankets, medicines and other supplies. It also received voluntary services from doctors and [[yoga]] teachers. Within a year, five more detox centers were set up. Each center was intended to serve up to 30 patients, but at one time, each center catered to around 100 patients. The initiative was widely noticed, and Bedi travelled all over India, giving presentations and lectures on the programme. Before she was transferred to a new post, she and 15 other police officers institutionalized the detox centers as Navjyoti Police Foundation for Correction, De-addiction and Rehabilitation. Bedi served as the general secretary of the foundation.{{sfn|Iyer|2012|pp=40–41}}

==== Lawyers' strike ====

In the 1980s, Bedi attracted the ire of Delhi politicians and lawyers. First, she ordered [[lathi charge]] on a [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] (BJP) assembly in Red Fort area, and arrested its leaders. A few months later, she arrested [[Congress(I)]] [[Member of Parliament|MP]] [[Jai Parkash Aggarwal|J.P. Agarwal]] for violating curfew orders.<ref name="IT_1988_comeback"/>

In January 1988, the Delhi Police caught a man stealing from a girl's purse at [[St. Stephen's College, Delhi|St. Stephen's College]]. A few weeks later, he was arrested again for trespassing into a women's toilet and writing obscene [[graffiti]] inside.<ref name="TLC_1988">The Lawyers Collective – A Legal Journal, Volume 3, Number 4, May 1988, Page 3</ref> One of Bedi's officers arrested and handcuffed the man. When he was produced in the court, he was recognized as Rajesh Agnihotri, a lawyer practicing at the [[Tis Hazari]] Courts Complex. The man had given a different name when he was arrested, and his lawyer colleagues claimed that he had been falsely framed.<ref name="Deepa_2005"/> The protesters also argued that lawyers must not be handcuffed even if there are proper grounds for their arrest. Bedi vociferously defended her officer's action.<ref name="IT_1988_comeback"/> The lawyers organized a strike and led a procession to DCP (North) office. Not finding DCP Bedi at the office, the lawyers manhandled Additional DCP Sandhu. This led to a scuffle between the cops and the lawyers. The lawyers escalated their strike, and several politicians supported the lawyers in demanding suspension of Bedi.<ref name="Deepa_2005"/>

On 21 January, the police baton-charged the striking lawyers in Tis Hazari complex.<ref>{{cite book |title=Surya India Volume 12 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WVg8AAAAMAAJ |year=1987 |publisher=A. Anand |page=30 }}</ref> This further enraged the lawyers. On 17 February, a mob of an estimated 600–1000 people led by the Congress [[municipal corporation|corporator]] Rajesh Yadav arrived at Tis Hazari court. The mob was armed with brickbats, hockey sticks and small rods. It raised slogans in support of Bedi and Prime Minister [[Rajiv Gandhi]]. It stoned the lawyers' chambers and smashed the windscreens of their cars. The police force deployed in the area did not try to stop the mob violence, although some individual policemen tried to control the mob. Bedi denied any connivance in the incident.<ref name="Maya2005"/><ref name="NYT_1988">{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/02/28/world/india-lawyer-s-handcuffing-spurs-bitter-fight.html |title=India Lawyer's Handcuffing Spurs Bitter Fight |date=28 February 1988 |newspaper=The New York Times |author=Sanjoy Hazarika }}</ref> The police later arrested Rajesh Yadav, and charged him with rioting and conspiracy. The Congress distanced itself from Yadav and ousted him.<ref name="NYT_1988"/>

For the next two months, the lawyers stopped courts from functioning in Delhi and neighbouring states, demanding Bedi's resignation. The strike was called off after the Delhi High Court constituted a two-judge committee to investigate the matter. Known as Wadhwa Commission, the committee consisted of Justice DP Wadhwa and Justice NN Goswamy. KK Venugopal, the lawyers' counsel, produced evidence that on 17 February, all police stations in the zone knew that a 2000-strong mob was heading towards Tis Hazari Courts Complex, where the lawyers were on a hunger strike. Despite this, no police force was deputed to protect them. In its interim report, the Commission expressed concern over police lapses. The judges said that they wanted to investigate the matter further, and recommended transfer of five police officers (including Bedi) out of North Delhi, during the investigation period. Even before the report was made public, in April 1988, the Union Government transferred Bedi to the post of deputy director (Operations) in the [[Narcotics Control Bureau]] (NCB), also in Delhi. Two days later, the four other officers mentioned in the report were also transferred.<ref name="Maya2005">{{cite book |author=Maya Majumdar |title=Encyclopaedia of Gender Equality Through Women Empowerment |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vPMg73Inw5cC&pg=PA172 |date=2005 |publisher=Sarup & Sons |isbn=978-81-7625-548-6 |pages=172–175 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/special-report/story/19880430-kiran-bedi-is-transferred-but-nobody-is-happy-797187-1988-04-29 |title=Battle for prestige: Kiran Bedi is transferred but nobody is happy |author=Raj Chengappa |date=30 April 1988 |publisher=India Today }}</ref>

The members of the Delhi Bar Association were not satisfied with Bedi's transfer, and wanted her suspended. However, the Police Commissioner Ved Marwah refused to suspend Bedi.<ref name="Maya2005"/> The commission's final report, released in April 1990, censured all the parties.<ref name="Deepa_2005"/> The report stated that the arrest of Rajesh Agnihotri was justified, but his handcuffing was illegal. It also concluded that an "indiscriminate and unjustified" lathi-charge on the lawyers was ordered by Bedi, and that she had connived with the municipal councillor to organize the mob attack on the lawyers.<ref>{{cite journal |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/indiascope/story/19900515-kiran-bedi-idicted-in-tiz-hazari-episode-812569-1990-05-14 |title=In the dock |author=Raj Chengappa |journal=India Today |date=15 May 1990 }}</ref> The scholarly legal commentary was divided, with some supporting Bedi, citing her "unblemished" service record.<ref name="TLC_1988"/>

=== Mizoram ===

After Bedi was censured by the Wadhwa Commission, it was decided to transfer her out of Delhi. She wanted a challenging posting in either [[Andaman Islands|Andamans]], [[Arunachal Pradesh]] or [[Mizoram]]. She hoped that this would lead to her reassignment to Delhi Police after a few years (after "hard" postings, government servants are unofficially entitled to a post they desire). She requested Joint Secretary (Union Territories) to transfer her to Mizoram, a remote border state in North-East India. When she didn't get any firm response, she wrote to the home secretary Naresh Kumar. Along with Bedi's batchmate Pardeep Singh, Naresh Kumar convinced the joint secretary to transfer her to Mizoram. They pointed out that officers who were given Mizoram posting refused to go there, while Bedi was volunteering to go there. Bedi reported to the Mizoram Government in [[Aizawl]] on 27 April 1990. Her designation was Deputy Inspector General (Range). Her parents and her daughter also moved to Mizoram.{{sfn|Iyer|2012|pp=42–43}}

Consumption of alcohol, especially [[homebrewing|home-brewed]] [[rice wine|rice liquor]] ''Zu'', was very common in Mizoram. Several of Bedi's officers were [[alcoholism|alcoholics]]. At first, she didn't stop them since ''Zu'' was a part of Mizo culture, and she didn't want to be seen as someone who interfered with the local culture. Later, she opened an indoor de-addiction facility for alcoholic policemen. The major crime in the district was [[heroin]] smuggling across the [[Indo–Myanmar barrier|Burmese border]]. A number of teenagers were drug addicts, with [[dextropropoxyphene|proxyvon]] and heroin being the most common drugs. Most of the repeat criminal offenders were alcoholic. Since Mizoram was a [[Christianity in Mizoram|Christian]]-majority state, Bedi utilized Christian prayers to reduce drug and alcohol-induced criminal behavior. She declared Saturdays "prayer and rehabilitation day" at district police stations, despite protests from the superintendent of police, who was an atheist. Every Saturday, past criminals would be brought to the police station to pray and learn and to receive treatment for alcoholism.{{sfn|Iyer|2012|pp=43–44}}

While in Mizoram, she completed a major part of her Ph.D. research. (Later, in September 1993, she was awarded a doctorate by [[IIT Delhi]]'s Department of Social Sciences, for her thesis on Drug Abuse and Domestic Violence.){{sfn|Iyer|2012|p=43}} During her stay in Mizoram, she also started writing her autobiography.

In September 1992, her daughter Sukriti applied for a seat in [[Lady Hardinge Medical College]] (Delhi), under a quota for Mizoram residents. Students of Mizoram launched a violent agitation against the allocation, on the grounds that she was a non-[[Mizo people|Mizo]]. Sukriti had topped the merit list with 89% marks, and was given seat from the Central pool, according to the government guidelines. Mizoram's chief minister [[Lal Thanhawla]] asked her to surrender the seat in "the larger interests of the state", although he accepted that "there was nothing illegal in her daughter getting the seat". Bedi refused to surrender the seat, saying that her daughter deserved the seat.<ref name="IT_1992_middle">{{cite journal |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/indiascope/story/19921015-kiran-bedi-determination-is-her-middle-name-766996-2012-12-26 |title=Fighting back, again |journal=India Today |author=Harinder Baweja |date=15 October 1992 |access-date=18 January 2015 }}</ref>

As the protests turned violent, Bedi received threats that her house would be set on fire. Her superiors told her that they could no longer protect her.{{sfn|Iyer|2012|p=44}} She left Aizawl after submitting her leave application. Her parents and daughter had already left for Delhi by this time. Lal Thanhawla accused her of insubordination.<ref name="IT_1992_middle"/>

=== As Delhi Prisons Inspector-General ===

After leaving her Mizoram assignment incomplete in September 1992, Bedi had to wait eight months for a new posting. In May 1993, she was posted to the Delhi Prisons as Inspector General (IG). The [[Tihar Jail]] of Delhi was built as a four-jail complex with a capacity of 2,500 prisoners. However, by the time Bedi became its in-charge, its prisoner population varied from 8,000 to 9,500. About 90% of its inmates were undertrials, who had been accused of non-bailable offences. Some of them had been waiting for years to get a trial in a badly clogged court system. The prison had a budget of {{INR}}15 [[crore]], which was just enough to pay for basic expenditure, leaving little for welfare programmes. Tihar was notorious as a violent and unmanageable place, and no officer wanted to be posted there. The post had been lying vacant for nine months, before Bedi was posted there.<ref name="IT_1995_Inside">{{cite journal |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/special-report/story/19950531-kiran-bedi-brought-her-vision-of-social-reform-to-tihar-808377-1995-05-30 |title=Inside Tihar |journal=India Today |date=31 May 1995 }}</ref>

==== Reforms at Tihar ====

Bedi decided to turn Tihar into a model prison. She introduced several reforms. She arranged separate barracks for the hardened criminals, who had been using their time in prison to recruit gang members, sell contraband and extort money. These prisoners unsuccessfully challenged Bedi in court for unfairly segregating them.<ref name="RMAF_1994"/>

For other prisoners, Bedi arranged vocational training with certificates, so that they could find a job after their release. During her tenure, [[Indira Gandhi National Open University]] and [[National Institute of Open Schooling|National Open School]] set up their centers inside the prison.<ref name="AT_2015_joins"/> Legal cells were set up to help the undertrials.<ref name="IT_1995_Inside"/> Bedi banned smoking in the prison. The move faced a lot of resistance from the staff as well as the prisoners. She introduced yoga and [[Vipassana meditation]] classes to change the prisoners' attitudes. She organized additional activities such as sports, prayer, and festival celebrations. She also established a de-addiction center, and pulled up or imprisoned the staff members involved in drug supply.<ref name="Deepa_2005"/> A bank was also opened inside the prison.<ref name="AT_2015_joins"/> A bakery and small manufacturing units, including carpentry and weaving units, were set up in the jail. The profits from the products sold were put into the prisoners' welfare fund.<ref name="Deepa_2005"/>

Bedi went on daily prison tours, observing the staff, listening to prisoners'complaints, inspecting food quality and evaluating overall management. She developed a [[Panchayati raj in India|panchayat]] system, where prisoners who were respected for their age, education, or character represented other inmates and met every evening with senior officers to sort out problems. She also established petition boxes so that prisoners could write to the IG about any issue. While the jail had suggestion boxes earlier too, the jail staff would destroy the complaints received through these boxes. On the other hand, the prisoners writing to Bedi received acknowledgment and information about the status of their petition.<ref name="Deepa_2005"/>

In this prison reform programme, Bedi involved outsiders – including NGOs, schools, civilians and former inmates.<ref name="IT_1995_Inside"/> As a result of Bedi's reforms, there was a drop in the fights and disturbances in the jail.<ref name="Deepa_2005"/> Even the hardened criminals, who had been isolated in separate barracks, started behaving well. Bedi then arranged for them to attend education and meditation courses.<ref name="RMAF_1994"/>

In May 1994, Bedi organized a 'health day', during which around 400 doctors and paramedics were invited to attend to Tihar's patients. Based on visits to two of Tihar's adolescent wards, a cardiologist associated with the Delhi Government's [[AIDS]] Control Programme, claimed that two-thirds of the inmates had acknowledged engaging in homosexual acts. He recommended distribution of [[condom]]s in the prison, a move supported by Delhi's Health Minister [[Harsh Vardhan (Delhi politician)|Harsh Vardhan]] and [[National AIDS Control Organisation]]. However, Kiran Bedi opposed the move pointing out that there were no [[HIV+]] prisoners in Tihar. She stated that the distribution of condoms would encourage homosexual activity (illegal as per [[Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code|Section 377]]) among criminals. Based on a survey conducted through petition boxes, she claimed that incidence of consensual homosexual activity was negligible, and that the doctor's claim had hurt her prisoners. In response, the activist group [[AIDS Bhedbhav Virodhi Andolan|ABVA]] filed a writ petition in the [[Delhi High Court]] demanding distribution of condoms in Tihar. Bedi termed the move as an attempt to force "western solutions" on "Tihar [[Ashram]]", and filed a counter affidavit opposing the demand.<ref>{{cite journal |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/indiascope/story/19940531-tihar-jail-bans-condoms-809220-1994-05-30 |title=Safe custody? |date=31 May 1994 |author=Kai Friese |journal=India Today }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.lawyerscollective.org/files/Written%20Submissions%20FINAL%20AS%20FILED.pdf |title=Special Leave Petition (Civil) No. 15436 of 2009 (Supreme Court of India) |publisher=Lawyers Collective |access-date=29 January 2015 |archive-date=4 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304185646/http://www.lawyerscollective.org/files/Written%20Submissions%20FINAL%20AS%20FILED.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==== Removal from Tihar ====

Bedi's reform programme at Tihar received worldwide acclaim. But it also attracted envy from her superiors, who accused her of diluting prison security for personal glory. She was not on good terms with her immediate supervisor in the government, the minister for prisons Harsharan Singh Balli. Many members of Balli's party, the BJP, had not forgiven Bedi for her [[lathi charge]] on the party's assembly in the 1980s. However, until March 1995, Bedi was on good terms with BJP's Delhi Chief Minister [[Madan Lal Khurana]]. Khurana was a prisoner in Tihar during [[The Emergency (India)|the Emergency]], and appreciated her work for prisoners.<ref name="IT_wages_1995">{{cite journal |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/special-report/story/19950531-kiran-bedi-transferred-from-tihar-on-charges-of-security-breach-despite-her-prison-reforms-807385-1995-05-30 |title=Wages of success |author=M Rahman |journal=India Today |date=31 May 1995 }}</ref>

In 1994, Bedi was awarded the [[Ramon Magsaysay Award]] and the [[Jawarharlal Nehru Fellowship|Nehru Fellowship]]. The Magsaysay Foundation recognized her leadership and innovations in crime control, drug rehabilitation, and humane prison reform. The US president [[Bill Clinton]] invited her to [[National Prayer Breakfast]] in [[Washington, D.C.]] When the Delhi Government refused to let her accept the invitation, Bedi lobbied with the Union Home Ministry to get the clearance. However, the Home Minister [[Shankarrao Chavan|S.B. Chavan]] declined the permission. Clinton repeated the invitation in 1995, and this time, Bedi approached the media. The ''[[New York Times]]'' published a report stating that "several politicians and her superiors were feeling cut up with her assertive style and the success that followed her". Under pressure from the public and the media, Chavan allowed Bedi to attend the Breakfast. However, this episode won her several detractors in the government.<ref name="IT_wages_1995"/><ref name="TimMcG_1995"/>

Sometime later, Bedi was invited by the [[United Nations]] to discuss social reintegration of prisoners at the Copenhagen Social Summit. When the Delhi Government refused to permit her, Bedi met the minister of state for home [[Rajesh Pilot]] on 4 March 1995. The meeting got extended, because of which Bedi had to cancel an appointment she had with the Chief Minister Khurana. Pilot gave her the permission, but this irked Khurana, who later exclaimed "If she thinks we have no importance, then why does she want to work for the Delhi Government?"<ref name="IT_wages_1995"/> While Bedi was in Copenhagen, the prominent farmers' leader [[Mahendra Singh Tikait]] was imprisoned in Tihar after a rally, and sought the BJP leaders' help in getting a [[hookah]] inside. However, the jail authorities refused to give permission for a hookah, since Bedi had earlier declared Tihar a no-smoking zone.<ref name="IT_wages_1995"/>

Subsequently, Delhi's [[List of lieutenant governors of Delhi|lieutenant governor]] P.K. Dave wrote a letter to the Union Home Secretary K. Padmanabhiah, accusing Bedi of "manipulating foreign trips", and leveled other charges against her. Dave accused Bedi of "compromising" the prison's security by allowing visitors – including American officials and foreign TV crews – inside the jail, without the Delhi government's permission. Another charge was that she had allowed [[National Human Rights Commission|NHRC]] representatives to meet [[Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act|TADA]] detainees from [[Jammu and Kashmir (state)|Kashmir]], who had raised anti-national slogans. In her defence, Bedi argued that the TADA detainees had gone on a relay hunger strike demanding speedy trials. She also stated that the foreign TV crews had only shot the Vipassana meditation classes, and that she had the right to admit them under the rules. She also pointed out that the Union Government had itself asked her to allow the Americans – [[Lee P. Brown]] and Christine Wisner (wife of [[Frank G. Wisner]]) – inside the prison.<ref name="IT_wages_1995"/>

Another charge against Bedi was giving undue favours to the notorious criminal [[Charles Sobhraj]]. At that time, the ''Delhi Jail Manual'' (written in 1894 and modified in 1988) listed a number of prohibited articles, one of which was a [[typewriter]]. However, the manual also gave the jail superintendent the power to allow any of these prohibited items in special cases. Using this power, Bedi permitted Sobhraj the use of an electronic typewriter (Sobhraj had already been given a manual typewriter before Bedi became the officer in-charge). Bedi had also allowed NGOs to start typing classes for prisoners, but Sobhraj claimed that he was using the typewriter to write her biography, which gave the authorities a reason to accuse Bedi of misusing her powers. Khurana also alleged that Sobhraj had been supplied with a [[smoking pipe|pipe]] and foreign-made [[cigars]], a charge refuted by the testimony of Sobhraj's former cell-mate. The prison manual also had an antiquated rule which stated that "caught escapees will wear a red cap". Sobhraj had escaped in 1986, before he was recaptured. Khurana alleged that Bedi had specially exempted him from wearing a red cap. However, a senior jail officer stated that he had never seen the 'red cap' rule being implemented in Tihar.<ref name="TimMcG_1995">{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/rough-justice-for-prison-heroine-1618574.html |title=Rough justice for prison heroine |date=7 May 1995 |author=Tim McGirk |newspaper=The Independent }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/special-report/story/19950531-kiran-bedi-accused-of-permitting-charles-sobhraj-use-of-typewriter-808379-1995-05-30 |title=Of typewriters and red caps |journal=India Today |date=31 May 1995 }}</ref> PK Dave and Madan Lal Khurana got Bedi removed as the prisons in-charge on 3 May 1995.<ref name="IT_wages_1995"/> When her transfer was announced, the Tihar inmates went on a hunger strike to protest it, while some of the warders celebrated it by distributing sweets.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/123581894/ |author=Christopher Kremmer |title=The caged birds sing |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=6 February 1999 |page=304 }}</ref> Bedi accused "unethical politicians" of "telling lies, making false allegations and misinforming people". She alleged that her supervisors in the government had no "interest, vision or leadership". She argued that she should not have been transferred on the basis of unverified charges, and demanded an inquiry committee. Rajesh Pilot defended her publicly, but the Union Government did not officially support her. [[Khushwant Singh]] described her transfer as "a victory for a handful of small-minded, envious people over a gutsy woman".<ref name="IT_wages_1995"/>

=== After Tihar ===
After her removal from Tihar, Bedi was posted as head of training at the police academy on 4 May 1995.<ref name="TimMcG_1995"/> Her designation was Additional Commissioner (policy and planning).<ref name="IT_wages_1995"/> She served as the Joint Commissioner of Police of Delhi Police. Later, she served as the Special Commissioner (Intelligence) of Delhi Police.

On 5 April 1999, she was appointed as Inspector-General of Police in [[Chandigarh]]. Her mother accompanied her, but soon suffered a [[stroke]] and went into [[coma]]. Bedi requested a transfer back to Delhi, where her family would be able to take care of her mother. The Union Ministry of Home Affairs transferred her back to Delhi on 15 May. However, her mother died in Delhi three days later, after having been in coma for 41 days.{{sfn|Iyer|2012|p=72}}

In 2003, Bedi became the first woman to be appointed the United Nations civilian police adviser. She worked in the Department of Peacekeeping Operations.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.rediff.com/us/2003/jan/11bedi.htm |title=Kiran Bedi named first woman UN Civilian Police Adviser |work=rediff.com |author=Suman Guha Mozumder |date=11 January 2003 }}</ref> In 2005, she returned to Delhi after her UN stint. The Delhi Bar Association lobbied to ensure that she didn't get a post that would put her on track to become Delhi's police chief. The lawyers, referring to the 1988 controversy, wrote to government authorities arguing that Bedi's appointment to a top post might "unnecessarily create a conflict between the legal fraternity and the police".<ref>{{cite news|title=Lawyers renew Bedi battle|url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1050824/asp/nation/story_5148897.asp|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130204155309/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1050824/asp/nation/story_5148897.asp|url-status=dead|archive-date=4 February 2013|access-date=9 September 2011 |newspaper=The Telegraph |date=24 August 2005}}</ref> She was made the director general, [[Home Guard (India)|Home Guards]]. Before her retirement, she was serving as the director general of the [[Bureau of Police Research and Development]].

In 2007, Bedi applied for the post of Delhi Police Commissioner. She was overlooked in favour of Yudhvir Singh Dadwal, who was junior to her, reportedly because the senior bureaucrats saw her as too "outspoken and radical". Bedi alleged bias, and stated that her merit had been overlooked.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://ibnlive.in.com/news/dadwal-new-police-chief-of-delhi-bedi-cries-bias/45603-3.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20150124190337/http://ibnlive.in.com/news/dadwal-new-police-chief-of-delhi-bedi-cries-bias/45603-3.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=24 January 2015 |title=Dadwal new police chief of Delhi, Bedi cries bias |date=25 June 2007 |publisher=IBNLive }}</ref> She also proceeded for a three-month 'protest leave', but canceled it later.<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://www.tehelka.com/the-khakhi-gamble/ |title=The Khakhi Gamble |journal=Tehelka |issue=5 |volume=12 |author=Pradyot Lal |date=31 January 2015 |access-date=1 February 2015 |archive-date=1 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150201221526/http://www.tehelka.com/the-khakhi-gamble/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> Journalists like [[Karan Thapar]] and Pankaj Vohra criticized her for crying bias, and stated that her service record was tainted with controversies like incomplete Goa, Mizoram and Chandigarh assignments; the lawyers' strike controversy; and the removal from Tihar.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/columnskaranthapar/ten-questions-for-kiran-bedi/article1-240600.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150120053131/http://www.hindustantimes.com/columnskaranthapar/ten-questions-for-kiran-bedi/article1-240600.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-date=20 January 2015 |title=Ten questions for Kiran Bedi |newspaper=Hindustan Times |author=Karan Thapar |date=5 April 2007 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/columnspankajvohra/gender-s-worked-for-bedi/article1-239513.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150125120814/http://www.hindustantimes.com/columnspankajvohra/gender-s-worked-for-bedi/article1-239513.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-date=25 January 2015 |title=Gender's worked for Bedi |author=Pankaj Vohra |date=29 June 2007 |newspaper=Hindustan Times }}</ref>

Bedi resigned from police service in November 2007, citing personal reasons. She stated that she wanted to focus on academic and social work.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7115753.stm |title=First female police officer quits |author=Tinku Ray |work=BBC News |date=27 November 2007 }}</ref>

==Social activism==
[[File:Kiran Bedi at the SWIM Conference.JPG|thumb|left|Bedi at ''Successful Women in Management'' (SWIM) Conference in 2009]]
[[File:Womans in Navjyoti India Foundation.jpg|thumb|Group of women in the Navjyoti India Foundation]]
The Navjyoti Delhi Police Foundation founded by Bedi and her colleagues was renamed to Navjyoti India Foundation in 2007. Over the next 25 years, it provided residential treatment to nearly 20,000 drug and alcohol addicts. It also started crime prevention programmes such as education of street children and slum kids. It established 200 single-teacher schools, vocational training centers, health care facilities and counselling centers for the vulnerable sections of society. In 2010, it also established the Navjyoti Community College, affiliated to IGNOU.{{sfn|Iyer|2012|pp=40–41}}

Bedi set up India Vision Foundation (IVF) in 1994. IVF works in fields of police reforms, prison reforms, women empowerment and rural and community development.<ref>{{cite web|title=India Vision Foundation – Objective being to save the NEXT VICTIM|url=http://www.indiavisionfoundation.org/objectives.asp|access-date=10 September 2011|archive-date=3 September 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110903182524/http://www.indiavisionfoundation.org/objectives.asp|url-status=dead}}</ref> In police reform area, Bedi emphasized better training, while opposing hazing of trainees. She opposed frequent transfers, stating that these lead to poor cadre management. She also proposed creation of a new level of police administration, which would protect rank-and-file officers from politicians and bureaucrats. In women's rights area, she has advocated equitable educational opportunities and property ownership (including co-ownership) for women. She has emphasized faster empowerment of rural women.<ref name="RMAF_1994"/>

She is a social commentator and trainer and frequently speaks on various social issues like education, domestic violence & others. During 2008–11, Bedi hosted the reality TV show ''[[Aap Ki Kachehri]]'' on [[STAR Plus]]. In this [[court show]], Bedi resolved everyday conflicts in a simulated courtroom.<ref>{{cite book|author=Shoma Munshi|title=Remote Control: Indian Television in the New Millennium |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fdGATZeZWJcC&pg=PT123|date=15 December 2012|publisher=Penguin Books Limited |isbn=978-81-8475-755-2 |page=123}}</ref> In 2008, she launched the website<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.saferindia.com/kiranbedi/|title=Kiran Bedi |website=Mission Safer India|access-date=16 January 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180701031647/http://www.saferindia.com/kiranbedi/|archive-date=1 July 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref> to help people whose complaints are not accepted by the local police.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-newdelhi/kiran-bedi-launches-website/article1172141.ece|title=Kiran Bedi launches website|date=4 January 2008|newspaper=The Hindu}}</ref> As an activist for women's safety across the nation, Bedi heavily slammed former [[Samajwadi Party]] chief [[Mulayam Singh Yadav]] for his comments of "Boys are boys, they make mistakes, why hand them for rape" during the 2014 General Elections.<ref>{{cite news|url= https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/mulayam-singh-yadav-backs-rapists-for-votes/articleshow/33579716.cms?from=mdr|title= Mulayam Singh Yadav backs rapists for votes|newspaper= The Economic Times|date= 11 April 2014}}</ref>

[[File:Kiran Bedi with Anna Hazare.jpg|thumb|Kiran Bedi with Anna Hazare.]]

Bedi was one of the speakers in [[Bhagavad Gita]] Summit (from 10–14 December 2021) during [[Gita Jayanti]] at [[Dallas]], [[Texas]], US along with other notable personalities such as [[Mukundananda|Swami Mukundananda Ji]], [[Menas Kafatos|Dr. Menas Kafatos]], [[Shiv Khera|Mr. Shiv Khera]], [[Gloria Arieira|Brahmacharini Gloria Arieira]] and others.<ref>{{cite web|title=JKYog Bhagavad Gita Summit {{!}} RKTemple|url=https://www.radhakrishnatemple.net/jkyog-bhagavad-gita-summit|website=adhakrishnatemple.net|publisher=[[Radha Krishna Temple]]|access-date=5 January 2022|archive-date=19 May 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220519113705/https://www.radhakrishnatemple.net/jkyog-bhagavad-gita-summit|url-status=dead}}</ref>

=== Anti-corruption movement ===
[[File:Kiran Bedi at Ramlila maidan.jpg|thumb|right|Kiran Bedi at Ramlila maidan for Jan Lokpal Bill.]]

In October 2010, [[Arvind Kejriwal]] invited Bedi to join him in exposing the [[CWG scam]]. Bedi accepted the invitation, and by 2011, the two had allied with other activists, including [[Anna Hazare]], to form [[India Against Corruption]] (IAC) group. Their campaign evolved into the [[2011 Indian anti-corruption movement]].<ref name="IT_2011_game">{{cite journal |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/supplement/story/20110919-the-game-changer-747540-2011-09-07 |title=Kiran Bedi: The game changer |date=8 September 2011 |journal=India Today |author=Kruttika Kallury }}</ref> Anna Hazare planned an indefinite [[hunger strike]] to demand the passage of a stronger [[Jan Lokpal Bill]] in the Indian Parliament. On 16 August 2011, Bedi and other key members of IAC were detained by the police, four hours before the hunger strike could start.<ref>{{cite web |title=Anna Hazare IS the movement |url=https://www.rediff.com/news/report/anna-hazare-is-the-movement/20110823.htm |publisher=Rediff |access-date=24 August 2011 }}</ref> Bedi and other activists were released later on the same day.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Kiran-Bedi-Swami-Agnivesh-join-protest-outside-Tihar/articleshow/9633366.cms |title=Kiran Bedi, Swami Agnivesh join protest outside Tihar |newspaper=The Times of India |date=17 August 2011 }}</ref> After twelve days of protests and many discussions between the government and the activists, the Parliament passed a resolution to consider [[2011 Indian anti-corruption movement#Sense of the House|three points]] in drafting of Lokpal bill.<ref>{{cite news|title=Agreed! says Parliament to Anna; fast ends at 10 am |url=http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/absolutely-says-parliament-to-anna-no-vote-required-fast-ends-at-10-am-129474 |access-date=29 August 2011 |newspaper=NDTV |date=28 August 2011}}</ref>

Some members of parliament proposed to bring a breach of privilege motion against Bedi and other activists for allegedly mocking the parliamentarians during the Lokpal bill protests,<ref>{{cite news|title=Privilege notices in Parliament against Om Puri, Kiran Bedi |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/privilege-notices-in-parliament-against-om-puri-kiran-bedi/article2408522.ece |newspaper=The Hindu |date=29 August 2011 |access-date=2 December 2019 |last1=Dhar |first1=Aarti }}</ref> however they withdrew these notices later.<ref>{{cite news|title=Congress MP withdraws privilege notice against Anna's aides|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Congress-MP-withdraws-privilege-notice-against-Annas-aides-/articleshow/9904549.cms|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131222183141/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-09-08/india/30129589_1_privilege-notice-privilege-motion-anna-hazare|url-status=live|archive-date=22 December 2013|access-date=10 September 2011|newspaper=[[The Times of India]]|date=8 September 2011}}</ref>

During the anti-corruption movement, Bedi faced controversy when some newspapers questioned discrepancies in her past travel expenses between 2006 and 2011. In 2009, for example, Bedi was invited as the keynote speaker at a conference arranged by Aviation Industry Employees Guild. She accepted the invitation without a speaking fee, but her NGO was to be reimbursed for travel expenses. Bedi's travel agent Flywell, invoiced her hosts business class fare for air tickets, but arranged Bedi to travel in economy class.<ref>{{cite news |url= http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article2568506.ece |location= Mumbai, India | work= The Hindu |title= Kiran Bedi overcharged us for travel, says NGO |date= 25 October 2011}}</ref> Between 2006 and 2011, there were several discrepancies in travel-related expense statements, as well as instances where she travelled at no cost to her hosts for a cause. In these cases, Bedi stated she did not personally receive or incur the disputed difference, only India Vision Foundation did, an NGO she headed.<ref>{{cite news |title=Kiran Lokpal Bedi buys discount air tickets, gets hosts to pay full fare |url= http://www.indianexpress.com/news/kiran-lokpal-bedi-buys-discount-air-tickets-gets-hosts-to-pay-full-fare/862515/ |access-date= 27 October 2011 |newspaper= Indian Express |date= 20 October 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title='No Personal Gain' on Inflated Air Tickets: Kiran Bedi |url=http://news.outlookindia.com/items.aspx?artid=738857 |access-date=27 October 2011 |newspaper=Outlook India |date=20 October 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111021051140/http://news.outlookindia.com/items.aspx?artid=738857 |archive-date=21 October 2011 }}</ref> In November 2011, the Delhi Police, under directions of the additional chief metropolitan magistrate, registered an [[First Information Report|FIR]] – police case for cognizable offense – against Bedi for allegedly misappropriating funds through Indian Vision Foundation and other NGOs.<ref>[http://www.indianexpress.com/news/court-orders-fir-against-bedi-for-misuse-of-funds/880990/ Court orders FIR against Bedi for misuse of funds]. Indian Express (27 November 2011). Retrieved on 13 March 2012.</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/Delhi-Police-registers-case-against-Kiran-Bedi/articleshow/10890250.cms | archive-url=https://archive.today/20120720203159/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-11-27/delhi/30446897_1_devinder-singh-chauhan-kiran-bedi-delhi-police | url-status=live | archive-date=20 July 2012 | work=[[The Times of India]] | title=Delhi Police registers case against Kiran Bedi | date=27 November 2011}}</ref> The investigation that followed found no evidence of fraud against her or of siphoning of NGO funds for personal use, and subsequently filed closure of the case.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/Clean-chit-to-Kiran-Bedi-in-fund-abuse-case/articleshow/14967809.cms | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130202221536/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-07-16/delhi/32697161_1_devinder-singh-chauhan-india-vision-foundation-microsoft-and-vedanta-foundation | url-status=live | archive-date=2 February 2013 | title=Clean chit to Kiran Bedi in fund abuse case | date=16 July 2012 | work=[[The Times of India]] | access-date=16 February 2014}}</ref>

==Politics==
[[File:The book "Moditva – the Idea behind the Man" being launched by Rajnath Singh.jpg|thumb|right|Bedi (right) at the launch of a book on [[Narendra Modi]] in March 2014]]

Bedi split from IAC after a faction led by Arvind Kejriwal formed the [[Aam Aadmi Party]] (AAP) in 2012.<ref>{{cite news|title=Anti-corruption body abandons Janlokpal |first=Nivedita |last=Khandekar |publisher=Hindustan Times |date=3 September 2013 |url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/newdelhi/anti-corruption-body-abandons-janlokpal/article1-1116543.aspx |access-date=14 December 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141008024743/http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/newdelhi/anti-corruption-body-abandons-janlokpal/article1-1116543.aspx |archive-date= 8 October 2014 }}</ref> AAP went on to form a short-lived [[minority government]] in Delhi with Kejriwal as chief minister. During the [[2014 Indian general election]], Bedi publicly supported [[Narendra Modi]], the prime ministerial candidate of [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] (BJP).<ref>{{cite news |url=http://archive.financialexpress.com/news/expressed-support-for-narendra-modi-as-an-independent-citizen-kiran-bedi/1217584 |title=Kiran Bedi: Expressed support for Narendra Modi as an 'independent citizen' |date=11 January 2014 |newspaper=Financial Express |access-date=22 January 2015 |archive-date=15 January 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150115201828/http://archive.financialexpress.com/news/expressed-support-for-narendra-modi-as-an-independent-citizen-kiran-bedi/1217584 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Kejriwal, on the other hand, contested the election against Modi. After Modi won and became the prime minister of India, Bedi stated that she was ready to be BJP's CM candidate in Delhi, if such an offer was made to her.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://indianexpress.com/article/india/politics/kiran-bedi-ready-to-be-bjps-delhi-cm-candidate/ |title=Kiran Bedi ready to be BJP's Delhi CM candidate |date=31 May 2014 |newspaper=Indian Express }}</ref> Eight months after Modi's election, she joined BJP in 2015. She was BJP's chief ministerial candidate for the [[2015 Delhi Legislative Assembly election|2015 Delhi Assembly elections]], in which Arvind Kejriwal was AAP's CM candidate.<ref>{{cite news|title=Kiran Bedi to be BJP's CM candidate in Delhi: Amit Shah |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/elections/delhi-elections-2015/top-stories/Kiran-Bedi-to-be-BJPs-CM-candidate-in-Delhi-Amit-Shah/articleshow/45945499.cms |date=19 January 2015 |newspaper=Times of India }}</ref> She lost the election from Krishna Nagar constituency to AAP candidate SK Bagga by a margin of 2277 votes, and AAP came to power again with an absolute majority after one year.<ref>[http://www.ndtv.com/elections/delhi/krishna-nagar-mla-results Krishna Nagar 2015 results]. ndtv.com</ref>

Earlier, on 22 May 2016, Bedi was appointed as the [[List of Lieutenant Governors of Puducherry|lieutenant governor]] of [[Puducherry (union territory)|Puducherry]].<ref>{{cite news | title=Former IPS officer Kiran Bedi appointed Lt Governor of Puducherry | website=The Indian Express | date=22 May 2016 | url=http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/kiran-bedi-appointed-puducherry-lt-governor-elections-dmk-congress-win/ | access-date=22 May 2016}}</ref>

==Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry==
[[File:Lt. Governor Dr. Kiran Bedi.jpg|thumb|250px| Bedi as Lt. Governor of Puducherry]]
Bedi took oath as the Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry on 29 May 2016, stating that she was aiming to make Puducherry prosperous through "trust, empowerment and accountability."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/kiran-bedi-assumes-charge-as-lieutenant-governor-of-puducherry/articleshow/52492499.cms |title=Kiran Bedi assumes charge as Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry |work=The Economic Times |access-date=2020-03-13}}</ref>

One of the first practices she initiated as the lieutenant governor was to open the gates of [[Raj Niwas, Pondicherry|Raj Nivas]] - the official residence of the Governor - to the public, thereby making it the "People’s Nivas". She started an 'open house' process where the public could visit Raj Nivas from Monday to Wednesday at 17:00 to meet the lieutenant governor in person and have their grievances addressed.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/puducherry/Kiran-Bedi-reaches-out-to-people-conducts-open-house/article14379929.ece |title=Kiran Bedi reaches out to people, conducts open house |work=The Hindu |access-date=2020-03-13}}</ref> She undertook morning rounds on bicycle to inspect public amenities and interact with people.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/puducherry/lt-governor-bedi-pushes-for-pedal-power-in-pondy/articleshow/58796861.cms |title=Lt governor Bedi pushes for pedal power in Pondy |work=[[The Times of India]] |date=2017-05-23}}</ref>

[[File:Dr.Kiran Bedi leading a rally at Karaikal.jpg|thumb|250px|Bedi leading a cycle rally at [[Karaikal]].]]
[[File:Dr.Kiran Bedi with Sanitation Workers during a cleaning campaign at Puducherry.jpg|thumb|250px| Dr.Kiran Bedi with Sanitation Workers during a cleaning campaign at Puducherry]]
Raj Nivas dedicated "visitor hours" every day from 12:00 to 13:30, during which the general public was allowed to enter and see the French heritage building and to meet the lieutenant governor, and take a picture with her.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/puducherry/raj-nivas-to-be-open-to-public/article18264218.ece |title=Raj Nivas to be open to public |work=The Hindu |date=2017-04-28}}</ref>

In 2017, Bedi received public complaints about corrupt practices in postgraduate medical college admissions process organized by the Centralized Admission Committee (CENTAC), a government body. She visited the CENTAC office, and directed the officials to revoke their decision of surrendering government-quota seats to the managements of private colleges. She also ordered them to ensure fairness and transparency in the process. Some private colleges had denied admissions to government-quota students stating that the fees prescribed by CENTAC was too low. Bedi directed the management of these colleges to admit the students, and asked them to take up the issue of low fees with the government.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/puducherry/bedi-pulls-up-admission-committee-for-private-medical-colleges-institutions/articleshow/58917456.cms |title=Kiran Bedi pulls up admission committee for private medical colleges, institutions |work=[[The Times of India]] |date=2017-05-31}}</ref>

Another project by Bedi has been ‘Mission Water Rich Puducherry’.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/puducherry/continuing-the-mission-to-make-puducherry-water-rich/article26425244.ece|title=Continuing the mission to make Puducherry water rich|date=2019-03-03|work=The Hindu|access-date=2020-02-07|language=en-IN|issn=0971-751X}}</ref> When she heard that the PWD{{clarify|date=August 2022}} did not have enough funds to de-silt water channels and the drains, she brought in community support in the form of CSR{{clarify|date=August 2022}}, connected donors with JCB{{clarify|date=August 2022}} machine contractors, and had the channels de-silted in short notice. Today, this model is being emulated across the country.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/blogs/voices/from-clogged-drains-to-flowing-canals-the-puducherry-water-rich-model/ |title=From clogged drains to flowing canals: The Puducherry Water Rich Model |work=[[The Times of India]] |access-date=2020-03-13}}</ref> In 2019, as she celebrated her 70th birthday, she began 'Mission Green Puducherry' by planting saplings along the Kanagan lake in Puducherry. Since then, many students and volunteers have taken this forward by organizing tree planting drives.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/puducherry/bedi-launches-greenery-programme/article27706263.ece |title=Bedi launches greenery programme |work=The Hindu |date=2019-06-10}}</ref>

[[File:The Lt. Governor of Puducherry, Ms. Kiran Bedi performing Yoga along with other participants, on the occasion of the 2nd International Day of Yoga – 2016, at Beach Road, Puducherry on June 21, 2016.jpg|thumb|200px| Bedi performing Yoga along with other participants, on the occasion of the 2nd [[International Day of Yoga]] – 2016, at Beach Road, Puducherry on June 21, 2016]]

At the 50th Governors Conference in Delhi, Bedi outlined several best practices that she introduced in Puducherry to ensure financial prudence, bring in community support, and grievance redressal through open house.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/puducherry/bedi-outlines-pondys-good-practices-at-governors-meet/articleshow/72199860.cms |title=Kiran Bedi outlines Puducherry's good practices at governors' meet |work=[[The Times of India]] |date=2019-11-24}}</ref>

She removed as the lieutenant governor of Puducherry on 16 February 2021. The governor of Telangana, [[Tamilisai Soundararajan]] was given additional charge of the Union territory.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-02-16|title=Kiran Bedi removed as Puducherry LG amid political crisis in Union territory|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/kiran-bedi-removed-as-puducherry-s-lieutenant-governor-101613490356384.html|access-date=2021-02-16|website=Hindustan Times|language=en}}</ref>

==Author==

[[File:Ms. Kiran Bedi presents her book “Creating Leadership” to the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, in New Delhi on January 13, 2016.jpg|thumb|250px| Kiran Bedi presents her book "Creating Leadership" to the prime minister, [[Narendra Modi]], in New Delhi on January 13, 2016]]

Bedi has authored the following works:

* {{cite book |author=Kiran Bedi |title=Demand for Swaraj: (1905–1930) |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4P9KNAAACAAJ |year=1985 |publisher=ABS }}
* {{cite book |author=Kiran Bedi |title=It's Always Possible: One Woman's Transformation of Tihar Prison |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qIXHHQT4txMC |year=2006 |publisher=Himalayan Institute Press |isbn=978-0-89389-258-6}}
** Translated into Marathi as ''इट्स ऑलवेज पॉसिबल'' ({{ISBN|8177663534}})
* {{cite book |author1=Kiran Bedi |author2=Parminder Jeet Singh |author3=Sandeep Srivastava |title=Government @ Net: New Governance Opportunities for India |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=r_uJAAAAMAAJ |year=2001 |publisher=SAGE |isbn=978-0-7619-9569-2}}
* {{cite book |author=Kiran Bedi |title=As I see |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CBu56vOnzLQC |year=2003 |publisher=Sterling |isbn=978-81-207-2938-4}}
* {{cite book |author1=Kiran Bedi |author2=T M Dak |title=What Went Wrong?…….And Continues |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IyXeomPZp4QC |date=1 January 2005 |publisher=UBSPD |isbn=978-81-7476-444-7}}
** Translated into Marathi by Leena Sohoni as ''व्हॉट वेंट रॉंग?'' ({{ISBN|8177664700}})
* {{cite book |author=Kiran Bedi |title=It's Always Possible: One Woman's Transformation of Tihar Prison |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qIXHHQT4txMC |year=2006 |publisher=Himalayan Institute Press |isbn=978-0-89389-258-6}}
* {{cite book |author=Kiran Bedi |title=Galti Kiski |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NQ_Ne9xkLuYC |publisher=Diamond |language=hi |isbn=978-81-7182-899-9 |year=2006}}
* {{cite book |author=Kiran Bedi |title=Yeha Sambhav Hai |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=S4fhTbWM-qgC |publisher=Diamond |language=hi |isbn=978-81-288-0466-3 |year=2006 }}
* {{cite book |author=Kiran Bedi |title=Empowering Women… As I See… by Kiran Bedi |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LTGlJFba5coC |publisher=Sterling |isbn=978-81-207-9126-8 |year=2008}}
** Translated into Marathi by Madhuri Shanbhag as ''अ‍ॅज आय सी… स्त्रियांचे सक्षमीकरण…'' ({{ISBN|8177664875}})
* {{cite book |author=Kiran Bedi |title=Leadership & Governance… As I See… by Kiran Bedi |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wC-pg7yLNXAC |publisher=Sterling |isbn=978-81-207-9168-8 |year=2008 }}
** Translated into Marathi by Madhuri Shanbhag as ''ऍज आय सी… नेतृत्व आणि प्रशासन…'' ({{ISBN|8177664875}})
* {{cite book |author=Kiran Bedi |title=Indian Police… As I See… |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PoSuX4uG_vcC  |year=2008 |publisher=Sterling |isbn=978-81-207-3790-7 }}
** Translated into Marathi by Madhuri Shanbhag as ''अॅज आय सी… भारतीय पोलीस सेवा…'' ({{ISBN|8177664875}})
* {{cite book |author1=Kiran Bedi |author2=Pavan Choudary |title=Broom & Groom |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mQi2cQAACAAJ |year= 2010 |publisher=Wisdom Village |isbn=978-93-80710-01-3}}
** Translated into Hindi as ''कायदे के फायदे'' ({{ISBN|9789380710037}})
** Translated into Marathi as ''कायदे नेक फायदे अनेक'' ({{ISBN|9789380710044}})
** Translated into Gujarati as ''આવો આપણે સભ્યતા કેળવીએ'' ({{ISBN|9789380710051}})
* {{cite book |author=Kiran Bedi |title=Be the Change: Fighting Corruption |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bZEeAgAAQBAJ |publisher=Sterling |isbn=978-81-207-9174-9 |page=2012 }}
* {{cite book |author=Kiran Bedi |title=Dare to Do, for the New Generation |year=2012 |publisher=Wisdom Village |isbn=9789381431436 }}
** Translated into Hindi as ''निडर बनो'' ({{ISBN|9789380710341}})
* {{cite book |author1=Kiran Bedi |author2=Pavan Choudary |title=Uprising 2011: Indians Against Corruption |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=R-hzmwEACAAJ |year=2013 |publisher=Wisdom Village Publications |isbn=978-93-80710-44-0}}
* Kiran Bedi;(2016). [https://www.diamondbook.in/dr-kiran-bedi-creating-leadership.html Dr. Kiran Bedi : Creating Leadership.]. Diamond Books Publications {{ISBN|978 93 51659-78-5}}
* Kiran Bedi (2016). [http://www.diamondbook.in/himmat-hai-kiran-bedi.html Himmat Hai Kiran Bedi] Diamond Books Publication. {{ISBN|978-81-7182-991-0}}
* {{cite book |author=Shivani Arora |title=Where Kindness Spoke: Best Practices of a Lieutenant Governor Dr. Kiran Bedi Through Her Leadership |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5nlmzQEACAAJ |year=2020 |publisher=Sterling Publishers Pvt. Limited |isbn=9788194400714}}
* {{cite book |author=Kiran Bedi |title=Fearless Governance |date=12 January 2022 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qb1YEAAAQBAJ |publisher=Diamond Pocket Books Pvt Ltd |isbn=978-9354866029 }}

== Personal life ==

Kiran Bedi was born Kiran Peshawaria, daughter of Prakash Lal Peshawaria and his wife Prem Lata Peshawaria. She is one of four sisters. Indian-American lawyer [[Anu Peshawaria]] is Bedi's younger sister.

Kiran met her future husband Brij Bedi on the tennis courts of Amritsar. Brij, who was nine years older than her, played university-level tennis at the time. On 9 March 1972, the two were married at a simple ceremony at the local [[Shiva]] temple.{{sfn|Iyer|2012|p=26}} The couple had a happy marriage initially, and Brij Bedi was extremely supportive of his wife's aspirations. In an interview given after she became the first woman to be accepted into the ultra-elite [[Indian Police Service|IPS]], Kiran Bedi described her husband as "my personal God" and attributed her success to him. However, once she had become the first-ever IPS officer, Kiran Bedi's parents moved into the government house allotted to her and also brought along their two youngest (unmarried) daughters. Brij and Kiran had a daughter three years after the wedding, but after her birth, Brij Bedi's parents and siblings were hardly able to see the baby due to the total domination of Kiran's family in the household. Brij Bedi felt suffocated and relations with his live-in in-laws deteriorated. He moved out not long after the birth of his daughter and thereafter, the two lived separately for the rest of their lives.{{cn|date=March 2025}} However, they never got divorced, and Brij Bedi has attributed that decision to the fact that they have a child together.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.punjabmonitor.com/2013/04/the-unhappy-husband-of-kiran-bedi.html |title=The unhappy husband of Kiran Bedi |newspaper=Punjab Monitor |year=2013 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.firstpost.com/politics/qa-i-was-once-a-kejriwal-supporter-says-kiran-bedis-husband-2057833.html |title=Q&A: I was once a Kejriwal supporter, says Kiran Bedi's husband |date=21 January 2015 |author=Tarique Anwar }}</ref>

The couple had a daughter in 1975; originally named Sukriti, she later changed her name to Saina.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://lifepositive.com/heartspeak-life-of-piety-and-purity/ |title=Heartspeak – Life of Piety and Purity |author=Saina Bedi |date=1 August 2003 |publisher=LifePositive }}</ref> Brij Bedi died on 31 January 2016.{{cn|date=March 2025}}

== Awards and recognitions ==

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! Award
! By
! For
! Source
|-
| 1968
| Cadet Officer Award
| [[National Cadet Corps (India)|National Cadet Corps]]
| Performance as an NCC cadet
| <ref name="RMAF_1994"/>
|-
| 1979
| [[President's Police Medal]] for Gallantry
| President of India
| Conspicuous courage in preventing violence during Akali-Nirankari clashes
| {{sfn|Saxena|2000|p=33}}
|-
| 1991
| Asia Region Award
| [[International Organization of Good Templars]], Norway
| Drug prevention and control
| <ref>{{cite web |url=http://rbcsgroup.com/OT/November-2004/interview.htm |title=Interview of Dr. Kiran Bedi |year=2004 |publisher=RBCS Group |work=Opportunities Today |access-date=22 January 2015 |archive-date=12 January 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150112032432/http://www.rbcsgroup.com/OT/November-2004/interview.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|-
| 1994
| [[Ramon Magsaysay Award]]
| Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation, Philippines
| Government service
| <ref name="RMAF_1994"/>
|-
| 1995
| [[Aurelius Maschio#Fr Maschio Humanitarian Award|Fr Maschio Humanitarian Award]]
| Fr Maschio Platinum Jubilee Celebration Committee, [[Don Bosco High School, Matunga|Don Bosco Matunga]]
| Social reforms and community services
| <ref name="Meera2010">{{cite book |author=Meera Johri |title=Greatness of spirit |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=j1iegDJAYakC&pg=PA137 |publisher=Rajpal & Sons |year=2010 |isbn=978-81-7028-858-9 |page=137 }}</ref>
|-
| 1995
| Lion of the Year
| [[Lions Clubs International|Lions Club]], [[K. K. Nagar, Chennai|KK Nagar]]
| Community service
| <ref name="Meera2010"/>
|-
| 1997
| Joseph Beuys Prize
| Joseph Beuys Foundation, Germany
| Holistic and Innovative Management (Prison reform)
|
|-
| 1999
| Pride of India
| American Federation of Muslims of Indian Origin (AFMI)
| Commitment towards human welfare
| <ref name="Meera2010"/>
|-
| 1999–2000
| IIT Delhi Alumni Award
| Indian Institute of Technology – Delhi Alumni Association
| Outstanding Contribution to National Development
| <ref>{{cite web |url=http://iitdalumni.com/news/nomination-iit-delhi-alumni-award-outstanding-contribution-national-development-2010 |title=Nomination for IIT Delhi Alumni Award for Outstanding Contribution to National Development 2010 |date=21 January 2015 |publisher=IIT Delhi Alumni Association }}</ref>
|-
| 2001
| Morrison Tom Gitchoff Award
| Western Society of Criminology, United States
| Actions that have significantly improved the quality of justice in India
| <ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/2003/20030112/nation.htm#1 |title=Kiran Bedi is UN Police Adviser |newspaper=The Tribune |date=12 January 2003 }}</ref>
|-
| 2004
| [[United Nations Medal]]
| [[United Nations]]
| Outstanding service
| <ref>{{cite news |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Kiran-Bedi-honoured-with-UN-medal/articleshow/707426.cms |title=Kiran Bedi honoured with UN medal |date=29 May 2004 |newspaper=The Times of India }}</ref>
|-
| 2005
| [[Mother Teresa Awards|Mother Teresa Memorial National Award]] for Social Justice
| All India Christian Council
| Reforms in prison and penal systems
| <ref name="Meera2010"/>
|-
| 2006
| Most Admired Woman in the Country
| ''[[The Week (Indian magazine)|The Week]]''
|
| <ref name="Meera2010"/>
|-
| 2008
| FICCI Award of Excellence
| [[FICCI]] Ladies Organisation
| Being an outstanding woman achiever
| <ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/kiran-bedi-given-award-of-excellence/article1216649.ece |title=Kiran Bedi given 'Award of Excellence' |date=9 March 2008 |newspaper=The Hindu}}</ref>
|-
| 2008
| Kumarappa-Reckless Award
| Indian Society of Criminology
| Outstanding contribution in the areas of criminal justice administration
| <ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.oneindia.com/2008/01/20/kiran-bedi-gets-kumarappa-reckless-award-1200902080.html |title=Kiran Bedi gets Kumarappa-Reckless Award |publisher=One India |date=21 January 2008 }}</ref>
|-
| 2013
| Nomura Award
| [[Nomura Group]]
| Humanitarian work
| <ref>{{cite news |url=http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2013-06-11/news/39899536_1_kiran-bedi-award-function-reward-money |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150122101347/http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2013-06-11/news/39899536_1_kiran-bedi-award-function-reward-money |url-status=dead |archive-date=22 January 2015 |title=Kiran Bedi honoured with Nomura Award |date=11 June 2013 |newspaper=Economic Times }}</ref>
|-
| 2014
| L’Oreal Paris Femina Women Award
| [[L'Oréal]] and [[Femina (India)|Femina]]
| Social impact
| <ref>{{cite news |url=https://gulfnews.com/arts-entertainment/celebrity/l-oreal-paris-femina-honour-indian-women-achievers-1.1309774 |title=L'Oreal Paris, Femina honour Indian women achievers |date=28 March 2014 |publisher=GulfNews }}</ref>
|}

In 2005, [[CUNY School of Law]] awarded her an honorary [[Doctor of Law]] degree in recognition of her "humanitarian approach to prison reforms and policing".<ref>{{cite news |url=http://zeenews.india.com/news/nation/kiran-bedi-gets-honorary-doctorate-from-us-university_218691.html |title=Kiran Bedi gets honorary doctorate from US university |date=23 May 2005 |publisher=Zee News }}</ref>

The Navjyoti Delhi Police Foundation received the 1999 Serge Sotiroff Memorial Award for outstanding contributions to international drug control efforts.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.un.org/press/en/1999/19990625.SOCNA805.html |title=Sotiroff Award presented to Navjyoti Delhi Police Foundation |publisher=United Nations |date=25 June 1999 }}</ref>

She was conferred with Acharya Tulsi Kartritva Puraskar in 2005 by [http://www.abtmm.in Akhil Bhartiya Terapanth Mahila Mandal].

== In popular culture ==

The following films, documentaries and TV programmes are based on Bedi's life:

* ''[[Karthavyam (1990 film)|Karthavyam]]'' (1990), is a [[Telugu language|Telugu]] film based on Bedi. It was dubbed into [[Tamil language|Tamil]] as ''Vyjayanthi IPS''. The movie was remade in Hindi as ''Tejaswini''.<ref>{{cite book |author=Diptakirti Chaudhuri |title=Bollybook: The Big Book of Hindi Movie Trivia |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gq-CBAAAQBAJ&pg=PT133 |date=12 September 2014 |publisher=Penguin Books Limited |isbn=978-93-5118-799-8 |page=133}}</ref>
* ''[[Doing time, Doing Vipassana]]'' (1997), documents Bedi's initiatives for the practice of Vipassana meditation at Tihar
* ''I Gandhis fotspor'' / ''In Gandhi's Footsteps: Kiran Bedi's Humanitarian Revolution'' (2004), a documentary by the Norwegian filmmaker Oystein Rakkenes. Awarded Best Documentary at the Indo-American Film Festival in Atlanta in 2006.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nfi.no/english/norwegianfilms/search/Film?key=35689 |title=In Gandhi's Footsteps |work=Norwegian Film Database |publisher=Norwegian Film Institute |access-date=22 January 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303214650/http://www.nfi.no/english/norwegianfilms/search/Film?key=35689 |archive-date= 3 March 2016 }}</ref>
* ''Kiran Bedi: Yes Madam, Sir'' (2008), a documentary produced by Australian filmmaker Megan Doneman.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/A-movie-on-Kiran-Bedi/articleshow/10267294.cms |title=A movie on Kiran Bedi |author=Suruchi Sharma |date=8 October 2011 |newspaper=The Times of India }}</ref> Narrated by [[Helen Mirren]] it was filmed over a six-year period and premiered in 2009.<ref>White, Tom (August 2009). [http://www.documentary.org/feature/meet-filmmakers-megan-doneman-yes-madam-sir "Meet the Filmmakers: Megan Doneman--'Yes Madam, Sir'"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150205094016/http://www.documentary.org/feature/meet-filmmakers-megan-doneman-yes-madam-sir |date=5 February 2015 }}. ''Documentary Magazine''. Retrieved 5 February 2015.</ref> It was adjudged the "Best Documentary" at the [[Santa Barbara International Film Festival]].
* ''[[Kannadadda Kiran Bedi]]'' (2009) is a [[Kannada language|Kannada]] film, starring [[Malashri]] as a fictionalized interpretation of Bedi.
*''Koi To Ho Ardhnarishwar'', a television series aired from 2010 on [[DD National]]. It was an adaptation of a novel by [[Vishnu Prabhakar]], the novel in turn took its inspiration from Bedi's life.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Koi To Ho Ardhnarishwar|url=https://nettv4u.com/about/Hindi/tv-serials/koi-to-ho-ardhnarishwar|access-date=|website=nettv4u|language=en}}</ref>
* ''[[Carve Your Destiny]]'', a 2014 film directed by [[Anubhav Srivastava]], features Bedi.

Biographies of Bedi include:

* {{cite book |author=Parmesh Dangwal |title=Panjabi di daler dhi: Kiran Bedi |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Tv8EcgAACAAJ |year=1996 |publisher=Abhishek |language=pa }}
* {{cite book |author=Meenakshi Saxena |title=Kiran Bedi, the Kindly Baton |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=M5PaAAAAMAAJ |year=2000 |publisher=Books India International |page=232 }}
* {{cite book |author=Parmesh Dangwal |title=I Dare!: Kiran Bedi: a Biography |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4WGf2J2WUTgC |year=2004 |publisher=UBS |isbn=978-81-7476-483-6}}
** Translated into Sinhalese as {{cite book |author=Parmesh Dangwal |title=Man baya nâ |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ePK-AAAACAAJ |year=2004 |publisher=Samayavardhana Pothala |isbn=978-955-570-325-3}}
* {{cite book |author=Siddharth Iyer |title=Kiran Bedi: The Woman of Substance |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RS0AAwAAQBAJ |year=2012 |publisher=Diamond |isbn=978-93-5083-669-9 }}
* {{cite book |author1=Reeta Peshawaria Menon |author2=Anu Peshawaria |title=Kiran Bedi – Making of Top Cop |url=http://www.diamondbook.in/strip/kiran-bedi.html |year=2014 |publisher=Diamond |isbn=9789351654988 |access-date=16 December 2014 |archive-date=22 January 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150122110458/http://www.diamondbook.in/strip/kiran-bedi.html |url-status=dead }}. A 32-page comic book biography authored by Kiran Bedi's sisters Reeta and Anu<ref name="IE_comic_2014"/>
Kiran Bedi was featured in National Geographic's Series "Mega Icons" (2018), which revolves around her life.

== References ==
{{reflist}}

=== Bibliography ===
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite book |first=Siddharth |last=Iyer |title=Kiran Bedi: The Woman of Substance |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RS0AAwAAQBAJ |year=2012 |publisher=Diamond |isbn=978-93-5083-669-9 }}
* {{cite book |first=Meenakshi |last=Saxena |title=Kiran Bedi, the Kindly Baton |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=M5PaAAAAMAAJ |year=2000 |publisher=Books India International }}
{{refend}}

== External links ==
{{commons category-inline}}
* {{Official website|https://kiranbedi.com/|Kiran Bedi's official website}}
* [https://navjyoti.org.in/ Navjyoti India Foundation]
* {{TED speaker}}
* {{IMDb name|nm17891567|Kiran Bedi}}

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{{RMA winners of India}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Bedi, Kiran}}
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