Being a woman is both an asset and a liability. A lot depends on what she becomes or makes of herself. A woman is a huge asset when she is self-dependent and possesses the awareness and choice of being interdependent.
She is totally a liability for herself when she is neither educated nor financially independent and worse when she is psychologically dependent on others for her physical well-being. In such a situation she is then truly enslaved! And we have millions of such women all over the world.
Within India we have them across all sections of society. As I traverse, I see the truly liberated and the totally enslaved.
These pieces of writing are, ‘As I Saw’. Each piece is a product of an observation, experience, feeling, and learning. Equally, they are all expressions of joy and concern. They are also lessons to be learnt.
His is wishing you the very best in times ahead….
From The Flap
Being a woman is both an asset and a liability. A lot depends on what she makes of herself or becomes.
She is a huge asset when she is self dependent and possesses the awareness and choice of being interdependent. She is totally a liability for herself when she is neither appropriately educated nor financially independent and worse when she is psychologically dependent on others for her physical wellbeing. In such a situation she is totally enslaved!
And we have millions of such women all over the world.
As long as women continue to remain in a position of receiving rather than giving, they shall continue to bear injustice.” “As I traverse the length and breadth of my country, I see the truly liberated and the totally enslaved”.
“What do I do with all that I see, hear, read, and observe? I can either choose to ignore, forget, complain, postpone... or write and express in words what I see... for I believe in the power of learning and sharing. This is what I have done in these pieces of writing and I hope to continue being the flag bearer with a voice expressed through the power of the pen....”
Kiran Bedi in her usual candid style, shares wide ranging issues which have angered, inspired, or fascinated her. Through her matter of fact style of writing, she draws her readers into situations that they may either not have access to or may tend to ignore.
Empowering Women & Youth... As I See... is a persistent effort by the author to encourage greater awareness about various social and ethical issues being faced by women with the hope to invoke, provoke, and inspire readers to heightened levels of sensitivity, participation, and response.
Kiran Beth, Ph. D, is India’s first and highest ranking (retired in 2007) woman officer who joined the Indian Police Service in 1972. Her experience and expertise include more than 35 years of tough, innovative and welfare policing.
She has worked with the United Nations as the Police Advisor to the Secretary General, in the Department of Peace Keeping Operations.
She has represented India at the United Nations, and in International forums on crime prevention, drug abuse, police and prison reforms and women’s issues.
She has also been a National and an Asian Tennis champion.
Recipient of the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award (also called the Asian Nobel Prize), and several other decorations, Dr. Bedi is an author of several books, anchors radio and television shows and is a columnist with leading newspapers and magazines. She is a sought after speaker on social, professional and leadership issues.
She is the founder of two NGOs, Navjyoti and India Vision Foundation, which reach out to over 10,000 beneficiaries daily, in the areas of drug abuse treatment, schooling for children of prisoners, in addition to education, training, counselling, and health care to the urban and rural poor.
Kiran Bedi has been voted as India’s most admired woman and fifth amongst all Indians.
Why this book? | v | |
1 | Blurred, Yet Moved | 1 |
2 | Eating the Elephant | 4 |
3 | Soft Backbones and Hard Hearts | 8 |
4 | Whoever and Wherever | 12 |
5 | Not Born Free | 15 |
6 | Where There is a Will There is a Way | 18 |
7 | The Oldest Profession is Thriving | 22 |
8 | Let’s Help Ourselves | 26 |
9 | Double Standards | 29 |
10 | To be Home by Sunset | 32 |
11 | Dawn of a New Generation | 36 |
12 | Taking Care of Women in Distress | 40 |
13 | Are They Pretty or Beauty Contests? | 44 |
14 | Where Women Groan under Bride Price | 47 |
15 | Danger Zone: Men and Women at Work | 50 |
16 | It’s good to be a Saheli | 53 |
17 | Women Sarpanches as Rubber Stamps | 57 |
18 | Seeing Indian Women in a Time Warp | 60 |
19 | Know this Law and Prevent Violence | 63 |
20 | Pregnant Questions…? | 67 |
21 | ‘Will they listen to me? | 71 |
22 | ‘How can We be Heard”? | 74 |
23 | Women in Uniform: Who are They? | 77 |
24 | Unjust God? | 81 |
25 | Be Yourself: Be not a Man… | 84 |
26 | India’s Emerging Face… | 87 |
27 | National Rainbows | 90 |
28 | Two Interesting Experiences… | 95 |
29 | Zero Tolerance | 98 |
30 | The Best and the Worst | 101 |
31 | All-Rounders | 105 |
32 | We Exist in Profound Interdependence | 108 |
33 | No Short Cuts | 111 |
34 | Questions Which Need Answers | 115 |
35 | Responsible Parenting | 118 |
36 | Don’t Read, Please Talk | 120 |
37 | Parents Like Mine | 124 |
38 | More Captain Thapars – How? | 127 |
39 | All of Yourself | 130 |
40 | Salute the Vision | 133 |
41 | The World will Watch You… | 137 |
42 | Excellence in What? | 140 |
43 | Give us More | 143 |
44 | ‘How do You Wish to be Remembered’? | 147 |
45 | Women as Catalysts for Transformation… | 150 |