Tejdeep, humanist in nature and feminist in writing

A daring and dynamic woman with a humanistic approach is swimming upstream in the till date male dominated bastion, the Indian Police Service. Though she is humane by nature, her ‘pen’ is feminine by quality. With all the tensions and timeless responsibilities in the police service, she is grooming her wards like a Kangaroo.

Tejdeep, a senior IPS officer of the state cadre, is presently executing the responsibilities of co-ordinating the Home Guards force in the state as Deputy Inspector General.

In this patriarchal society there are many lines drawn around the women folk, which are not expected to be crossed over. Some do not even dream to keep a foot anywhere near the ‘Lakshman Rekha’, where as some always dares to jump over the senseless unseen boundaries and establish their own echelon. Of course, there would be umpteen angles of perception behind the stories.

During the 19+ years long service in the challenging service as a cop, Tejdeep is branded as a woman officer who never bowed down to situations. She is known for emerging out of slippery situations with success. For them, who violate the law, she is a terror. For the suffering, she is a salve to soothe out the pain.

Hamarashehar.com interacted with Ms. Tejdeep, on a soggy evening, on the occasion when she is about to complete her 18 years in service. She completes 18 in service on August 28, 2001. The response and reaction to the questions posed, were answered by Tejdeep in a manner that was different from the ‘police’ attitude. May be, they must have come out from the depths of her heart. Here are the excerpts:

Q: What is the backdrop for choosing the ever tension filled profession like this?

A:My grandfather Mr. Mohinder Singh inspires me. He was a Deputy Superintendent of Police in Punjab. I was always fascinated by the Police job. I wanted to become one. To my interest, my father encouraged me too. Moreover, me being the eldest of children and not having brothers, he took more interest in grooming me courageously.

I completed all of my education in Hyderabad. I started appearing for Civil Services immediately after I completed my graduation. I succeeded in my second attempt in 1983 and selected for Indian Police Service.

Q: How about your job profile as Deputy Inspector General of Home Guards?

A: I co-ordinate the state-wide home guard units. Normally, a police officer’s job will be a tight ropewalk. We have to meet many deadlines, always undergo stress. It will be like a magician’s performance. No opportunity should be lost and at the same time, performance should be excellent. Else, we have to face acute humiliation. Of course, we will be trained tough to be tactful in handling any situation at the Academy.

Q: Did you face sexual discrimination in the department at any time?

A:It is a common practice in the department, senior officers boot down their junior ones. If the subordinate is a female, nothing more to say about it. I am a senior officer and one has to take me into confidence. However, I was lucky enough. I never faced any discrimination based on sex.

Q: How do people receive women police officers?

A:People have faith in female officers. They believe that women officers have patience to hear them. For this reason, we, women officers can move closely with people. These beliefs are more with rural people. I remember, when I went to some interior villages, people used say that they had seen me after Indira Gandhi.

Q: The lives of home guards, especially women are worse. They are facing many problems like more working hours, lesser wages, humiliation, discrimination of position and likes. To what extent were you instrumental in solving their problems?

A:My interest was and is always to solve the plights of people and personnel. I will never try to save my shoulder from responsibility. Here in this position as DIG home guards, I am incessantly working for every one’s betterment.

Q: As a women police officer, to what extent do you support utilising the fair sex in the department as decoys?

A:I personally feel that is part of the job profile. Nothing is wrong in it. If a person wishes to take up law enforcement as profession, they should be ready to take up the responsibilities from time to time.

Q: What reasons do you attribute for piling up of women plights oriented cases in the state?

A:Only women understand the women problem well. There is acute shortage of women force in the department. More and more women police stations need to be set up. The size of women police and family courts should be augmented based on the requirement.

Q: Why do you think womenfolk fighting for their rights are not successful in achieving their demands?

A:Women are full of potentiality. They have concentration and duty mindedness more than any one. However, the interests of individual should be recognised and trained in the specific arena. The trained women should be given a right opportunity to show her skill and expertise. Only then, the self-confidence of women boosts up driving them towards outstanding performance. One she starts concreting her platform, the struggle for the demands will be definitely successful.

Q: With all the tensions in the seat, to what extent are you able to justify the role in the home front?

A:Often I am struck with the feeling that I am neglecting my home. With everlasting busy schedules, I am unable to spare time for children. I was blessed with two children, a baby and a boy. I divorced with my husband. Since, then I was taking care of my children like a Kangaroo. Two years ago, baby received the invitation from God and left us with brain cancer.

With all the day-to-day tensions, I always wish to spend a day or two with my lonely child. What to do? I am more duty driven.

Q: You are a fine poetess besides being a strict police officer. Tell us something about your scripts. Recently you received international best poetess award for ‘Charcoal’. What prompts you to bring out the second personality in you?

A:Right from my school days I have had the inclination towards literature. The theme in my first paperback, ‘What about me?’ all my experiences were reflected. My second one ‘Five Feet Six and a Half Inches’ I peeped into the history and tried to portray the sufferings of Droupadi, Yashodhara and other such women. The angle in this book was totally from the angle of female outlook on the society.

When it comes to the awarded compilation ‘Charcoal’ the subject revolves around a woman who is victimised by the dowry thirsty beasts. I was invited to attend the international writers’ conference, which was slated on August 17.

Q: What will be you straight advice to enthusiastic young females aspiring to join the glittery Indian Police Service?

A:IPS, in fact is a good job or profession. However, the practical conditions would not be so elevated as one dream about. This job does not have any time-boundedness. Generally, taking charge of office and starting a wedded life take off almost closely. Definitely there will be pressure mounting on the person due to demands that should be met on both the fronts. Taking care of the domestic responsibilities then attending the much pressure filled office work, it will be hectic until the time one adjusts carefully.

No police officer knows when and where they should move depending on the situations. A rigorous hard work is involved. Many a sacrifice is needed. If one can sustain these, they can clip feathers to their cap.

Tejdeep Profile

Name: Tejdeep

Designation: Deputy Inspector General of Police, Home Guards, Hyderabad

Date of appoint to IPS: August 29, 1983

Batch and Cadre: 1983, Andhra Pradesh

Education:

Primary Education: NASR School, Khairatabad, Hyderabad

High School: St. Ann’s School, Hyderabad

Intermediate: St. Francis Junior College, Secunderabad

Graduation: Bachelor of Commerce from St. Francis College, Begumpet, Hyderabad

Posts held:

Trained as Assistant Superintendent of Police at Vijayawada in 1985 Assistant Superintendent of Police at Dharmavaram from May 1986 to July 1988 Additional Superintendent of Police at Karimnagar from August 1988 to November 1988 Superintendent of Police at Cuddapah from January 1989 to September 1989 Superintendent of Police for Women Protection Cell from September 1989 to May 1990 Assistant Director, Sardar Vallab Bhai Patel National Police Academy, Hyderabad from May 1990 to November 1992 Superintendent of Police, State Crime Records Bureau, Hyderabad from November 1992 to January 1994 Assistant Inspector General of Police (Administration), Director General of Police’s Office, Hyderabad from January 1994 to July 1994 Superintendent of Police, Crime Investigation Department, Hyderabad from July 1994 to November 1995 Principal, Police Training College, Ananthapur from November 1995 to June 1996 Superintendent of Police, Women Protection Cell, Hyderabad from June 26, 1996 to October 31, 1997 Deputy Inspector General of Police, Andhra Pradesh Special Police Battalions, Hyderabad from November 1, 1997 to July 10, 1999 Deputy Inspector General of Police, Ananthapur Range, Ananthapur from July 11, 1999 to February 2, 2000 Presently Deputy Inspector General of Police, home Guards, Hyderabad from February 10, 2000

Other interests: Author of two books of English poetry published by Sterling Publishers, New Delhi. Caught in a Stampede (1995), Five Feet Six and a Half Inches (1997)

Wrote the poetry for a ballet titled "What about Me" a synthesis of Bharatnatyam and "Charcoal", English poetry depicting the problems of modern day women.

Interviewed by Rubeena Parveen