About the Book

Book: Madam Sir: The Story of Bihar’s First Lady IPS Officer 

Author: Manjari Jaruhari

Publisher: Ebury Pr

Pages: 327 

Price: Rs 399.00

“Madam Sir: The Story of Bihar’s First Lady IPS Officer” by Manjari Jaruhar is the inspiring memoir of a pioneering woman in law enforcement, detailing her remarkable journey and challenges in a male-dominated field

“Madam Sir: The Story of Bihar’s First Lady IPS Officer” is a memoir of Bihar’s first lady IPS officer, Manjari Jaruhar. It is published by Ebury Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House. The book is remarkable for more than one reason. It not only gives a glimpse of Manjari’s illustrious career but also outlines the gender-based discrimination women face in their professional lives, especially in the police and armed forces.

Manjari Jaruhar was a 1976-batch officer of the Indian Police Service (IPS). She has served in Bihar and Jharkhand, at the SVP National Police Academy, and with the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). She retired as Special Director-General, CISF, in 2010. As the first woman IPS officer in Bihar and the fifth in India, she built a reputation as a highly effective, professional yet caring officer. In recognition of her contributions, she has been awarded the Police Medal for Meritorious Service and the President’s Police Medal for Distinguished Service. After retiring, she headed the anti-piracy wing of the Indian Music Industry and currently serves as a consultant to TCS on homeland security. She is also an adviser to the FICCI Private Security Industry Committee. She has been a student of English literature. Besides reading, she enjoys travelling, cooking, and spending time with her grandchildren. She lives in Delhi with her husband, Rakesh, a fellow IPS officer.

In this book, she has described her life journey and experiences from childhood to the present day. She narrates her story with an ease that also changes the narrative of “Poor woman, what will she do now?” Becoming an IPS officer in India is an arduous journey, with millions of aspirants vying for a limited number of coveted positions. In this challenging pursuit, retired IPS officer Manjari Jaruhar’s story stands out as a testament to her unwavering determination and resilience. Her memoir, titled “Madam Sir,” chronicles her remarkable journey from early struggles to becoming the first lady IPS officer in Bihar.

Hailing from a prestigious family in Bihar, where several members have held illustrious positions as IAS and IPS officers, Manjari faced unique obstacles in her path to success. Despite her family’s esteemed background, they did not actively support her academic pursuits, harbouring the belief that she should embrace the role of a homemaker. Manjari recalls growing up knowing that career, ambition, independence, and self-reliance were not for girls, for they were supposed to study well, be groomed well, and marry well. She was deeply assimilated into the patriarchal setup in which she was raised.

However, Manjari’s thirst for knowledge and her relentless spirit pushed her to pursue her educational goals. Manjari had secured admission into Lady Irwin College in New Delhi to study domestic science. But her ticket was cancelled at the last moment, as it felt like “bidai,” a farewell to her father, who wasn’t ready for it. She writes that she sat in silence amid a sea of open suitcases and new clothes in her room while a storm of disappointment raged within her. But she did not say a word in protest, no angry scenes, no rebellion, no tantrums. But it didn’t help either that Manjari wasn’t a rebellious child.

At the tender age of 19, Manjari was married. Unfortunately, the marriage did not work out. Despite societal expectations to remarry, Manjari decided to pursue a career. Armed with an Honours degree in English from Patna Women’s College and a postgraduate degree from Delhi University, she embarked on her civil service examination preparation journey. Her dedication paid off in 1976 when she successfully cracked the UPSC examination, earning the distinction of becoming the first lady IPS officer from Bihar and one of the fifth in all of India. Her accomplishment was a resounding testament to her resilience and unwavering commitment to her dream.

In due course, Manjari’s journey took another significant turn when she tied the knot with Rakesh Jaruhar, an IPS officer. Together, they embarked on a new chapter in their lives, sharing the remarkable journey of serving the nation in the Indian Police Service. Manjari’s initial posting as Assistant Superintendent of Police in the Criminal Investigation Department was a desk job, far from the field posting she aspired to. It was frustrating for her; however, her persistence to be given a field job led her to seek help from a senior officer, who was her close friend’s father. He played a pivotal role in facilitating her transition to a field posting, which was her cherished goal. In the initial years, she had to prove herself at every turn.

The title “Madam Sir” is a unique coinage the constabulary invented to address Manjari. On her first reporting day, besides getting “curious glances” from the staff in the Inspector General (IG’s) office, this was the IG’s response, “But I don’t know what to do with you. I cannot post you until I study Kiran Bedi’s file. I have asked for it from Delhi.” While it must have crushed a newly appointed officer’s spirits, Manjari probably understood that she had to prove her mettle repeatedly because of her gender. From changing her cadre to her being assigned women-centric cases to the assumption that, being a woman, she’d inevitably be biassed towards a female complainant, everything had to do with her being a woman. At this juncture, it’s one’s attitude that can make all the difference, and Manjari’s was never one to give up. Her persistence, clarity of thought, and duty-bound nature helped her sail through tumultuous times and sensitive cases. In fact, she, along with her team, solved the first bus dacoity case in Bihar, which gave her a lot of recognition in the initial years of service. She was part of the team which investigated the Bhagalpur Blindings against police officers, a horrific strategy adopted by Bihar Police to blind the suspects to control crime.

On promotion as SP, she was posted to Bokaro Steel City, where she acquitted herself well. Bokaro was badly affected by anti-Sikh riots after the assassination of Smt. Indira Gandhi. She was away from the district, but on arrival, she took complete charge and soon restored law and order in the district besides rehabilitating the affected families. She was selected for the National Police Academy at Hyderabad, where she was involved with training young IPS officers. After this posting, she did not look back but went on to become DIG, Patna, then was selected to the CISF and later to the CRPF in the Government of India. When Jharkhand state was created, she was recalled to establish the new state. She finally retired from the CISF as Special DG in CISF in 2010 after a very successful and challenging career.

The writer is one of the best-known children’s authors of mystery-adventure stories. As a translator, editor, researcher, and storyteller, Nilima Sinha is President of the Association of Writers and Illustrators for Children (AWIC), the Indian Section of the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY).