18-year-old Siddharth Iyer has penned a book on Kiran Bedi capturing her work. The book is meant for young people
‘A tribute from a student’
The book tells the story of Kiran Bedi, the first woman IPS officer. “I am indeed grateful to Dr. Bedi who has been a tremendous source of support to me. This book is a tribute to her from one of her students,” Iyer said.
It’s for young people: Kiran Bedi
Talking about the book, Kiran Bedi said: “Iyer is a very hard-working and focussed student. His book is meant for young minds,” she said.
DNA (Daily News & Analysis)
Sunday | Spetember 25, 2011
By Kinjal Desai | Ahmedabad
He is evidently in awe of Kiran Bedi for he finds it difficult to articulate in speech why the former IPS officer is an inspiration for youths like him. Siddharth Iyer, an 18-year-old student of CU Shah College, met Bedi in person for the first time in June 2010 when he stayed at her NGO, Navjyoti India Foundation, in New Delhi for a fortnight. In little over one year after that, he has written a book on her, on what it means to be Kiran Bedi. The book titled, 'Kiran Bedi: A Woman of Substance', is about to be published.
Calling himself Bedi's 'student', Iyer said there are many books on her "There are tons of books on Dr Bedi all around us. Then there are the books she herself has written. However, all this is too much text for young minds like ours. Hence I got the idea of writing a book on her for teens," said Iyer.
As he spoke, he could not help gesturing a lot as he tried to explain why Bedi was important even for young minds. The way she had lived her life, and what she has been working for after taking voluntary retirement, are all important for Iyer. Hence he had decided to write down for teenagers what he had heard from her and what he had witnessed as she worked indefatigably.
Iyer said he had visited and met her at her house at Uday Park' in New Delhi. His book documents an average day in Bedi's life, her conversations with people at different times either on the phone, or in person.
Incidentally, the first time Iyer talked to Bedi was also on the phone. In 2009, Iyer, then a student of Asia English School, was selected under a special scholarship program to represent India as its cultural ambassador to Japan.
He visited Japan, from December 3-17, 2009, under the Japan-East Asia Network of Students and Youths Programme of American Field Service.
“I called her on phone as I wanted to place her as an example before the Japanese of how an Indian woman can become a phenomenal agent of change in the country. Then she talked to me half-an-hour explaining why I should not talk about her but her work. I have been associated with her since then.” Iyer said.
