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Q: It is a general practice to appear for IAS after completion of post-graduation. How was it possible for you to enter the IPS, after your graduation? Actually, the IAS exam is needs nothing more than a graduation. Anyone who is intelligent and is careful in selecting one’s optional subject can enter the civil service. My father gave me the best education possible. I did my schooling in Church Park Convent and graduated from the Women’s Christian College. I was determined to do something really worthwhile with the kind of education provided to me. (With a lively smile she adds) I used to read a lot of detective novels. I didn’t expect in those days that I would be a police officer one-day! Q: What was your father? He was a manager of a tea estate in Munnar. Q: So, you were born with a silver spoon in your mouth? No. Not so. I was born in an affluent family. That’s all. Q: A person with your background normally finds it difficult to interact with people and subordinates, at least in the initial stages, since they would not be familiar with the local tongue. How was your experience with your constabulary and general public who did not know any language other than Tamil? My scant knowledge of Tamil in those days was in a way helpful, in a few instances. Let us say two parties come to me with representation against the other. They both would sit in my presence and narrate their complaint. I would not interfere – in fact I couldn’t since I did not know much Tamil then. The narration of the other party would then follow. That will then slowly take the form of a discussion, they would understand the problem much better, and they would compromise between themselves and solve the problem, without much help from me! (Laughs) As for the constables, well, they were keen in understanding what I tell them and there was not much difficulty. Q: You belong to a westernised family. Did you find it difficult to understand the culture of this land? Yes. To an extent it was so in the initial stages. But I always have an open mind. I read a lot about the life in the villages, their rites, their beliefs and ways of life. I used to discuss such things with my colleagues and subordinates. An officer cannot function without grasping the essence of the life of the people. Especially so in the villages, for their beliefs and convictions are very strong and deep-rooted. Q: Is there any aspect of their life that you found difficult to understand? Yes. There are quite a few. For instance, a family would come with a representation, complaining about the death of their daughter. In most of the cases, dowry would have been the central problem. The complaint would invariably be against the son-in-law. We would enquire, find him guilty and would prepare all papers to take the matter to court. They would come back to me at that stage with another appeal. This time, they would say that they propose to withdraw the case and drop all proceedings against him, because they intend to give their other daughter to the same son-in-law who was responsible for the death of the proposed bride’s sister! This is something that I am unable to digest. I am unable to understand these simple people. Another thing is the attachment that these women have for the welfare of their families. In several cases of bride burning – though not in all – I have seen women who try to protect their murderous husbands. They would not disclose the truth even in their dying declaration. They would say that it was due to an accident. The welfare of their children comes to their mind even at that stage. Though the intention may be good, I am not able to accept this. These women do not realise that such men may play havoc in the lives of other women. Q: There is a general view that an officer born in an upper class and brought up without sufficient ground exposure could never understand the problems of the depressed classes. What is your opinion? I don’t agree. Even during the British days there were many freedom fighters who hailed from the upper classes. They threw their lot into the struggle only because they understood the problems of the ordinary citizen. One need not be poor to understand poverty. It is enough if one is good at heart.
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Latika Saran, IPS is one among the distinguished police officers of Tamil Nadu. She has been awarded the President’s medal for meritorious service this year, besides earning the Police Medal for Meritorious Service in 1994. This Inspector General of Police belongs to the 1976 batch of IPS officers, in the Tamil Nadu Cadre, haling from Munnar, Kerala. She has served the Central Bureau of Investigation and was a senior officer in the crime branch of the State. She is the Director of Vigilance and Anti Corruption, from 1998. From her first interview to an
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