Choosing Calling with Care, Pursuing it with Passion

The annual day of the National institute of personnel management (NIPM), Karnataka Chapter, is an occasion for members to unwind - to meet, greet and interact in an informal atmosphere along with their  family members. The children of members are felicitated on the occasion for scholastic achievements at the school and college level. The program begins with experience sharing by an invited guest who has made a mark in his/her chosen field or contributed to society at large, and ends with  dinner.

The chief guest for the 59th Annual day celebrations on 22nd June 2019 was Ms D. Roopa Moudgil.IPS, presently, IGP Railways Bangalore. Although she has been in service for around 19 years, I heard about her only recently, when she made news as the DG prisons who stopped special privileges (such as access to private meeting room with a revolving chair and daily visitors) illegally enjoyed by a prisoner Ms Shashikala at the the Parappana Agrahara prison, Bangalore. Ms Roopa also submitted a detailed report with visual evidence to the Government highlighting the issue. 

 It was  when the chief guest's resume was read out during the introduction that I came to know that this 'assertiveness' was second nature to Ms Roopa  and that she has demonstrated it a number of times in her career. In 2004, as Superintendent of Police, Dharwad, she flew in with her team to Bhopal and arrested Ms Uma Bharti, the then CM of  Madhya Pradesh  in connection with a 10-year-old non-bailable criminal case . Ms Uma Bharti was accused of hoisting the national flag at Dharwad’s communally sensitive, Idgah Maidan on Independence day.

 In 2013, as deputy commissioner of police of the City Armed Reserve in Bangalore, she withdrew the unauthorized additional orderlies (115 gunmen from 82 politicians) and escort vehicles deployed for MLAs and MPs, and the former Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa. While working in Bidar, she included the name of a ruling party MLA in the  FIR, accusing him of instigating a mob to desecrate an Ambedkar statue for political gains. 

Ms Roopa started her talk with a story. The Japanese love to eat their fish fresh. They were not satisfied with dead fish brought from the deep sea. The traders tried many solutions like use of ice containers, but the customers were not satisfied. Finally they came up with an idea of putting sharks along with the fish that was freshly caught from the sea. It was found that the fish remained alive long after reaching the shores. The speaker left it to the audience to derive suitable moral to the story. One of them could be the value of innovating until the solution /goal is  achieved. Another learning could be "those whom we perceive as enemies, may be unwittingly helping us to be alert,  enabling us to update ourselves and achieve success". Therefore, the speaker advised " Don't be bogged down by competitors or enemies in your life."

In Ms Roopa's own life, in view of her unconventional approach to life and work, she has faced many obstacles such as threats and defamation notices. She has been transferred as many times in a career spanning nineteen years. In her posting as DG Prisons, she survived for barely 17 working days ( transferred within 5 days of her submitting the report on the Parappana Agrahara prison). Here, one is reminded of Mr Ashok Khemka, IAS officer of the Haryana cadre, who has been transferred 52 times in a 27 year career. He shot into limelight when he cancelled the mutation of a land deal between Congress leader Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law Robert Vadra's company, Skylight Hospitality and major real estate developer DLF.  Officers like these are not afraid to act because they neither hanker after cushy postings nor are they afraid of transfers. During her talk Ms Roopa reiterated "When we are in a position to take action we should, irrespective of what others think or whether support is there from others." 

As there were family members comprising of students also in the audience, Ms Roopa spoke about her journey since childhood and  how she chose  police service as her vocation. She said that she was active in the NCC (National cadet corps) during the student days and had also gone to Delhi to participate in the Republic day parade. Thus  there was this pull  and natural attraction for uniform and the civil services. However, the journey was not easy. When you are good in many fields, the challenge is all the more to take appropriate decision with respect to your future. People around try to influence you to pursue the traditional courses such as medicine and engineering.

Ms Roopa was a state rank holder in Class X and XII board examinations. Therefore,  relatives and family friends were shocked when she chose arts for graduation. Clear in her mind, she worked hard to achieve her goal of becoming a civil servant and serving society. Subsequently, after she passed the civil services exam, she was advised to choose IAS over IPS as IPS was held not suitable for women. However, Ms Roopa  was very clear about what she wanted. She opted for the police services and has never looked back. 

It is not as if doubts and setbacks do not come up. As for example,  during the journey,while others seemed set in their lives having chosen professional courses, there was an element of uncertainty in the path  chosen by the speaker. After all. at that point of time, one cannot be hundred percent sure of being selected for the  civil services . At such times, trust in the universe and  confidence in self comes to one's aid. The speaker said that courage is the key for  doing new things and making a mark. Therefore one should not be  bothered about the discouraging people .

 Choose your field with care and clarity and go about it with passion. What can be done, should be done "Now"and not on a later day,when the climate is favourable or you have gained sufficient years of experience. She exhorted the audience to focus on what you have "Now" and make the most of it. As a  parting remark, Ms Roopa had some  advice specifically for the students- "Don't be addicted to the social media. Learning should be like a Tapas (Penance). Work hard and achieve success!"  

The audience had come to experience a relaxed evening. But they got a lot more from a speaker who can be described as a role model for those in leadership positions, to do one's duty without fear or favour. Indeed, here was an evening to cherish for the children and adults alike!