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

My association with Manjari Madam started in 1987 at the National Police Academy where I was a probationer & madam, our Assistant Director, the sole lady trainer & a bulwark of support for the women officers. I knew even then that she excelled at everything she did through her professionalism, leadership & mentoring qualities, sincerity and dedication in work and ease in organizing important events. Like everyone else I too belonged to the humble club of her fans.But 'Madam-Sir', the memoir penned by Manjari madam literally swept me off my feet. I never thought she could write so well!What a book! What a thrilling experience it was, going through its pages with bated breath, my erstwhile admiration climbing to unknown peaks, my heart at times swelling with pride to have been trained by such an officer, tears blocking my vision at other times, sharing the emotions she felt as her life & career went through various crests & troughs! She is as efficient & talented with her pen as was/is with the various tasks the IPS job demanded from a lady officer- that too the first one in the State!I could have finished reading this book in a single sitting, it is that catchy & fast paced. But good things need to be savoured. So it took me a week to get to the last page from the first. An absolutely true & honest rendition of a life story sans the frills, garnishes & self praises that often adorn biographies. Yes, it was a tough path for her, yet highly satisfying & victorious. The readers are taken along effortlessly as she recounts each phases of her illustrious career. Manjari madam gives a lot of credit to departmental/political seniors, colleagues & junior officers for achievements which is also rare in biographies.Her career in Bihar started with the IG's doubts about what to do with a lady in Police- very similar to what I went through 11 years later in Kerala, but she never looked back as she moved ahead, boldly facing the hurdles & challenges, coming out at each turn in glorious colors of victory, creating a saga of success for generations of women IPS officers to follow & emulate!Manjari madam herself had recounted some of the experiences in her State personally to me, but I never knew of the lasting impact each of it made in the organisation she worked, which is clear in this book. Each experience reads like a crime thriller! Her passion for work, the emotional bond behind each decision and the legendary contributions she had made at Bihar, Jharkhand, NPA & CISF has all come out clearly through the narrative style of the book.What resonated with me is her conviction that one can be a loving woman & a tough police officer rolled into one at all the time which many believe to be an impossible feat! She did that with élan! Feminity gets a unique power in uniform; she proved it & we, other woman IPS officers proudly follow it. This is one big lesson that all girls can learn from this book.I loved the way madam had laid her heart bare which some readers may misconstrue as 'emotional'- but where others, especially women come to police as a last resort for help, an emotional approach could do wonders, as outlined in many instances in this book. And only an officer who feels could do so much for the welfare of the force!It was touching to read about Agnes.It was uplifting to know about the support madam had from her family at all the stages of her life & career.What if madam did not hold any independent charge as DGP? Which DGP in India had written a biographical book as beautiful an empowering as this? Authoring such a book, which will live forever as one of the most inspirational books for generations to come is definitely a greater achievement than any DGP's post!

'Madam Sir' is an engrossing read, an absorbing tale of Bihar's first woman IPS officer. A memoir of a young girl from an affluent, conservative Bihari family, her trauma of a failed marriage and how it changed her life as well as that of her family.With courage, grit and determination, she carved her own space in a male dominated work environment. It was not easy, but she made her mark in her varied appointments that she held. The mere fact that she was referred to as 'hunterwali' , speaks volumes of her grit and determination to get the work done. She found a satisfying niche being a mentor to young probationers, especially women officers undergoing training at the Police Academy.Manjar has many stories to tell of her life and how she faced them. She comes across as a strong, determined, deeply caring human being and Police officer. It is an inspiring tale, beautifully told and straight from the heart. The last chapter of her book on her long time help Agnes, sums up her empathy to fellow human beings. A story definitely well worth a read.

Madam Sir is a well written book which combines the author’s life story both from a professional and personal perspective.I enjoyed reading the book which is written in simple language and a straight forward style.The author has acknowledged the many people who have helped her in her life.I found the many family stories touching and relatable.In the final chapter she narrates the story of Agnes who helped her at home and which helped the author pursue her career .I found this story especially very touching.

Very beautiful depiction of memoir. Every word of the author says a lot. The choice of words is excellent and interesting, you forget everything when you start reading

A fascinating book of a young woman's courage & determination to overcome the challenges that life threw her way & work her way to become the first woman IPS officer (1976) from Bihar. The author recounts in an easy-to-read narrative her life's journey from leading a cloistered childhood to breaking the shackles of a very conservative society & family to emerge as a very successful career woman, while also having to deal with the initial skepticism of her seniors in service! Gender discrimination was also one of the prejudices that she had to deal with in her early years in service.Manjari describes some of the landmark cases she had to deal with, including murder, dacoity, rape, dowry deaths, the infamous Bhagalpur blindings, the ant-sikh riots of 1984 in Bokaro & many more. Also, the pressures that she had to withstand to do her job without favour or bias, for which she won a lot of plaudits.She fondly looks back at her & her husband's tenure at the NPA, where she worked as an instructor, mentor & counselor, shaping the careers of young probationers in the service. Her other significant assignments included the CRPF & the CISF, where she ended her illustrious career as the Special DG. But even after retirement in 2010, her career continues in the private sector. This is a truly inspiring memoir, which is a #mustread especially for every girl & young lady, irrespective of whether or not she faces similar viscitudes in life.

A captivating account of a courageous officer. Most touching indeed. Especially the end. Have read some books by other police officers as well. By far the best one.

I picked this book thinking I'd read more about the bureaucracy and scandals that I grew up associating most Indian government services with. It was a pleasant surprise that I learned so much from the courageous journey of one woman! Even more surprising was how many parallels there were to my corporate job today and Manjariji's jobs in the police force in India. I closed this book with a new appreciation for the complexities of law enforcement!

I read the book on two sittings.

I enjoyed reading Madam Sir. I was struck by the honesty and sincerity of the author. It is hard to write simply and straightforwardly about complex matters, but Manjari Jaruhar has excelled at this task. Apart from style, the subject matter is fascinating. If, like me, you know nothing about how the civil service works and how it interacts with the political system, you will learn a lot from this book.The life of a civil servant is lived in discrete bits as they are frequently transferred. The book can be read in bits too, and this is part of its attraction. Officers do not always work on cases from beginning to end. Consequently, the book does not always describe interesting episodes from beginning to end. But the incomplete stories are interesting enough to send you to online sources to learn more about them than the author witnessed.The thread connecting the various bits is the author's character and the overall picture of the author that emerges by the end of the book is an extremely positive one. I would have enjoyed observing Manjari at work. Reading her book is almost as good. I recommend the book highly.

What an engrossing read . Left me with a lot of thoughts and questions about gender, equality, juggling multiple roles, and, of course , women breaking glass ceilings . Very engaging and relevant for a large audience - even though it is written by, and chronicles the life and experiences of a woman IPS officer .

Straight from the heart, the true story of a courageous woman police officer in India.