‘Build strong foundation to realise dream’

Former Indian Police Service officer Kiran Bedi has asked students to build a strong foundation to succeed in life.

Interacting with the students of the GRD School of Commerce and International Business on Tuesday, she said that she had built a strong foundation based on what she wanted to be and what she needed to do to reach her goal.

“I am what I thought; I am what I’m thinking and I will be what I think,” she said. When somebody decided what he or she wanted to be, the mind would start working and the body start moving. This was how she became a national under-14 tennis champion.

There was not a minute she wasted. If there was a free hour, she would rush with the tennis racquet to the court. If players were practising and she had to wait, she would use the time to complete homework.

And, when she travelled in train to play across the country, she would use the opportunity to study a few chapters so that she up to date when she returned to classes.

“In short, I never let time slip out of my hand and missed any opportunity.” And she did all this without being prompted or told to do so. It was from within, she said and added, “I’m a self-driven person.”

Ms. Bedi said that her strong foundation also included knowledge, discipline, strong footing in academics and love – love for the country.

Prepare map

With such a foundation in place, it was only natural that she landed in the police force.

She asked students if they had a map of where they wanted to go in the next five years. She then suggested that they prepared such a map by clearly marking the path to reach the destination as well.

Towards the end of her talk, she took rapid-fire questions from a group of students, who among other things asked what was the best compliment she had ever received.

And, her reply was, “iron butterfly.”