Roopa D Moudgil secured a good rank in her UPSC exam and chose IPS in the Karnataka cadre. She has reached higher echelons of service by virtue of her hard work and dedication to duty. She has been known to report various illegalities and corrupt practices within the administration, which were proven to be true on independent inquiries and investigations by the State Government. She exposed corruption, undue favours and special facilities in prison to convict Smt. Sasikala, the close aide of Smt Jayalalitha, former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. She also brought out tender irregularities in Nirbhaya-Safe City Project and due to her proactive efforts the tender costing was reduced to the public exchequer. While she was the DCP, City Armed Reserve, Bangalore, she had withdrawn as many as 216 excess gunmen kept unauthorisedly by as many as 81 politicians that was appreciated from all quarters. She had also withdrawn 8 new SUVs of the department that unauthorisedly remained with an ex-Chief Minister of Karnataka. In her first stint as district police head of Dharwad District, she arrested and executed non-bailable warrant issued by Hon’ble Court at Hubli against the then Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Sushri Uma Bharti.
She has been conferred President’s Medal for Meritorious Services by the Union government. The State Government has conferred on her ‘Kempegowda Award’ for public service, besides many other awards like the ‘Speakout’ award Rotary International “Vocational Excellence” Award, Proud Kannadiga, Kannadiga of the Year, Anti-Corruption Academy’s “Whistleblower Officer” Award and more.
She was invited by Harvard University Students association to deliver speech at “India Fest” in Harvard USA. She has also been invited to many other countries to deliver speech to police cadets and was selected by Israel embassy as Youth Ambassador to visit Israel for friendly ties between the two countries. She was featured in “Phenomenal She”, book and has given a TEDx talk on “Why bureaucrats hesitate to act” inspiring many women from all walks of life.
- What was your dream career in your growing up days?
I had dreamt of being an IAS Officer. When I was in my third class my teacher had asked me what I wanted to become in life. She asked me to discuss with my parents and my father said you should be a civil servant and briefly told me what IAS and IPS is all about. Whatever an eight year old could understand at that time, I understood and told the answer to my class teacher. She made the whole class applaud for me and I knew that I have made the right choice. Then in 8th standard I joined NCC and I passed all the certificates and represented the Karnataka camp. That’s when the love for Khakhi in NCC turned into my love for NCC police. I chose Humanities in my PUC although I had good grades in all the subjects, as I wanted to attempt the civil service exams. I got All India 43rd rank and I chose IPS over IAS. - When you began your career many years ago, did you ever imagine that you would have a leadership role in this profession? What were the challenges and how did you overcome them?
Somehow I liked this profession from the beginning instantaneously. I knew it would be a leadership role for me and something to do with public service and I’m happy that I chose this. I have faced different challenges in different posts. Initially when I joined I had to carry on the court order of Hubli court that issued a non-bailable warrant against the then sitting CM of MP. I had to arrest the CM then as it was on the basis of a court order. Many feathers were ruffled and a few vested interest parties opposed my actions later. I had later withdrawn gunmen from 81 politicians who had kept them unauthorised, exceeding the number they were allotted and were using the gunmen as errand boys. It irritated a few people and I was transferred out. I had two bosses then. The earlier one did not support me, but thankfully the incoming one supported me. When I was DIG Prisons, I opposed corruption and illegal special privileges given out of rule to Sasikala. When I blew the whistle on it, I was again transferred. However, my report was vindicated by another committee that was set up to find out the truth about my statements. Cases were booked against my boss and the anti-corruption bureau charge sheeted all of them. The third challenge was when I looked into the Nirbhaya Safe City Project fund. It was a 1000 Cr Rs project and was funded by the centre, but the state government had goofed up and there was favouritism. The Bharat Electronics the pioneer manufacturing company of CCTVs had complained to the PMO, but no one in the state government had acted on it. When I came as the Secretary Home, it came to my notice and I dug deep into it and found irregularities and submitted a report. Although I was transferred, due to this report, 500 Cr Rupees was saved for the public exchequer. A new tender was submitted and the same work was done at 500 crores lesser cost. - What is your current role? What are the steps you’re taking to address the issues at hand?
I’m currently the IGP, Internal Security, Karnataka. I involve myself with every program or initiative that stands up for the cause of women empowerment. My TEDx talk on why bureaucrats hesitate to act has inspired many women from all walks of life. Many women come to me and tell me that they have been inspired and whenever they feel low they watch it. It was addressed for bureaucrats but I’m so glad that it has touched a lot of women from all classes and masses everywhere. I attend a lot of women conferences. I also give quality time to my children as family is equally important. When I was SP in Yadgiri, I learnt Hindustani Classical music for one year and have also sung for one of the films. Music refreshes me. - Do women in your profession have a hard time getting ahead in their career?
When a woman speaks up in a male dominated system they are not allowed. No one likes whistleblowers as there are people with vested interests in the system who want to maintain a status quo, and especially when the whistleblower is a woman, it becomes worse. They try to dig up my past and try to create problems and portray me in negative light, but it has not worked for them, as my history has been clean. There was never a personal agenda for any action or expose that I have done. I was clear that this is my duty and I have to address it in public interest. When I was DIG Prisons, my boss went for civil defamation against me and later also when I exposed the irregularities in the Nirbhaya tender, people tried to create problems for me, but I sailed through. I believe if you’re clear in mind there is nothing to hide. Obstacles will be there and one should not worry if one is clean. - As a female leader in your field, what kept you going?
The society tries to cow down women by asking us to be feminine, be submissive, but somewhere if you have to break the glass ceiling and be the not-so-good-girl and make history. - How have you inspired other women?
Charity begins at home. I have inspired my sister Rohini Divakar, who is an IRS and Additional Commissioner of Income Tax, Chennai, from 2007 batch. I’m happy that I could inspire her. I was also Miss Davangere but I have not told this to many people as I did not want to add to the gender bias. When I joined the services I was very young and frail. I’m happy that inspite of having participated in many beauty contests, I did not deviate from my path of being a civil servant and stuck to my passion. One should make up one’s mind and work towards it with all dedication.