Srilakshmi Prasaad’s tryst with the IPS

After 33 glorious years as an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, Srilakshmi Prasaad is still going strong, serving with the best of her abilities. Currently the only woman Director General of Police among 10 of her male counterparts, this lady with an iron mind heads the investigative wing of the State Human Rights Commission. Seated in her office on Greenways Road, she welcomes us for a candid chat about her three decades of service and being one with the people.

“I’ll tell you a secret… my life was not a very planned one. There aren’t any romantic versions to my story, like I dreamt of becoming an IPS officer since I was a child and worked hard towards achieving my goal or anything. It just happened,” begins Srilakshmi. The BSc Zoology graduate from Stella Maris initially planned to study medical sciences. “However, after my undergrad degree, I didn’t feel like pursuing it. My brother was already an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer by then, so I thought of giving it a shot,” she narrates.

Once she cleared the examinations, the idea that she should be in a position to do some nation building, developmental activities, implement government schemes and make the benefits reach the poor by channelising resources, became crystal clear in her mind. She tells us, “One has to be in power or have money to be useful in society and since I am from a middle class family, getting money didn’t seem like an easy or feasible idea. Studying and gaining knowledge were easier for me so I chose that path.”

When it came to selecting a branch in the services, “My first choice was IAS, second was Indian Foreign Service (IFS) and the third was IPS. Until now, I’ve been very happy that I got through the third option because of my undying love for the uniform,” she smiles.

Srilakshmi joined the service in 1986 and was entrusted with various capacities across Tamil Nadu. She served in Law and Order as a Sub-Divisional Officer, as a District Superintendent of Police and as Deputy Inspector General of Police. A proud recipient of the Police Medal for meritorious service and President’s Medal for distinguished service, Prasaad also served in the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for five years in the Anti-Corruption Branch, and was a member of the TN Commission for Women, where she extensively dealt with women issues.

No doubt, her field of work is male-dominated — did she face any struggle being a woman? “I never looked at myself as a woman. No one else looked at me as a woman either, but an officer. I was trained equally with men, I passed the same exam as them… my gender never occurred to me as a disadvantage,” she replies.

It is this confidence and self-certainty that hasn’t stopped Srilakshmi from taking the bull by the horns and tackling crises in her job, to date. She recalls a particular harrowing incident, “When I was the Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), the Vanniyar agitation was at its peak. There were days when my jeep would pass through a particular road but by the time I would return, the road would be blocked with chopped trees. Day and night I would patrol, roaming around East Coast Road in full uniform.” Even that chaos, which had engulfed the entire state, didn’t deter her. “See, I am aware that there can be threats and that the police could have enemies. However, I was not, am not and won’t ever be scared. I accept it as an occupational hazard and as long as I am doing the right thing, I know I’ll be safe,” she says.

During the conversation, an inkling that Srilakshmi has a softer side to her tough demeanour creeps in. We wonder if this has ever gotten the better of her logic due to criticism from the public in any situation. After a chuckle, she clarifies, “Firstly, we can’t solve every problem of the people, but only of those who approach us — if we have jurisdiction over it. Let’s look at domestic abuse for example. Often, women come to the station to complain against their abusive husbands. Even if we wish to take action, they request us not to because the family will lose its sole breadwinner.”

She continues, “In such cases of family matters, the law cannot always be implemented without negative consequences. So can I afford to take criticism from the public that we’re not doing our duty? If someone breaks government property or damages something, then we can be ruthless. But implementation of the law can be done only if the complainant wants. Hence, every case has to be handled with care.”

On a concluding note, she says, “Despite these flaws, I have never once doubted the service. No one can rule over people but I at least have the position, where people will listen to me. I try to use this coupled with the humane side of me to serve. I believe God has chosen me for this purpose.”