The incredible memoir from one of India’s most uncompromising police officers.Meeran Chadha Borwankar graduated from India’s National Police Academy as the sole woman of its 1981 batch. From there, she would go on to investigate a long string of sensitive and controversial cases, fighting crime together with corruption and discrimination, never compromising on her integrity. Meeran’s steadfast efforts saw her become Maharashtra’s first female district police chief as well as its first woman police commissioner. She also held senior roles at the Central Bureau of Investigation and Mumbai’s crime branch, eventually retiring as Director General of the Bureau of Police Research and Development and the National Crime Records Bureau. All through she remained unafraid to critique the country’s criminal justice system, challenging even those in the highest echelons until the rule of law prevailed.In this candid account of her thirty-six years in Indian law enforcement, Meeran details the sensational cases that defined her from the Jalgaon sex scandal to jewellery heists, highway dacoities to communal riots, brutal murders to gang rapes, port thefts to financial frauds, and brushes with notorious criminals such as Chhota Rajan and Dawood Ibrahim’s sister Haseena Parkar. As the state prisons chief, she navigated intense media and government pressure while overseeing Sanjay Dutt’s imprisonment and the executions of Ajmal Kasab and Yakub Memon, thereby outlining both the significance and challenges of donning the khaki.Gripping, thought-provoking and always inspiring, Madam Commissioner is as honest a memoir can get about life as a woman officer of the Indian Police Service. It is essential reading for anyone interested in the uniform and indeed for concerned citizens everywhere.
Short Summary: Autobiography covering the professional life of famous IPS officer Meeran Borwankar.
What I liked-
(1) Content: Every chapter is gripping. The author manages to convey the essential details while skimming over or cutting out unnecessary ones. Through imagery and great descriptions, the reader grasps the picture of every story. Each incident is most exciting due to the author's use of cliffhangers and great storytelling.
(2) Pace: The author maintains engaging pacing throughout the course of the book. This she does without sacrificing the quality of each chapter. The book is short enough to count as a 'quick read', long enough to be an enjoyable read.
(3) Grammar: Concise sentences along with simple English make for an easy read.
What I disliked-
(1) Lack of Pictures: A few pictures should have been included.
As the blurb of the book says, it is an essential reading for anyone interested in the uniform and indeed for concerned citizens anywhere.
Madam Commissioner is a memoir by Meera Chadha Borwankar where she revisits her experience and journey of being a woman officer of the Indian Police Service. She started narrating her journey from the time she graduated from the National Police Academy as the sole woman of the 1981 batch!
This book narrates how she carved the path for herself on the road not taken, becoming Maharashtra’s first female district police chief as well as its first Woman Police Commissioner. But it had not been easy as one can easily understand, as making a name for oneself in the male-dominated service, especially at that time. But as she narrates her story, she tells how when one has the power of truth, and intention to serve for the interest of people rather than oneself, one can achieve anything and everything.
The chapter on the Jalgaon sex scandal was one of the most emotionally moving chapters, where one can see the human emotions at the core, where the dynamics of humanity and administration meet, and no matter what the challenges come, one can find a way for the truth. The chapter on the executions of Ajmal Kasab and Yakub Memon is a memorable one and I'm going to remember it for a long time and will revisit it. The differences in the process of both the execution and the precision needed to implement, and taking care of the law and order were interesting to know and tell us the things that go behind the scenes of what we can attribute to as one of the most popular incidents of the largest democracy.
The author also talks about the imprisonment of Sanjay Dutt and the accusations posed by the media and the reality, cases revolving around Haseena Parkar and Chhota Rajan, jewellery heists worth crores, highway dacoits, port thefts, communal riots, violence and the corruption in the services, with many other things.
In this book, the author also talks about how the integrity of the administrative services declined over time, especially in the 90s and the reforms needed in the services, and how things can work in the best manner when there is a collaboration of the public and people in uniform, citing various examples throughout the book, making it a book that not only talks about one's life but can be of interest of anyone interested to know more about the Khaki and the things that go behind which is neglected if seen from the surface.
As a person who rarely reads non-fiction, this book was a breath of fresh air, giving deep insights into the Administrative Services and the challenges and steps ahead in it through first-hand experience. I'll give it 4.65/5 stars.
This was a fun read - a wonderful insight into the life of and challenges faced by a woman moving up the ranks of the IPS organization. While the style is (almost too) simple, one learns to respect her experience and her mettle in facing challenging situation. I’m only taking away one star because I wish she would have gone into more details on some of the stories she shared - I’m sure there was classified information - but the extra detail would’ve made this book much much more memorable.
I began Madam Commissioner expecting a memoir about power, postings, and protocol. What I did not expect was how quietly it would sit with me afterward—like the weight of a khaki uniform folded neatly on a chair, still warm from long use. This is not a book that shouts. It stands. Firmly. And asks you, without drama, to look at what integrity costs.
Meeran Chadha Borwankar’s life has been written about often in headlines, but here it arrives stripped of spectacle. From the very first pages, there is a sense of a woman walking into spaces that were never designed for her and refusing to apologize for existing there. The fact that she was the only woman in her IPS batch of 1981 is not presented as trivia or triumphalism; it is simply the weather she had to walk through. And she describes that weather—the physical exhaustion, the psychological isolation, the subtle humiliations—with a prose that is clean, unornamented, and deeply confident in its own restraint.
What struck me most in the narrative is her attention to people who would normally be footnotes in an officer’s life. A woman attendant at the academy. A demanding outdoor trainer. Subordinates who stood by her in difficult investigations. These moments soften the authority of the narrative without weakening it. They reveal a character shaped as much by observation and gratitude as by command. The memoir becomes, in this way, not only a record of cases but a reflection on how character is formed when nobody is watching.
The book’s pacing mirrors the rhythms of policing itself—long stretches of procedural grind punctuated by sudden moral crises. Sensational cases appear, but they are never sensationalized. Whether dealing with sexual exploitation, communal tension, organized crime, or prison administration, Borwankar consistently pulls the reader away from voyeurism and toward consequence. The Jalgaon sex scandal chapter, in particular, lingers not because of its horror but because of the clarity with which she draws lessons about power, silence, and institutional failure. You feel the slow churn of the system, the resistance to truth, and the personal toll of insisting that the law must mean something beyond paper.
Her prose remains remarkably even when the subject matter is not. There is no bitterness, though there is unmistakable disappointment—especially when she writes about political interference, withdrawn cases, and the way honest officers are quietly punished for being “too straight.” The emotional impact here is subtle but cumulative. You sense the fatigue of swimming against the current for decades, and yet there is no self-pity. The narrative voice never asks for sympathy; it earns respect.
One of the most unsettling reflections comes from her observations about how institutions respond when women officers speak up about misconduct. The discomfort of colleagues. The convenient labelling of the woman as “difficult.” These passages are written without rhetoric, which somehow makes them more powerful. They read less like accusation and more like documentation—evidence placed gently but firmly on the table.
Structurally, the book benefits from short, focused chapters that allow the reader to pause, reflect, and return without losing momentum. Each chapter feels like a window into a particular phase of transformation—professional, ethical, or personal. There are moments of pride, certainly, but also moments of loss: coveted postings that never came, battles fought at personal cost, recognition that arrived late or sideways. The memoir understands that impact is not always rewarded in real time.
If there is a weakness, it may be that readers looking for dramatic introspection or lyrical flourish might find the tone almost too disciplined. But that discipline is itself the point. This is a life lived in service to process, fairness, and restraint. Excess would have felt dishonest.
What stays with me most is an image near the end: a senior officer capable of overseeing executions and, in another moment, helping the child of a condemned man secure something as ordinary as a passport. That juxtaposition captures the book’s deepest theme—that justice without humanity becomes brutality, and humanity without courage becomes sentimentality. Borwankar walks that narrow line with rare steadiness.
Madam Commissioner is not only for readers interested in policing or bureaucracy. It is for anyone grappling with the question of how to remain decent inside flawed systems. Read it slowly. Perhaps one chapter at a time. Let it unsettle you a little. And when you close the book, notice the quiet resolve it leaves behind—the kind that does not demand applause, only continuity.
I wanted to read a non fiction book featuring a woman as part of the International Women's Day reading in March. So when I saw this book in our local bookstore, I bought it instantly and slated it in for my March reading.
After all, its very rare that you will come across a memoir/biography/autobiography about an Indian woman who has broken the glass ceiling in the Public services sector which has been heavily male dominated until the women's resevation bill regarding jobs was implemented.
Retd Commissioner Meera Borwankar's memoir is easily readable, full of facts on the important highlights of her career serving in the Indian Police Force as a senior officer and quite inspiring. I was very impressed with a lot of the intiatives she has spear headed, such as the protection and safety of juenvile females and engaging the citizens to help with multiple cases. She along with her team, were involved in the conviction of many sensational cases- be it the riots, Jalgaon sex scandal, white collar crimes, highway dacoits, gold heist cases, and overseeing the hangings of two terrorists - Kasab and Memon.
In her memoir, she stresses on the importance of being true to yourself and how important it is to be honest in a profression mired by dishonesty and corruption. Time and again she is challenged by red tapism, breauracracy and corruption. However, she and her team work on cases steadfastedly, over years to bring them to fruition. As a reader, it is still disheartening to read about the time it takes to convict criminals of heinous crimes and how low the conviction rates still are. But heartening to know that there are officers and ministers who arent corrupt and who do care about the welfare of the citizens.
The only place the book lacked for me was in terms of the writing style I think - it failed to evoke a lot of emotions or passion within me as a reader and I was expecting a bit more in terms of the challenges she faced in her professional and personal life and how she overcame those as well, I guess. But all in all, I am glad I read about this very strong and inspiring woman from my own country :)
' A woman with a voice is by definition a strong woman.But the search to find that voice can be remarkably difficult.' - Melinda Gates
Meeran Chadha Borwankar joined the Indian Police Service in 1981 when there were hardly any female officers adorning Khaki in those days.She was the only female cadet in her whole batch.But these things hardly deterred her. Starting from her early training days, she battled various kinds of prejudices & proved her mantle under harsh conditions during the training tenure.She continued the streak during her service life.
Her eventful service life was marked with sensational cases that shook the whole country like Kolhapur rape case, Jalgaon Sex scandal, UTI scam, Haseena Parkar case, the execution of Ajmal Kasab & many others.
During her stint in various capacities, she showed an amazing combination of wit, valour, honesty, decisive thinking and dedication to uproot the evils of the society.Her determination to bring a positive change in the police system earned her the respect of colleagues, juniors as well as common people. Her thirst for knowledge took her to places.Meeran Chadha introduced many reforms to improve the system, augument the speed of investigation and normalise the communication of the victims with the police.
Written in layman's language the book offered an insider's view of the working of the system.What influenced me deeply is her honest perspective about the department & the corruption that slowly seeped into the system causing failure in deliverance of timely justice on different occasions.She pointed out the deadly after effects of involvement of politics in police.
Madam Commissioner is a book that presents the bitter realities, dilemmas & risks associated with the uniform. It present the real life view of the protectors of the society. I would love to recommend this deeply thought provoking story to all the readers who dream to join the force one day & want to know about the policing system.
🚨 A majority of people aspire to join the Civil Services and serve their nation. But have you ever wondered how their life would be ⁉️ The reel life might be different from the reel life but it's not as it seems.
🚨 Today's title is not just a title, it's the life story of an inspiration to many. The people who work in the shadows but barely get recognised.
🚨 Madam Commissioner is the story of Meeran Chadha Borwankar, Indian Police Officer who retired as DG, Bureau of Police Research & Development. Throughout her life she has been designated at various commanding postings and has been a part of some of the most crucial events and situations.
📌 This book vividly portrays the challenges and hardships a women faces throughout persuing their service. The author does not only shared her perspectives but also outlined the limitations of the existing system, and showed certain ways to overcome those events and situations.
📌 Madam Commissioner is an transformational and inspiring read. A must read for the youngsters, especially those who are aspiring and aiming to join the Civil Services. It gives the actual value and very realistically shows what the life of an officer exactly is not what it seems like.
📌 I've read a lot of memoirs but frankly speaking, this is one of the very few which actually felt relatable and expressive. The simplicity through which the experinces and cultures have been expressed makes it one of the best and seperates it from the rest.
Breaking barriers in a demanding profession, shattering traditional perceptions and fears, this book is a compelling autobiography of Meeran Chadha Borwankar. It chronicles her remarkable 36-year career in the Indian Police Service. Each chapter is a captivating story in itself. The writing style is engaging and heartfelt. The book is divided into 38 chapters, each focusing on a specific incident. You can even read each chapter independently without losing the flow. Borwankar enriches her narrative by providing the socio-political, historical, and economic context of the places she was posted to. This helps the reader grasp the circumstances surrounding the situations she faced.
The book offers an educational perspective for the general reader. Most people are unaware of the inner workings of a police training academy, the hierarchy, the norms, the weapons, the numerous criminal and investigative departments, the measures in place, and the legal framework. With Borwankar as our guide, we, the readers, gain insights into the different stages of a career path in the police force. We gain a deeper understanding of the grueling regime of the training academy, the minds of criminals, the importance of crime data, and the significance of teamwork.
Borwankar emphasizes the crucial role of citizen-police partnerships. As Commissioner of Police in Pune, she took proactive initiatives, involving students, women, NGOs, and opening her office doors daily for an hour to citizens.
I had known of Meeran Madam since I was a child. As the Commissioner of Police for our district, she was a figure of immense pride for the citizens of my city. Her leadership was often the topic of many conversations, and I always admired her when I was a kid.
However, I didn’t know much about her life until recently. I was pleasantly surprised to see her featured on the Beer Biceps podcast. Intrigued by her appearance, I decided to purchase her book to learn more.
Meeran’s life story is nothing short of awe-inspiring. The depth and breadth of her experiences as an IPS officer are truly remarkable. Her journey has inspired me to live more fully and strive for greatness in my own life.
The book beautifully incorporates a quote by Maya Angelou that deeply resonates with me: "My mission in life has not been … merely to survive but to thrive And to do so with some passion, Some compassion, some humor And some style."
Indeed, we need more people like Meeran, more leaders of her caliber in our country and beyond.
The book is filled with a plethora of experiences that Meeran has encountered throughout her career. However, I found myself yearning for more details at times. Many of these experiences are so rich and multifaceted that they could easily be expanded into books of their own.
Excellently penned. The high octane life of an IPS and a woman at that. I liked that she has stayed completely professional throughout the book and did let any personal priorities ride in. That doesn't mean we don't see her familial side. She does unveil it adroitly albeit very frugally. The office bearer reads to have worked well within her disposed capacities and capabilities. Definitely inspired me to be a law abiding citizen. Good read.
If you are looking to read it as an autobiography, then you will have to wait till she writes one, coz this is not one. This is a collection of selected memoirs from her 36 year long IPS journey. Definitely has her ups and down and yes she does cover her run in with Doval. Ofcourse I am sure, she as much diligently included, has excluded as well. But then what we get in this book is lot better than getting nothing at all.
Here's wishing all the best for her new chapter in life and hoping that she continues to inspire and contribute. Cheers Meeranji!!
No doubt the author had a fantastic history and she rightfully should have wrote her autobiography. The disappointment is not because of the many stories she has to tell, but it lacks quite a bit of depth. She is dismissive and doesn't get into much detail on her individual experiences. Some stories I am sure could be fleshed out with sordid details.
3.5 I liked the book- its simple chronological and easy to read. Perfect for teens and young adults..I would have perhaps liked to hear and read more about how her work impacted her personal life, as a working professional I believe I would have resonated more with the book when one considers the personal impact of work/ jobs/ careers that demand the full attention of a person, especially female.
It's about the experiences of the meeran chadha that how she deal with the administration, police, crime, criminals, robbery politics and her child. In the starting instances she's describing her life at LBSNAA and SVPNPA.
This memoir offers a raw and honest reflection of the author's life journey, presented in a simple and engaging writing style. Reading it feels like having a conversation with the author herself.
Throughout the book, the author shares thought-provoking quotes that serve as aphorisms for life. However, while these moments add depth, I found myself wishing for more detailed accounts of the author's experiences and journey. For instance, the incident where the author submitted an eight-page report, later expanded to 38 pages for improvement, serves as a metaphor for the book itself — it could benefit from a similar expansion to delve deeper into key events.
Having learned more about the author's extraordinary life where she encountered all the major events which have garnered national attention in the past, I believe additional elaboration on these events would have enriched the memoir. Nevertheless, even in its current form, the book effectively communicates the author's heartfelt message to readers.
I extend my utmost respect and admiration to Meeran Chadha Borwankar Ma'am and anyone who aspires a similar journey in their life. It's been a privilege to gain insight into her remarkable life.
*Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.