International Journal of Physical Education, Sports and Health 2018; 5(2): 88-95 P-ISSN: 2394-1685 E-ISSN: 2394-1693 Impact Factor (ISRA): 5.38 Sports and non-sports women police officers in India: IJPESH 2018; 5(2): 88-95 A case study of Haryana women police © 2018 IJPESH www.kheljournal.com Received: 21-01-2018 Accepted: 22-02-2018 Geeta Devi and Dr. Monika Verma Geeta Devi Abstract Research Scholar, Sports are necessary because it brings physical and mental fitness to the person involved in this on Department of Physical regular basis. Being involved in sports activities benefits a person in many ways. It does not provide only Education, Chaudhary Devi Lal University, Sirsa, Haryana, physical strength however it increases mental power too. Sports and games are very beneficial to us as India they teach us punctuality, patient, discipline, teamwork and dedication. Playing sports help us in building and improving confidence level. If we practice sports on regular basis, we can be more active and Dr. Monika Verma healthy. Women who play sports have higher levels of confidence and self-esteem and lower levels of Professor, Department of depression. The Police in India recruited a decent number of women over the last twenty years. For the Physical Education, present study the sample was selected from the Madhuban Police Academy situated at Karnal. It is Chaudhary Devi Lal University, included fifty sports and fifty non-sports women police officers. Sirsa, Haryana, India Keywords: Non-sports, women police officers Introduction The assumption of women's health being governed by her womb was not seriously challenged until later in the twentieth century. Any ailment that a women had from a sore throat to back pain was thought to be related to the uterus, physicians agreed with the theory that all women were frail and weak making them unable to participate in sport. The eco cultural model given by Berry (1979) states that it is the socialization process which is more responsible for gender differences, as women are not much encouraged to take part in many social activities including games and sports. In developed countries women are allowed to take part in sports competitions. In India also the fair sex was prohibited to take part in sports due to certain myths related to physical activities. Despite the health warnings, women wanted the freedom to play sports. As women began participation, it was inferred that women who participated in exercise would become unfeminine, muscular and subject to uterine damage (Powell, 1981). However some people also believed that physical exercise could benefit women by helping with the birthing process. There is wealth of evidences to support that sport women have differences in their body composition physiological and psychological functioning as compared to their counter parts i.e. non-sports women. In recent years there has been a progressive increase in the number of young women in occupation that involve strenuous work performance, either on an acute basis or over prolonged periods, in addition, many female athletes now pursue athletic careers, that extend through their optimal childbearing years in the third and fourth decades of life. This is probably result of better physical conditioning access to improved athletic therapy resources and enhanced economic support both at the amateur and professional levels. There may also be other socioeconomic and biomedical factors. (Larry et al. 2005) [2] Based on current scientific evidence on the positive effects of regular physical activity (PA) on health and functional capacity, several authorities have stated that increasing the PA level of Correspondence general population is one of the key issues in today's health promotion. Hypokinetic, sedentary Geeta Devi life in middle aged men and women is apt to lead to obesity and deterioration of aerobic power Research Scholar, and both are characteristics problems of developed countries in recent years (Kozma, et al., Department of Physical 1991) [3]. Education, Chaudhary Devi Lal Increased participation of women in sports both in number and quality has naturally raised the University, Sirsa, Haryana, India question of scientific investigation and study in the area of women and sports, it is an ~ 88 ~ International Journal of Physical Education, Sports and Health important issue but the gap of scientific knowledge in this chronic disease, and prevention of osteoporosis. field is still enormous. Not only is women's involvement in Kiran bedi, India‟s first and highest ranking Officer who the world of sport science still restricted furthermore only a joined the Indian Police Service in 1972, who is also a social small part of the scientifically related literature deals with activist says, “Sports and education were the key pillars of our women's performance. There are almost no studies upbringing.” The women‟s sports foundation (WSF) is an concerning the long range effects of intensive conditioning educational nonprofit organization founded in 1974 by tennis programs on women, there is no overwhelming information legend Billie Jean king. Its stated mission statement is – “To on the physical capacities of older women. Assessment of the advance the lives of girls and women through sports and females function in sport and exercise has mainly been physical activities.” Indian women have achieved great laurels generalized from results of investigation of male participants, for the nation in every sport. Some women sports icon of sports standards were in fact male oriented and thus the India, engine of sports are P.T. Usha (Athletics) Kunjarani women in sport were compared more with men that with other Devi (Weightlifting), Dianaedulji (Cricket), Induprui (Table women. Tennis), Preetamrani (Hocky), Sania Mirza (Tennis), Karnam all Eshwari (Weightlifting), Saina Nehwal (Badminton). Women’s Participation in Sports Following the 1970s, a combination of societal changes and Sports and Non-Sports Women Police Officers in India progressive legislations paved the way for women to enter There are many Women Police Officers in India which are law enforcement. recruited on Sports and Non- Sport basis. Some of them are The chronicle of women in Indian police started in the early discussed as under: 70s when its first woman joined the uniformed force. She entered the profession at the top of the tier of an extremely Kiran Bedi hierarchical formation and put in a good three decades of Kiran Bedi (born 9 June 1949) is a retired Indian Police exemplary work. During those decades, thousands of women Service officer, social activist, former tennis player and joined the force from the ranks of constable all the way across politician who is the current Lieutenant Governor of the spectrum. Puducherry. She is the first woman to join the Indian Police In 2010, the Bureau of Police Research & Development Service (IPS). She remained in service for 35 years before estimated that there are around 30,000 women in various taking voluntary retirement in 2007 as Director General, Indian police forces. However, despite these “achievements,” Bureau of Police Research and Development. even a decade-old figure by the 7th UN Survey on the As a teenager, Bedi became the national junior tennis percentage of women police in 13 Asian countries reflects a champion in 1966. Between 1965 and 1978, she won several very low percentage of women in India‟s police force. titles at national and state-level championships. After joining The Police in India recruited a decent number of women over Indian Police Service (IPS), Bedi served in Delhi, Goa, the last twenty years, but acceptability and assimilation as Chandigarh and Mizoram. She started her career as an “equal partners” to men within the professional core has left Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) in Chanakyapuri much to be desired. There are not many studies on this lack of area of Delhi, and won the President's Police Medal in 1979. acceptability of women in uniform, but the few that exist, Next, she moved to West Delhi, where she brought a such as James Vadackumchery ‟s Police, Women & Gender reduction in crimes against women. Subsequently, as a traffic Justice, point to the fact that women in uniform are still police officer, she oversaw traffic arrangements for the 1982 perceived as “they” versus “us” in all rank and file of the Asian Games in Delhi and the 1983 CHOGM meet in Goa. As uniformed profession. Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) of North Delhi, she It can be safely said that discrimination and contradistinctions launched a campaign against drug abuse, which evolved into vis-a-vis their counterparts are constant and invidious, though the Navjyoti Delhi Police Foundation (renamed to Navjyoti subtle. While women are (hopefully) not unwelcome in the India Foundation in 2007). profession, having them in key leadership roles is resisted, In May 1993, she was posted to the Delhi Prisons as Inspector and exceptionally challenging and important jobs or General (IG). She introduced several reforms at Tihar Jail, assignments are “handed over” to the select few with which gained worldwide acclaim and won her the Ramon reservation. Magsaysay Award in 1994. In 2003, Bedi became the first By and large, lack of requisite social attitudes and work Indian woman to be appointed as a Police Advisor to culture in the Indian society at large, and, in particular, Secretary-General of the United Nations, in the Department of government and its workplace, are squarely responsible for Peace Keeping Operations. She resigned in 2007, to focus on the gender bias in the profession. social activism and writing. She has written several books, and runs the India Vision Foundation. During 2008–11, she Women Police in India: A Case Study of Sports and Non- also hosted a court showAap Ki Kachehri. She was one of the Sports Women Police Officer key leaders of the 2011 Indian anti- corruption movement, In recent years, sports and physical activity as a strategy for and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in January 2015.