Breaking the silence

Police Chief Kiran Bedi becomes the face and thoughtful spokesperson at the launch of the siren torch, designed to enhance the safety of women and vulnerable people

Kiran Bedi emphasized on the empowerment aspect. Photo/Aditi Haralkar

She is now a social activist, but her mere presence still makes one want to greet Dr Kiran Bedi, who was in Mumbai to unveil a security alarm flashlight. It is a torch designed for the safety of women and other vulnerable people. The Eveready Siren Torch, which dazzled at the launch of the demonstration, has a siren that wails when the wearer switches it on and immediately attracts attention. The noise resonated throughout the hall when Bedi pressed a button on the flashlight, at its official launch at a hotel in Andheri East on Tuesday.

Breaking the silence

The strong message of this device is: breaking the silence, and therefore the siren. In case of distress, danger or emergency, the compact flashlight can be placed in an accessible and easy-to-reach place, such as by hanging it on your bag, so as not to have to search feverishly for it in an emergency. The flashlight emits a 100 decibel alarm sound when it flashes when you pull on its key ring. This attracts the attention of passers-by. It is supposed to act both as a deterrent in case of potential danger and as a shrill and easy-to-hear cry for help.

More hands

Bedi, who has many firsts to her credit, including being the first woman to hold the post of police officer, said the torch would “boost the confidence level of women. You have really empowered a woman who is feeling scared and needs help. This siren will go far, I hope it reaches more and more hands,” said Bedi, who cut a dapper figure in a salwar-kurta, jacket and shoes. Her statement, “This is a weapon, a non-violent weapon of a different kind,” drew applause.

Bedi pointed out that even schoolgirls returning from night school, perhaps at sunset, can use this device. “When you improve a woman’s physical safety, it also means better mental health.”

Doc discussion

Bedi spoke about her two foundations, Navjyoti India Foundation and India Vision Foundation, which work towards women empowerment, and where girls and women could benefit from this product. She also suggested that the torch should have a small strap, so that people can hang it, “and have their hands free. We can also consider giving them as gifts for Diwali or Women’s Day,” Bedi said. She had the audience laughing when she said, “My first experience with a torch was when I went to see a doctor as a child. The doctor told me, open your mouth and light the torch. Maybe one day we can introduce a doctor’s torch, where when the doctor asks a patient to open his mouth, what he sees can be documented and analysed. The torch has a memory. Maybe this could be another innovation in torch using artificial intelligence (AI).”

For this #AwaazUthaneyKaPower campaign, Eveready has collaborated with India Signing Hands, an organisation dedicated to providing solutions to the ‘accessibility’ issues faced by the deaf community.

A dignified life

Eveready officials said people will now see awareness around the flashlight on which the #AwaazUthaneyKaPower campaign was built. The compact flashlight with charger costs R225 and will be widely available because accessibility is vital, they stressed. The curtain fell on an inspiring end to the morning that could be summed up as: giving dignity, power, autonomy and a voice to those who have none, literally and figuratively.