Defining Moments A Memoir

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In this engaging memoir, Rejendra Shekhar, former Director of the CBI, strings together his personal experiences with professional incidents that shaped his life. Replete with poignant episodes. Defining Moments takes us with the author on the interesting voyage that has been his life, from Mayo College to St. Stephen's, from the State Police to the CBI.

Serving as a young SP in a district in Rajastan, he was exposed to episodes as varied as communal riots and duplicitous sadhus. Rejendra Shekhar was joint Director CBI, when the dreaded KCF terrorist 'Jinda', who had earned notoriety in the murder of Gen. Vaidya was apprehended.

Other than his professional life, Rajendra Shekhar has peppered the book with endearing characters that flit through the pages. Perpetrating well meaning indiscretions: from Manuskha to Masoom Ali to Matron Rennie Tubbs, and of course, 'Amma' (the author's mother), who is naïve enough to think that Eton is just a pile of bricks.

The unique aspect of this book is that it is full of delightful and unexpected incidents having a bearing on human interest. This touching tale of times gone by will strike a chord with its readers, as they go along to discover the humane facet of a uniformed service otherwise known for its formal severe approach.

About the Author

Rajendra Shekhar joined the Indian Police Service in 1957, and was allotted the Rajasthan Cadre. He spent about fourteen years in various capacities with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and supervised the investigation of many prestigious cases of the organization.

He has authored a professional book titled Not a Licence to Kill.

He retired in 1992 after heading both the State Police, as Director General Police, Rajasthan, and the CBI as its Director.

Introduction

The chief concern of a professional of my age bracket was job security and this entailed spending a major part of one's life with a single job profile. I for instance, spent almost half of my life span-35 years, marching and mark timing to the tunes of my profession.

On being selected to the Indian Police Service (IPS), I dutifully wallowed in my mother's blissful nods and my father's prideful announcements that I had got into the IPS, just as during my retirement years I have duly felt elated at being called ex-DGP or ex-whatever.

Nonetheless, it is a humbling thought to treasure that personal attainments often are not entirely an outcome of individual effort, even if we truthfully acknowledge the fact that a perpetual quest for achievements and milestones is the driving force in a professional career.

Yet again, life is neither circumscribed by one's profession, nor is it a matter of milestones; it is a matter of moments.

Brick by brick a building is constructed and each brick counts. The countdown starts at the very moment the child is born. Life begins at birth; it is as simple as that. The first defining moment is the birth itself, subsequently defining moments occur from time to time to subtly change life patterns.

Defining Moments is a memoir containing 24 episodes strung together, albeit loosely, in a unifying theme. The purpose of a memoir is to capture certain highlights of 'meaningful moments' in one's past.

Gore Vidal says, 'a memoir is how one remembers one's own life'. This insightful observation is relevant in view of the fact that a memoir is memory-dependent and where memory gives conflicting signals the author prefers to opt for a more interesting resolution- of what might have happened.

The book has three segments. A big share is cornered by episodes (No. 10 to 21) that cover my professional life. Nos. 1 to 9 pertain to the early years, and the remaining 3 incidents (22 to 24) relate to my retired phase.

I have basically assumed the role of a narrator, which I understand, is the done thing when writing a memoir; though undoubtedly, the protagonist in me lurks in the shadows longing to 'rise and shine'. The narrator's role has a distinct advantage. It helps him in shedding the baggage of inhibitions and allows him to laugh at himself and with others.

Thus, most of the incidents, despite some of them being burdened with weighty titles, have been treated with a light brush and the reigning mood of the chronicle is generally upbeat.

The unifying aspect is one of 'human interest' that runs through all the episodes. And even the professional 'cases' chosen in this anthology focus on the primacy of humanism and character delineation.

It takes the last episode for me to make a complete switchover in the garb of a 'senior citizen'. It is a status that lays stress on the irrevocability of retirement and eventual passing on.

So, while the going is good, it is time to 'stand and stare' without feeling agitated about the repid dissipation of time. Or, to sit back, count our blessings and luxuriate in the delightful antics of our grandchildren.

One can only hope that the 'feel good factor' rubs off on the revered reader as well.