NEW
DELHI: Arvind Kejriwal,
the firebrand activist who has successfully upset the uneasy balance of power in
Delhi's political scene, is all set to become the national capital's chief
minister.
Here's
looking at what makes the AAP chief 'Kejriwall'
Kejriwal
the man
Born: August 16, 1968 in Hisar,
Haryana
Mother: Gita Devi. He also has a younger
brother and sister
Marriage: Kejriwal married Sunita, IRS officer, his batchmate from
civil services training days in Mussoorie. The two joined the IRS
together
Personal life: Kejriwal is a vegetarian and
keen practitioner of Vipassana for many years
1985: Joined IIT, Kharagpur, for degree in
mechanical engineering
1989: Joined Tata Steel, posted at Jamshedpur.
Took leave to study for civil services entrance
1992: Quit job. Spent time in Kolkata, at the
Ramakrishna Mission in north-east India
1995: Joined Indian Revenue Service after
clearing civils entrance in first shot. In between, met Mother Teresa, worked
with her
1999-2000: Took a two-year sabbatical on
condition that upon resuming his work he wouldn't resign for at least three
years. He initiated movement Parivartan. Focused on assisting citizens in
navigating income tax, electricity and food ration matters
2003: Rejoined IRS, worked for 18 months.
Continued social work, activism
2006: Won Ramon Magsaysay Award for helping
enact RTI Act. Resigned from IRS. Donated Magsaysay award money as corpus to
found NGO Public Cause Research Foundation
2011: Zoomed into public glare, political ire
and national stage with Anna Hazare's fast to pass the Jan Lokpal
bill
2012: Launched Aam Aadmi Party
Dec 2013: Defeated three-term CM Sheila Dixit
in Delhi assembly election by 25,864 votes
The
systems man
Kejriwal has in the past spoken well of the
Delhi Metro. Unlike the Indian Railways, he says, the capital's metro service
isn't a sea of confusion and chaos. And that's because the service has correct
systems in place. He owns a car but has been known to take the metro frequently
to work.
Perfection
fetish
Colleagues close to the AAP leader say he's
fastidious and would cross out documents, mark them in red, make repeated
alterations just to ensure it is to his liking — perfect and just the way he'd
like it to be. He is never tired of revising and revising the lokpal draft, for
instance, making margin jottings during his innumerable meetings with senior
colleagues, typing, chopping, changing paragraphs, sentences and
words.
Mr
cool
He's known to be a demanding man to work with,
more respected than feared. Colleagues say they've hardly seen him lose temper.
He doesn't take people to task but when miffed, instead takes on the task
himself. When annoyed, colleagues say he goes quiet and retreats into his offi
ce, shutting the door behind him.
Only
the best
Kejriwal finished school in 1985 and decided he
would go to IIT. His dad Gobind Kejriwal advised him to apply to other
engineering colleges as well but Kejriwal said he wouldn't even consider joining
such an option. He had set his mind on going to the best engineering college in
the country and wouldn't settle for anything less.
'Papa
mein hai dum'
In an interview to a newsmagazine, Kejriwal's
12-yr-old son Pulkit proudly said his dad was enough for all the opponents.
Because "papa mein hai dum". Daughter Harshita (17) is equally proud, their
teachers and seniors are AAP followers. Kejriwal's believes the way his son's
life has played out shows he has "god's blessings". Thus, "No one can harm my
son."
Rock
of support Sunita
His wife Sunita, also an IRS officer, is the
family's backbone. Kejriwal's mother Geeta Devi recalled to reporters the day
her son called up to say he had found the girl he wanted to marry. And how they
went on to have "an arranged marriage" . Down-to-earth Sunita said she treats
her husband's job, as any other. She told a magazine last year, "I just want him
and the kids to remain least affected by all this."
A
man possessed
Kejriwal's energy levels are unbelievably high,
and party colleagues say he sleeps barely four hours a day. The night before
Anna Hazare's Ramlila Maidan fast, he and other senior leaders spent the night
at Kiran Bedi's house. Colleagues say Kejriwal coughed through the night. The
next morning, he nibbled at a plain toast, drank a cup of milk and was off to
the venue in a flash.
Averse
to ceremony
In the revenue service, Kejriwal was Spartan,
no-nonsense and absolutely upright. He refused to have a peon, cleaned his own
desk, emptied his dustbin and studiously avoided office get-togethers. Those who
saw him then recall how he'd be seen at a tea stall near his office or else in
his office room, withdrawn, doing his work. A man who is apparently averse to
ceremony, he does not celebrate his birthday and those of his
children.
First
day lessons
On the first day of his job in 1995 in the
Indian Revenue Service (IRS), Kejriwal recalls what a senior official told him:
the 27-year-old was advised how to make money at the start of one's career and
then "pretend to be an honest officer for the rest of his life". A shocked
Kejriwal said it impacted the shape his career took, from a small bureaucrat to
activist to politician.
Magsaysay
man
Kejriwal was at an RTI event in 2006 the day he
got to know he had been awarded the year's Magsaysay Award. He had spoken
nonstop, engaging students and activists to file RTI applications when his phone
rang. He took the call and later informed a colleague he had received the
prestigious award. Moments later, he was back at what he was doing, normal as
ever.
Surprise
treats
Kejriwal is known to perk up the mood of his
officewallahs with impromptu treats of patties or ice cream for the entire
staff. He takes time out to chat with people and doesn't let phone calls break
the conversation.
Blunt
talker
Delhi's CM-in-waiting has been provocative and
outspoken in front of TV cameras, unbelievably blunt at times. Senior colleagues
such as Prashant Bhushan have been seen straining and trying their best to rein
him in. The Kejriwal of the early days and the man now are somewhat different,
he appears a lot more restrained and mellowed.
Movie
buff
Though he has "hardly got any time" with his
family the last year, Kejriwal said in an interview he liked to take his kids to
watch films. He is a fan of Aamir
Khan and admires his work and enjoys comedies as well.
A
regular student
His IIT batchmates say his foray into activism
and politics was a bolt out of the blue for them. In his college days, Kejriwal
never professed an interest in either going out with friends to play cards or
for a round of drinks. Friends remember him as being more interested in theatre
than academics.
Friends
network
His close friends from college days helped him
raise loans to reimburse the government when he took his voluntary retirement
from the civil service after he had taken two years' paid study leave. In fact,
it's his friends reportedly who pitched in with Rs 25,000 every month for a
living so he could continue his fight against corruption. Kejriwal said the
remaining expenses were borne by wife Sunita, an additional commissioner in the
income-tax department.
Steel
worker
Once out of IIT Kharagpur, Kejriwal
joined Tata Steel in
Jamshedpur, and apparently liked the job. He admired the hard work and sincerity
the workers displayed. He served the company for three years and returned to
Delhi because he wanted to take the civil services exam. His dream was to join
the police service, but he qualified for Indian Revenue Service.
Universe's
power
On breaking his two-week fast in April 2013,
Kejriwal talked of what gave him the strength. "I'm diabetic. When I started my
fast doctors said I wouldn't live beyond two days but I survived and fasted for
15. If you walk on the path of truth all the powers in the universe help you".
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