WOMAN TO KNOW
In this week's edition of We the Women, Akriti Jamwal talked to Security Sector Reform (SSR) expert Ms Mallika Joseph, one of the 24 experts selected worldwide and only 2 from Asia, inducted into the UN Roster of SSR Experts in 2009. She is currently in the city teaching students about Security reforms. With a dazzling personality to boot with, she is a woman you definitely need to know about. You might even end up idolizing her.
Ms Mallika Joseph specializes on Security Sector Reform (SSR) and is currently Head of department of National Security Studies, Central University Jammu, since May 2016. In order to bridge the gap between policy making and academic research, a subject which could affect policy making was looked for. NSS was introduced to contribute for the same by mentoring more critical thinkers. There was need of someone who is both, aware about the research rigors that happens in academia and also has experience with policy makers; and thus Mallika, being the expert, was called to work as professor in National Security Studies which is an allied course and not core subject like Political Science or Sociology.
Prior to this, Mallika was a core part of the Think Tank or 'Policy Research'. She started at the Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies as research officer in 1997 and on 1 January 2015, after a sabbatical of three years re-assumed as one of its Directors. Meanwhile she served as the Executive Director of the Regional Centre for Strategic Studies (RCSS) from January 2012 until December 2014. She is the first woman and the youngest ever to assume both these positions. Also she has worked with International Security Sector Advisory Team as training Coordinator in 2011. She has been associated with Australia India Institute in 2015 and 2016. In 2007 and in 2006, she was a part of the DFID high-level technical team that offered consultancy for broad based SSR engagement in Guyana; the mission resulted with the SSR Action Plan being tabled in the Guyanese Parliament and passed unanimously. She is one of the 24 experts selected worldwide and inducted into the UN Roster of SSR Experts in 2009; she is one of the two experts from Asia to have made it to the UN Roster in 2009.
She has a PhD in International Relations from Jawaharlal Nehru University, and has worked on various issues relating to South Asian security. In addition to security sector reform, her areas of interest include human security, Left extremism, Global governance, and security architectures. Some of her recent books include: South Asian Economic Integration; Rise of China and India: Implications for the Asia Pacific; India's Economic growth: Opportunities and Challenges for the Region; Demography in South Asia: Implications for the Regional and Global Political Narratives; and Reintroducing Human Security in South Asia.
How would you describe yourself as a person?
I am an optimistic person and like to find the positive in everything. I love challenges and start as well as move things. I find myself eventually leading the setup I am in. I have tendency to influence people to induce in them the idea I have; motivate others to do what they want to, to help them achieve what they wish to achieve. I like to drive that way.
What events lead you to be where you are and what you have achieved so far in your life?
I was blessed to study in best institutions. I have the benefit of having great educational foundation from the school and colleges I went to. Moreover my father was in Police and my mother was an educator; a head mistress in a school. So I was blessed to be in a comfortable environment which formed a foundation strong enough for me to work with security agencies/ forces and also with educational institutes.
How did you landed in 'Security Sector Reforms'?
My Masters' dissertation on INTERPOL, and I was the only one to attempt it. I was greatly influenced by my father and his work. He initiated police-public sports in Chennai. Since I was brought up in such surrounding and had experienced a side to police life that not many of us could, which gave me an edge and interest in subject that was related to Security Studies therefore I was motivated to pick this subject. I further pursued my doctorate in JNU, on same subject, INTERPOL. This subject attracted many people in security field, even in Delhi and abroad, that resulted me ending up in INTERPOL office in Lyon, France which gave me an opportunity to interact with personnel's working in INTERPOL in field to combat 'Terrorism', 'Drug Trafficking' and so on; the main international issues the world was facing in 1990's. That set me up in this unique line. Then after coming back and working with IPCS, I was blessed to have wonderful mentors, founders of IPCS, former IAS officer PR Chari and Major General (Retd.) Dipankar Banerjee; who were very good in building up new scholars and brimming them with confidence. In 90's and even today, we are not brought up in co-learning environment and there are various barriers between teachers and students; out of respect that we don't question or conflict with our seniors and teachers but there I could interact with seniors, academics practitioners. These barriers hinder learning process because it is always two way process. You see, one cannot know everything and even teachers need to realize that students also come with certain knowledge; I might learn something from you and you might learn something from me. Thankfully the liberal environment, where we were given space with a former ambassador or former heads of security agencies, where we could question them as well as put forth our opinions, boasted me a lot.
What are your expectations from students you are teaching?
This generation is way smarter and privileged than those before. We didn't have Google or smart phones back then in our times. So whenever I get an opportunity I tell my students that there is limit to what can be taught inside class but there is no limit to what you can learn outside. So to learn more it is very important for students to think critically, not only in academics but in everyday scenario. Not to take issues as they are, but to think beyond what is being taught and see how they can gather extra knowledge; because that is important to question and to bring a change. And that is not only important to analyse policy or contribute in policy making but every other development sector. And a liberal space is required to encourage critical thinking, which we are trying to create here. We are trying to shift from unidirectional flow of knowledge to co-learning.
How would you describe your experience in Jammu and what next are you looking forward to?
It has been an interesting journey so far and adjusting to Jammu has been a learning experience. We have revised the syllabus in this institute and we are confident that our syllabus of National Security Study is the best among what is taught in entire nation. Now we need to reach out to larger students who are interested in National Security Studies and policy making. We are planning to start two centers; one on China and other on Pakistan and Afghanistan; primarily because Jammu is an important centre geographically as this state shares border with both China and Pakistan.
What is your Mantra in life?
My mantra would be to Keep Faith. I believe I am blessed to be where I am. I feel that I have benefited because of it as it helped me to hold on, be focused and determined and get through the journey. Whatever situation we are in, is temporary. In every failure I have faced, I kept faith that it is not the end and none of the achievement has stopped me from aspiring more
How do you think, being a women has affected your workplace experience?
I think it is very important to be confident. You should believe in yourself. It is very important not only in one's workplace but in everyday life. For me, I never had to work or focus on being confident because my initial education was in a convent school which focused on overall development. Being confident ultimately keeps many troubles at bay. My work was never questioned because I am a women and I think that it is because I never let them come on to that. So I never felt like I have to do more or my work needs more attention, just because I was girl. You just need to be sincere towards your work. I believe faith plays a major role in achievements too. I was never ambitious or driven by anything. I was always a neutral person, the advantage of which is that you don't get depressed when you fail or enumerated when you succeed; you just keep moving forward. I know a lot of people who tried to get or achieve what I have achieved but I never had to try so hard. I kept working, kept my faith and things happened eventually. I have never faced the challenges like gender parity or work place harassment. But that speaks a lot about the environment I have worked in. People I have worked with were liberal.
What is your take on 'Feminism'?
Being in JNU I have came across a lot of student leaders who used to label themselves as Feminists. I have never found myself comfortable in associating myself with anything of such sorts. Because I feel it is mostly 'lip- servicing'; they mainly contribute intellectually and not physically. But I have come across women who are strong and vibrant; who smile through the odds. So I think everyday women are more Feminists than the people who call themselves Feminists and do less on ground, when they stand up for themselves. Women should be as they want to be. Ripping out posters of movies with women in obscene clothes is not feminism. We do not need to idolize anyone who is celebrity, women around us have so much to idolize. I am more comfortable in gender debate than talk on feminism; for me it is very narrative whereas gender issues in general, covering other subjects like children, LGBT issue and so on which comes under gender umbrella because there are people suffering in every section, not just women
What message would you like to give to readers of 'We the WOMEN'?
Everyone is born with a certain set of talent which needs to be explored. Everyone is born for a purpose and everyone needs to realise the meaning of their life. We all should try and use those talents in most possible beneficial way. Each person, whether men or women should aspire; should dream for themselves. And when I say dream, it isn't to be in a certain profession or to achieve certain position; it should be to become the best version of yourself and keep on improving. It might sound easy but it can be a strong driving force. You need not try to be someone else or compete with someone else. You just need to be the best of yourself. And then whatever happens should not matter.
None of us is perfect. We all have our shortcomings, no one is perfect so rather than focussing on negativity around try to find good in others.
Updated On 12/15/2016 1:40:33 PM