``When I was posted to Tihar, many saw it as a punishment posting. But I told myself that when I leave Tihar, it'll be on my own terms,'' said Bedi, the first woman to join the Indian Police Service in 1972.

The book was released by K. Natwar Singh, MP and Secretary of the Jawahar Lal Nehru Memorial Fund, who, incidentally was instrumental in getting Bedi a Nehru Fellowship that enabled her book. Others present on the occasion included Delhi Lt Governor Tejinder Singh, Gandhian Rajmohan Gandhi and S K Ghai, managing director of Sterling Publishers, responsible for bringing out the book.

Bedi was her candid self as she described the dismal conditions in Tihar, one of the largest and probably the most overcrowded prison in Asia. Currently a Joint Commissioner with the Delhi Police, she dedicated the book to all those who have contributed in making Tihar a better place to live, and helped her collective, corrective and community-based methods to succeed during her two-year stint.

The proceeds of the books and the CD-ROM accompanying it, will be given to the India Vision Foundation for its project of educating children whose parents are in prison.