The sight of Maharashtra's Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) Chief, Hemant Karkare, geared up in his bulletproof jacket and helmet to confront the terrorists during the Mumbai terror attacks on 11/26/2008 is an iconic image. His martyrdom that same night shook the nation and continues to cause deep pain.
As a first-time author, I offer a personal glimpse into the life of my father, Hemant Karkare, a distinguished member of the Indian Police Service (IPS) who was admired for his professionalism and artistic flair. This memoir is a tribute to his life, his accomplishments, and his ultimate sacrifice.
Through personal accounts from his colleagues in law enforcement, professional associates, family members, friends, and acquaintances, this book portrays various facets of his character and the profound impact he left on those he touched. This book is a story of inspiration, chronicling the journey of a humble young man from modest origins who, through hard work and determination, achieved great heights. It is available in two languages on Amazon - English and Marathi.
Hemant Karkare - A Daughter's Memoir
Media Coverage
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Centre for Police Research, Pune
Jui Karkare Navare's memoir has received critical acclaim for its poignant writing and insightful narrative. Jui's book includes stories shared by junior officers that highlight Hemant's inspirational leadership style. He led by example, always willing to take charge in challenging situations and accept responsibility for the outcomes. Hemant was a true leader who commanded the loyalty and respect of his team, who were willing to put their own lives on the line for him. To earn such devotion, an officer must possess credibility, fairness, and a willingness to accept responsibility when things go wrong. Hemant embodied all of these qualities and more, which is why his untimely death was a devastating loss to those who had worked closely with him.
Just a year and a half into her marriage and living in a different country, she had to cope with the grief of losing her father. For a long time after his passing, Jui would experience intense emotions triggered by small things and events. However, with time, she has learned to cherish happier memories and smile at them, like the special gift her father gave her on her 16th birthday.
Papa's former Boss, Sreenivasan, Ambassador to Vienna,”I often described my officers in the embassy in Vienna from 2000 to 2004 as a "dream team", and leading among them was Hemant Karkare, who was as adept in diplomacy as in fighting terrorism. Though trained only as a police officer, he took to diplomacy with ease and aplomb and he was at home in the conference halls of the Vienna International Centre as he was on the streets of Mumbai. As he laid down his life in the process of valiantly fighting against terrorism, India lost a brave hero and a charming diplomat.
Jui Karkare Navare was unwilling to engage with the political fallout of Karkare’s death during her interaction with Mint. She, however, did seem to concede that there were attempts to discredit her father. “That is where this book comes in," she said. “I want the reader to answer that question... The only message my father had was, as a uniformed officer, he had to be impartial to things like religion or caste. He was the keeper of the law.
Times of India article on my mother Kavita Karkare's organ donation.
One of her kidneys went to a 48-year-old man who had been surviving with the help of dialysis for nearly a decade. The recipient of the other kidney was a 59-year-old at Jaslok Hospital who had been waiting for a transplant for seven years. Karkare gave a new lease of life to a 49-year-old man who has been battling liver failure for a couple of years and had registered for the organ. Her eyes were donated to an eye bank.
Recalling the time from her childhood when her father was posted as the Superintendent of Police in the Naxalite-infested Chandrapur, Navare illustrates: “My mother used to get letters asking her to wipe off the kumkum from her forehead as her husband was a marked man. But at home, we never had any strained atmosphere; nobody could tell that my father was receiving death threats on a regular basis. It was this positivity that inspired me to write the book."
I joined a non-fiction think tank where I had written about my dad’s funeral. The people were fascinated to know about the different processes involved in the funeral. Since they wanted me to write those emotions, I could not be the distant on-looker, I had to re-live it again. I could imagine being at the funeral again, feeling the heat of the burning pyre.
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About me
As the eldest of three children growing up in India, writing has been a passion of mine since childhood. However, it wasn't until my father's passing that I truly understood the power of writing as a means of catharsis. The first few months after his death were a blur of numbness and loss, but while in Boston in January 2009, I began writing down my thoughts and feelings as a way to ease my grief, anguish, and pain. Those writings eventually became the first few chapters of my book.
As I continued to write, I found solace and inspiration in the articles and stories about my father written by those who had known him. Their words reminded me of his legacy and the impact he had on others. His untimely death had left a deep impression on everyone he had touched.
While I work full-time as a Senior Business Intelligence Developer, finding the logical world of data science comforting and reassuring, my creative passions remain just as important. Writing, in particular, continues to play a significant role in my life.
Get in touch
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