Kiran is the only female inspector general in the history of Tihar prison, which houses over 9700 convicts in Delhi. During her tenure, Kiran implemented many path-breaking reforms which upended the traditional approach to prisons and yielded far better results in terms of prison conditions, inmate discipline, and recidivism rates.

Kiran based her reforms on her successful, communitarian approach to law enforcement, which she had developed years earlier in Delhi. She converted the high-security Tihar prison into a "reformatory" in which inmates were encouraged to seek education, guidance, and vocational training.

Kiran organized classes for the inmates, teaching them to read and write. Those inmates who already had some basic education were encouraged to enroll in higher studies. Eventually, the prison became an open school, as two universities – the Indira Gandhi National Open University and the National Open School – established centers there.

Moreover, Kiran established vocational training programs for the prisoners to improve their skills and provide better job opportunities in the outside world. Inmates enrolled in these programs were allowed to work with local entrepreneurs, which gave the inmates valuable real-world work experience. This also helped foster a sense of communitarianism in the inmates, as they were for the first time giving something back to the wider community and learning to be productive, valuable members of society.

And, of course, the inmates earned wages through innovative activities, which helped them provide for their families even whilst incarcerated. To help them manage their income, Kiran established a bank inside the prison, which taught prisoners to save their wages and develop budgets for themselves and their families.

Other noteworthy reforms include drug abuse counseling and treatment programs, mobile canteens, a mobile library, art and culture groups, sports programs, prison bulletins, and medical care. Kiran also inculcated spirituality and human values amongst the inmates by means of yoga, meditation, and religious study programs for the inmates.

Her courageous and holistic approach towards prison governance became a major factor in her earning the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award for government service in the year 1994.

It is obvious that in a prison as large as Tihar there was always a scope for legitimate complaints with regard to errant supervision, corrupt practices, diet quality, partisan attitude of subordinate staff towards less-powerful prisoners, medical facilities, complaints against police, matters pertaining to the courts, special family or personal needs and suggestions emerging out of participative management.

"Panchayat System" — a unique system of internal self management and prisoners’ participation was introduced in the prison. Few inmates were nominated by the prisoners themselves and were made responsible to coordinate and manage activities like education, mess cooking and distribution, internal discipline, library management, mobile canteen, sports activities, vocational training, prison bulletins, yoga therapy and essential & medical services, horticulture, administrative assistance, festival celebration etc.

Special attention was given to the women prisoners, nearly 300 in number, with approximately 40 children. Entrepreneurs were invited from the outside community who provided the women prisoners with job work. A 'children's crèche' was set up within the premises of the women prison for the overall development of the children living with their mothers.

Innumerable community support groups were involved in supporting the reformatory activities in the prison hitherto never done. This provided much needed transparency and accountability to the prison administration. It swung public support for an institution, which was considered hitherto impenetrable and secret.

However, the best gift Tihar got was Vipassana, an ancient form of meditation. In fact, a Vipassana course was organized in Tihar in which over 1000 inmates sat together for the first time anywhere in the world. Inspired by the experience, Tarsem Kumar, former superintendent of prison, scientifically researched, analyzed and documented the transformation in his book "Freedom Behind Bars".

Vipassana worked wonders for the destructive and deviated mindsets of the prisoners and they confessed that they have become better humans. Since its introduction in Tihar, Vipassana meditation has been successfully tried and is practiced in various prisons of India and abroad namely UK, USA, Taiwan and under consideration in various other places. It's been researched and the results are extremely encouraging.

The process of transformation of Tihar is documented in Kiran's book "It's Always Possible" which is accompanied by a CD ROM.

Two films, one Indian, "Doing time, Doing Vipassana" and an American "Changing from Inside" to be conducted in a correctional facility was held in November 1997 at the minimum security North Rehabilitation Facility (NRF) of the King county jail in Seattle, Washington are shown all around world.

Kiran's prison work has moved on and progressing not only in Tihar but impacted all over the country and even prisons abroad.