Arvind Kejriwal Enters Do-or-Die Phase

There are only three months left for Delhi elections. Activist-turned-politician Arvind Kejriwal is increasingly staring at a challenging future, as a massive failure in Delhi elections for his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) at the hands of Congress and BJP would finish off not only his fledgling political career but his hitherto robust activist career.

Because, he had risked too much in this high-stakes game against well-entrenched politicians. He even risked his partnerships with the likes of Anna Hazare, Kiran Bedi, Santosh Hegde, and major financial backer NR Narayana Murthy, to go the political route.

Now, what if the people of Delhi says, we don’t want you? That they are unlikely to say, but Delhiites can very well say that we like you, but we won’t vote for you, because you are too small.

That is the predicament that perhaps Anna foresaw, and that is precisely the quicksand into which the likes of Kapil Sibal and Salman Khurshid cunningly lured Kejriwal into.

Secondly, politics always required a ‘stooping too low’ strategy, and Kejriwal had to stoop to that partisan level to play in politics. Like, calling Congress and BJP as “terrorists” and “mafia“, or playing vote-bank politics like his blatant wooing of the Muslim population of Delhi by fuelling their insecure feelings.

However, despite all these drawbacks, the nation needs to stand up and applaud the activist in him, for all that he has already achieved for this nation. Delhiites gets the first and best chance to do it or not.

In the final tally, it is clear that while every activist in India Against Corruption (IAC), including Anna, had full commitment, only Kejriwal was willing to risk everything he had to pursue their dream for a corruption-free society. That too requires a standing ovation.  

How Despite Khemka, Vadra Deal was Made Into a ‘Non Issue’

For every honest officer like Khemka, there are smarter businessmen and even smarter politicians. Combine this phenomenon with a media that often catches selective amnesia, at the rate at which everyone else catches common cold, and that is how every serious issue can magically transform itself into a non-issue in this country.

Robert Vadra and DLF proved that smart is silent. For Khemka’s 100 pages, there was only unnerving silence, even from Priyanka, Sonia, and Rahul. The only noise was from Digvijay Singh, but from whom silence would have been the real shocker.

Then came the masterful performance from Bhupinder Singh Hooda who called Robert Vadra “a small farmer with just 3 acres of land.” Even the allegations made by Congress MP Rao Inderjit Singh was ridiculed by Hooda, citing the fact that Inderjit Singh himself is a bigger farmer who has collaborated with Unitech in a similar fashion to develop 83 acres.

Hooda also pooh-poohed calls for further investigation, saying, "An investigation for what?…Who has charged?…We have no complaint from anyone that Mr. Vadra has done anything wrong in Haryana"

So, why did media rake it up? Hooda has ready answer - “…for TRPs.” This last point might be true in a sense as media has obviously looked elsewhere during the past two weeks. Whatever Khemka is saying about Vadra-DLF deal might be true or false. But doesn’t it require a truthful closure?

Will Akhilesh Take Back Durga or Not?

Pressure is mounting on Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav to take back suspended IAS officer Durga Shakti Nagpal. Some news channels have already reported that Akhilesh has taken the decision to reinstate her. Anyway, the latest confirmed development is that Durga’s boss, K Ravikant Singh - whose report had given her a clean chit - has been abruptly transferred, that too without assigning any new post.

KR Singh, who has been transferred now, was District Magistrate (DM) of Gautambudh Nagar when Durga Shakti Nagpal as a Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) working under him, allegedly ordered the demolition of a mosque wall that was under construction.

However, DM KR Singh’s report on the issue had found out that Durga had just advised villagers about the illegality of the structure which was coming up in government land, and that the villagers themselves had demolished it on being convinced about the issue. Singh’s report also found that no earth-moving machinery was used in the demolition. As per this report, the issue of potential communal riots - which has been Akhilesh’s only real allegation against Durga - also didn’t arise, as the villagers themselves had agreed to remove the illegal structure.

The latest position from the Centre in the Durga Shakti Nagpal episode is that it won’t intervene further in the matter. That was better left unsaid, as, after all what could Centre do, as long as the young IAS officer herself hasn’t approached New Delhi for help.

Even the Supreme Court expressed a similar view while rejecting the first Public Interest Litigation asking to reinstate Durga. While observing that there is no public interest in the case, the SC Bench remarked that, "the moment she approaches the court, we will hear her plea and we may pass an interim order."

However, Durga hasn’t done that either until now.

But don’t think she is too naïve. She has been trying to play the game by the rules of the game. In fact, her reply to the charge-sheet served by UP Government, has a pivotal point.

Does Yashwant Sinha Hold Solutions for the Economy?

The former finance minister has already given one solution - that the government should go, for the economy to bounce back. Yashwant Sinha has recently scaled up his attack, likening the current FM P Chidambaram to an “incompetent doctor“. If anybody from BJP or NDA or other opposition parties had said it, it would have been thought of as a stock view from the opposition. But coming from Sinha, observers would be more alert, especially if he has some real solutions for the current state of the economy. The one solution that he has already advocated for the falling rupee - which is to let it fall to wherever it goes - so as to save forex reserves, has already turned controversial, if not for anything else, for the sharp price hikes it would cause in fuels that are largely imported. Still, it shouldn’t be forgotten that Yashwant Sinha was the FM when India went through one of its severest economic crises. Sinha and his government had lost their jobs for tackling that crisis in a controversial way, but the nation had survived. 
 

He is perhaps one of the best examples of what an ex-IAS officer can achieve in mainstream politics. Not apolitical activism like what Arvind Kejriwal or Kiran Bedi pursued for long, but just plain old mainstream politics.

In that regard, Yashwant Sinha can be thought of as a pragmatic leader and not an idealistic one. He can even be thought of as an opportunist, but even then he has been an opportunist who also became a high achiever for the nation.

When he resigned after a 24 year long IAS career, as Joint Secretary in Ministry of Surface Transport, he was quick to join the highly idealistic socialist outfit, Janata Party. Later, when Janata Dal was formed, he would be a part of the new party, being close to Chandra Shekhar.

During Shekhar’s brief reign as PM, Sinha would get the crucial role of Finance Minister. Though it lasted for just over six months, Sinha had to tackle what was India’s worst financial crisis.

With India’s foreign exchange reserves at just $1.2 billion in January 1991 and depleted to half by June, barely enough to last for roughly 3 weeks of essential imports, India was only weeks way from defaulting on its external balance of payment obligations.

The government’s immediate response was to secure an emergency loan of $2.2 billion from the International Monetary Fund by pledging 67 tons of India's gold reserves as collateral. The Reserve Bank of India had to airlift 47 tons of gold to the Bank of England and 20 tons of gold to the Union Bank of Switzerland to raise $600 million.

Though national sentiments were outraged and there was public outcry when it was learned that the government had pledged the country's entire gold reserves against the loan, it was a masterly move that saved the country from a disastrous default. However, the unconventional move caused the Chandra Shekhar government to collapse a few months after having authorized the airlift.

By 1996, when it became clear that Janata Dal was finished and that the new alternative to Congress was the BJP, Sinha joined the extreme right-wing party, thereby calling to ridicule his long-held socialist and secular history. But the move was that of a pragmatist and not an opportunist.

And for the nation, as well as for himself, it proved quite productive. He was appointed Finance Minister by Prime Minister AB Vajpayee in 1998, and as Minister for External Affairs in 2002. While being FM, Sinha was widely credited for pushing through several major reform measures that put the Indian economy on a firm growth trajectory.

Among them are lowering of real interest rates, introducing tax deduction for mortgage interest, freeing up the telecommunications sector, helping fund the National Highways Authority, and deregulating the petroleum industry.

However, he was also heavily criticised for going back on several of NDA's economic policy initiatives, for which he lost the job to Jaswant Singh in 2002.

Will he make an eventual comeback in 2014? Always a moderate, Yashwant Sinha doesn’t originally belong to the Narendra Modi camp of BJP. But if needed, he can again take a pragmatic step. And there is that rare chance that if allies and supporting parties don’t allow Modi to be PM, Yashwant Sinha can even end up as a consensus PM.

Can Raghuram Rajan Do Anything to Stop the Rupee Plunge?

Rupee continued its free-fall to touch 68.82 to a US dollar today, even as two RBI Governors - one outgoing and one incoming - continued the hopeless battle to prop up the Indian currency. With only days left for Dr. Raghuram Rajan to assume full charge at RBI, all eyes are on this relatively young economist, on whether he can do anything at all to save the currency.

No other Governor had entered this job when the economy was going through a tougher phase. Rupee has devalued beyond any imagination and is in dangerous uncharted territory. In fact, the going is so tough that Chidambaram directed Dr. Raghuram Rajan to be an Officer on Special Duty at RBI even while the current Governor D Subbarao was completing his last month in office.

The trillion dollar question before the nation is whether Dr. Rajan who couldn’t save the rupee while he was Chief Economic Adviser to FM can do so in his new capacity as the Chief of Monetary Policy. Since he has just started off in the job, the nation should be giving him the benefit of doubt.

If not for anything else, Dr. Rajan - who is not from civil service - should be supported for the very fact that his appointment is a novel experiment after three full terms by IASers.

And the civil servant from whom he takes over has not been an ordinary guy. D Subbarao has been the national IAS topper from the famed 1972 batch of IAS that include luminaries like ex-CAG Vinod Rai, Planning Commission Secretary Sudha Pillai, and Central Vigilance Commissioner Pradeep Kumar, among many others.

Still, it is widely believed that Subbarao couldn’t do much to save the economy.

Apart from that non-IAS background, Dr. Raghuram Rajan is also a high achiever by any measure. Among international economists, Dr. Raghuram Rajan needs no introduction.

His chief claim to fame is predicting the global financial crisis in 2005, right on the face of Alan Greenspan during his retirement, and not his educational pedigree that includes IIT,IIM, & MIT, nor his youngest ever climb to being the Chief Economist of IMF.

As a contrarian economist, who has had the conviction to take on even contemporary legends like Nobel laureate Paul Krugman, Rajan’s chief position these days is that monetary stimulus like, quantitative easing, can’t bring the world out of its financial crisis. According to him, austerity measures are more important, coupled with increased worker competitiveness and productivity as well as entrepreneurial innovations.

But that makes him disliked generally by workers as well as politicians, with Greenspan’s strategy being called by Rajan as ‘papering-out’ issues. And that also made him an unlikely advisor for the UPA administration whose chief strategy has been generous payout schemes to poor like NREGA.

Now, the fact that he has been called in to a more powerful role, despite this mismatch, indicates that UPA might be thinking about tweaking the entire economic policy framework.

On the flipside, there are many weak points in Dr. Rajan’s track-record. Critics would be sure to point out the little headway he has achieved after being appointed by P Chidambaram as Chief Economic Advisor last year, and by Dr. Manmohan Singh as Honorary Economic Advisor way back in 2008 itself.

Though the high-level committee on financial reforms headed by Dr. Raghuram Rajan did deliver a final report to the Planning Commission, it was not earth-shattering compared with the expectations.

Secondly, the current post of RBI Governor, can degrade to nothing serious for most candidates. Take D Subbarao, for example, whose contributions in this post are not likely to be debated much in the future.

Ironically, if Rajan takes his own advice to the workforce to be more innovative, more productive, and more competitive, we can expect a roaring lion itself in this now globally highflying economist.

Saving Rupee or India Calls for Leaders to Unlearn and Relearn

“When I became the Governor, I had no great knowledge of what monetary policy is about,” admitted a former RBI Governor recently during a public function.

That is rather shocking, as RBI by definition is India's central bank that formulates India's monetary policy with regard to the Indian rupee. In other words, setting the monetary policy is one of the most prominent duties of RBI.

Before you jump into any hasty conclusion about the kind of people, our politicians have made RBI Governors in the past, a quick backgrounder on this ‘ignorant fellow’ is warranted.

Apart from his lack of knowledge about monetary policy, he was reasonably educated and experienced. He had worked for UNCTAD, was Adviser to Ministry of Foreign Trade, Secretary in Finance Ministry, and was Chief Economic Adviser to FM. By way of education, he had his post-graduation in Economics from Cambridge and his Doctorate in Economics from Oxford.

But monetary policy was monetary policy. If he didn’t know that, he didn’t know that. Period.

Having divulged that much, no marks for guessing who this ‘ignorant fellow’ was. PM Indira Gandhi and FM Pranab Mukherjee selected Dr. Manmohan Singh as the RBI Governor in 1982 for a couple of reasons.

Firstly, he seemed to know ‘a little more’ economics than either of them. Secondly, whether they knew about his ignorance about monetary policy or not, they knew that he was very capable of learning.

So, what did Dr. Singh do at that time? In that same recent speech, he continues, “…and therefore, I asked the late Prof. Sukhamoy Chakravarty to head a committee to look at the functioning, the goals, the means, and measures of monetary policy, and that report was pretty influential for a period of time.”

Yes, once upon a time, such strategies were enough. Those were simpler times. If you didn’t know anything, it was enough to learn. Of course, you should have the faculty for learning. We should call it the Manmohan era.

Even before that there was an even simpler era. When there was no great faculty for learning.

When Finance Ministry itself was occupied mostly by not economists but politicians. Jawaharlal Nehru, Morarji Desai, Indira Gandhi, Charan Singh, R Venkataramanan, VP Singh, Rajiv Gandhi, ND Tiwari, and Madhu Dandavate were all politicians with limited knowledge of economics, but who served as India’s Finance Ministers. We should call it the Rajiv era.

But we can’t find fault with any of them. It was the simplest of times after our Independence and that kind of knowledge was more than enough. Learning itself was not required, as leadership was enough. There were other unsung heroes willing to do the job in background.

But, unfortunately, both these simpler eras are over. Leaders unwilling to learn are not enough. Even leaders willing to learn are not enough. Because, complexity has grown exponentially.

Celebrated futurist Alvin Toffler predicted it correctly. “The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn. ”

If literates of 21st century should do this much, what should be expected of leaders?

As a nation, we have so much to unlearn and relearn. We have to unlearn habits like imported fuel, imported gold, overspending, fiscal indiscipline, corruption, un-productivity, inefficiency, unaccountability, and even, over-reliance on parliamentary democracy vis-à-vis newer forms like direct democracy.

It is noteworthy that Dr. Manmohan Singh admitted his ignorance in front of Dr. D Subbarao and Dr. Raghuram Rajan. Dr. Singh was rather appalled that the very report on monetary policy by Prof. Sukhamoy Chakravarty that he commissioned in 1982 is still being used by RBI as the primary document in setting monetary policy!

He also had two other advices for Dr. Rajan - ask smarter professionals around and build consensus. Looking from where he stands now, it is one lesson that Dr. Singh has painfully unlearned and relearned.

Is IAS Under Siege by IOUs?

Indian Administrative Service is truly at crossroads. On one hand, politicians have become increasingly adept at creating I Owe You s (IOUs) with which they control IAS officers for their own advantage at a later stage. On the other hand, non-IAS luminaries are increasingly getting a role in governing this country, due to their specialized knowledge and experience. Both camps have enough role models to choose from, role models who distinguish themselves for their expertise as well as outstanding ability to shun IOUs. 
 

“I have a high regard for politicians. I think there are at least 20 politicians I can name off the hat who are better in intellect, integrity, and sincerity to their jobs than any bureaucrat on or across my radar in all my years of service,” said an IAS officer recently, who was most unlikely to have said so.

When one has been reposted 45 times within 20 years - mostly believed to be on the behest of politicians - and still says this, the real shock is whether senior IAS officer Dr. Ashok Khemka’s words is more a pat on the back for honest politicians, or more a kick on the butt for scheming IAS colleagues.

While most senior or celebrity-status IAS officers refrained from coming to the support of Durga Shakti Nagpal, and hid behind the too-late response by IAS Association, Khemka’s support was spontaneous. "What she did as a young officer is commendable. Very few young IAS officers would have dared to do this," says Khemka.

Sonia Gandhi’s support to Durga was also spontaneous. "We must ensure that the officer is not unfairly treated," Sonia wrote to PM, hours within the issue unfolded, almost a week before even the IAS Association itself could come up with a defence for Durga.

But then this was one Sonia move that many couldn’t fully appreciate for that obvious reason - she was not seen supporting Khemka who was allegedly victimised for moving against her son-in-law.

But Congressmen were quick to point out the differences. Khemka was not suspended by any Congress Governments, whereas Durga was not just suspended, but suspended “within 40 minutes”, according to an SP leader. Secondly, Khemka is a seasoned officer who knows how to defend himself, while Durga is among the youngest of IAS officers.

Anyway, there is little that Dr. Manmohan Singh could do to help Durga, as long as Durga herself was not seeking help from the Centre, was PMO’s stand. Seasonal Magazine asked  TKA Nair, Adviser to PM, on whether the Durga episode shows that IAS officers need more protection. “The protective mechanisms are already there,” says TKA, but then adds, “But the more pertinent issue is the lack of motivation. Everything boils down to human resources. And humans can’t ever be conquered except through motivation.”

For a moment it was not clear what Nair meant, but the very next moment, key Akhilesh Yadav aide Ramgopal Yadav’s chest-thumping bravado came to mind. Irritated by Centre‘s third letter to UP on the issue, Ramgopal had retorted, "If this undue pressure continues, my government will write to the Centre to take back all IAS and IPS officers, and we will continue with state officers."

Mind you, he is the cleanest Samajwadi Yadav out there, who has already advised Akhilesh and dad Mulayam that Durga should be reinstated.

But Akhilesh is peeved beyond consolation - not with Durga - but with UP IAS Association. Weren’t things even worse, just years earlier, Akhilesh asks. According to UP’s young and dashing CM, IAS officers had to remove their shoes before meeting former CM Mayawati, and the UP IAS Association had gone into hibernation during her tenure even unable to protest the alleged murder of an IAS colleague.

Akhilesh also stakes claim for reinstating freedom for IAS officers in the state, and for even rejuvenating UP IAS Association. But thereby creating powerful “I Owe You s” (IOUs) for all IAS officers to repay.

In financial parlance, an IOU is usually an informal document acknowledging debt. An IOU differs from a promissory note in that an IOU is not a negotiable instrument and does not specify repayment terms such as the time of repayment. IOUs usually specify the debtor, the amount owed, and sometimes the creditor. In some cases, IOUs may be redeemable for a specific product or service rather than a quantity of currency.

This definition of IOUs perfectly match Akhilesh’s credit policies. Durga took on a key SP ally, the sand mafia. She didn’t respect the IOU. Still, pardonable. But then comes a rare opportunity to kill two birds with one shot. Durga demolishes an in-construction mosque’s compound wall because it is coming up in government land.

Even a committee of the UP Sunni Waqf Board who visited the place was of the view that Durga had done no wrong, and that she had only tried to help the community by advising them the correct procedure to follow.

But by that time, the state intelligence unit had warned of possible communal tension due to the demolition. What more could a savvy political party like the SP hope for? Eventually, even the full Waqf Board would ally with Akhilesh. If even the Waqf Board can do a volte-face and support him, what prevents the UP IAS Association - which owes considerable more IOUs - from supporting his masterly political move, is precisely Akhilesh’s peeve.

The Durga episode or even the Khemka episode is not earth-shattering by Indian standards. But these highlight the power and expectations from IOUs, as well as what happens when IAS officers who doesn’t have any damn IOU to care about, go about doing their duty.

Seasonal Magazine recently quizzed ex-CAG Vinod Rai about his interesting position post-retirement that he faced no political pressure at all. Was he being just politically correct, we asked. “No, I am not being politically correct at all. There was absolutely no covert political pressure from any quarters, including PMO and FMO. The government has been very fair towards CAG.”

But then he is Vinod Rai. Many things are left unsaid, but clear. He was a student of Dr. Manmohan Singh at Delhi School of Economics. Equally close to P Chidambaram. So, when then Principal Secretary of PM, TKA Nair, reportedly suggested his name for CAG, Dr. Singh and Chidambaram concurred. Rai had just retired. Still, he was offered the plum post. Other officers might have thought about it as IOUs. But not Vinod Rai. Why should he? There is still no evidence that he campaigned actively to become the CAG. So why should he owe IOUs?

Senior IRS officer and Kochi Customs Commissioner Dr. KN Raghavan puts it more succinctly. Commenting on potential political pressure, he replied to a Seasonal Magazine query this way, “It depends on your conduct as an officer. If we give out the right signals about our intention to keep our integrity, nobody would bother us. In the final tally, what everyone appreciates and wants is an honest officer.”

But like TKA Nair, he too doesn’t feel that there is need for more protection. When Seasonal Magazine asked him whether the Durga episode calls for more protection for civil servants, Dr. Raghavan replied, “Personally, I don’t think there is any need for additional protection for civil service officers. The system already has the necessary checks and balances, and grievance redressal mechanisms.”

So, does that mean there is no political pressure or that political pressure is ok? Dr. Raghavan says, “Regarding my own experience, I have completed 23 years of service in the Centre and various states including Kerala. I can say with certainty that I have never been pressured by any politician or party.”

But then Dr. Raghavan admits that he hasn’t yet worked in Mayawati’s or Akhilesh’s UP.  “I have not worked in many states to comment on the situation there, but I am confident that an honest officer can indeed survive in this country.”

Yes, an honest IAS officer can, but don’t expect the going to be easy. An honest officer should be willing to undergo the trials and tribulations that Durga, or Khemka, or Ashish Kumar, or Raju Narayanaswamy, or hundreds of other such honest officers have had to undergo. But then if they don’t care a damn about such hardships, the path ahead is clearer.

Says Raju Narayanaswamy, who has been sidelined by all political parties in Kerala for not toeing to their line, "I lead an ordinary life and have no problem in travelling by bus or by boat."

But then there is the question of sheer competency. Did India or Kerala really use Raju’s skills? Not even by a long shot. Raju has always been an extremely bright fellow who topped his classes in matriculation, plus-two, IIT JEE, and 1992 IAS entrance. He was offered a scholarship by MIT in USA, but chose IAS. But instead of putting his superlative skills in information technology to nation’s use in vital technical areas, he has been sidelined beyond any logic.

That is where the brilliance of someone like Vinod Rai becomes clear. When Seasonal Magazine asked about his advice for IAS officers, Rai put it bluntly, “Always play by the rules of the game. That is very important in this profession if any IAS officer wants to be a high achiever.” That survival instinct is what enabled Rai not to ruffle too many feathers during most part of his career, so that he could scale the apex of that career, and then deliver spectacularly.

Then there is the question of how skilled are IASers vis-à-vis non IAS leaders. Both sides have an almost equal number of luminaries.

While the impressive achievements of leaders like Vinod Rai, YV Reddy, Arvind Kejriwal, Yashwant Sinha, & Aruna Roy would make it appear that good IASers are capable of shining on and off civil service, the other side is even more attractive, with the impressive achievements of Dr. Manmohan Singh, E Sreedharan, Jean Dreze, Madhav Gadgil, & Nandan Nilekani to name a few.

If you add the unparalleled achievements of political leaders like PV Narasimha Rao and AB Vajpayee, or crusaders like Anna Hazare to the equation, the balance of competence obviously shifts to non-IASers.

It is also noteworthy that a non-IAS person, Dr. Raghuram Rajan, has been selected as the new RBI Governor, after three successive terms by IASers.

Both groups have their own advantages. Tom Jose, IAS, who is currently Managing Director of KSIDC, a development financial institution, explained the IAS advantage to Seasonal Magazine this way, “As IAS officers, we are expected to be master of all trades.” But also an MBA graduate, he adds, “A background in business definitely helps.”

Non IASers on the other hand, usually comes on board with in-depth knowledge or practical experience in specialized fields. The best example would be Dr. Manmohan Singh himself, who is a rare concoction of achievements and fortune. A disciplined academic from his early days, Manmohan stood first in his classes more often than not, and completed his Economics Tripos at University of Cambridge's St John's College. At Cambridge, Manmohan was tutored by some of the world's most renowned economists like Joan Robinson and Nicholas Kaldor. After Cambridge, Manmohan returned and started teaching at Punjab University. Later, he enrolled at Oxford's Nuffield College for his doctorate, under the supervision of IMD Little, one of the towering economists of recent times.

After Oxford, Dr. Singh went on a career that would be the dream of many for the rich experiences it offered in India as well as abroad. He worked for United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) for three years. After getting noticed as a radical economist, Dr. Singh was made Advisor to Ministry of Foreign Trade. In 1969, Dr. Singh became a Professor of International Trade at the Delhi School of Economics, the time when he taught Vinod Rai as a student.

Dr. Singh was again called in to be part of the government, becoming successively Chief Economic Adviser in the Ministry of Finance, Secretary in the Finance Ministry, Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (during the tenure of Pranab Mukherjee as FM), and Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission of India. For three years, Dr. Singh was Secretary General of the South Commission, an independent economic policy think tank headquartered in Geneva. He again returned to India to become Advisor to Prime Minister of India on Economic Affairs, when VP Singh was the PM. Dr. Singh would later become Chairman of UPSC and Chairman of UGC, when he was called in to be the Finance Minister by PV Narasimha Rao in 1991.

Few IASers would have gone through such a diverse portfolio of experiences. But the reverse can also be said of him. For a leader that much experienced, Dr. Singh has been failing to deliver, especially during his second term as PM.

IASers can also be proud that for all his competence, it took the initiative of AN Verma IAS, then Principal Secretary in PMO, to identify and convince Rao about choosing Dr. Singh as FM. That is why many regard AN Verma as a co-architect of economic liberalization.

Manmohan remembers that day this way, "On the day Rao was formulating his cabinet, he sent his Principal Secretary to me saying, `The PM would like you to become the Minister of Finance’. I didn’t take it seriously. He eventually tracked me down the next morning, rather angry, and demanded that I get dressed up and come to Rashtrapati Bhavan for the swearing in."

So, the roles of IASers and non-IASers have been complementary, and should remain complementary. What is of greater importance is promotion of superlative merit and sheer experience, whether one is from IAS or not. 

And needless to say, the basic framework for steering clear of IOUs is needed for both. Says Dr. Raghavan, IRS, to Seasonal Magazine, “Often the problem starts when an officer takes refuge with a politician to get any undeserved favour. Then it is a given that the politician would want a favour in return. Civil service officers should steer clear of such practices, and everything will be fine.”

In fact, both camps should steer clear of that. That is how E Sreedharan took a career politician and then Railway Minister like Jaffer Sharief to task, and could prevail. Otherwise Konkan would have been a different story. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have survived to unleash the Metro revolution in key Indian cities.

Meet the Man Who Advises Manmohan, India's PM

Advisers came in various types. Duryodhana had Shakuni. Chandragupta had Chanakya. Akbar had Birbal. Nehru had VK Krishna Menon. So, who is TKA Nair to Dr. Manmohan Singh? Seasonal Magazine interviewed TKA Nair, Advisor to Prime Minister of India, to find out.

Interview and Feature by Jaison D and John Antony:

Bhagavad Gita’s Chapter 5 on Karma Yoga has this interesting verse: “One who performs his duty without attachment, surrendering the results unto the Supreme God, is not affected by sinful action, as the lotus leaf is untouched by water.” For the Adviser to Prime Minister of India, this is one principle that has always been of inspiration. This he didn’t tell us, of course, but then that is how TKA Nair tells everything - without telling.

When we set out to interview him, we were not intimidated by his personality - which is a perfect blend of dignity and modesty - but intimidated by the fact that TKA is infamous for not giving media interviews. When we pressed him for an interview on a specific day, he politely declined. But that request was over phone. So, how about just a meeting, we enquired. 

That was fine with him. TKA Nair loves meeting people. Because he is astute enough to assess people quickly in one-to-one meetings. The Adviser to Dr. Manmohan Singh obviously wants to know what he is getting into, always. 

Call it his superhydrophobicity or lotus effect. The leaves of the lotus flower doesn’t just possess very high water repellence, but dirt particles are picked up by water droplets due to a complex micro and nano-scopic architecture of the surface, which minimizes adhesion. It is not without anything that Nair has not just survived but thrived in the dog-eat-dog world of Indian bureaucracy and politics, with not even a blemish on his suit. 

For one who entered Prime Minister’s Office as a Secretary during the days of IK Gujral, TKA thrived to be a part of AB Vajpayee’s PMO, and scaled heights during Dr. Singh’s tenure, first as Principal Secretary and then as Adviser to PM with the rank of Minister of State. 

TKA has been noted by India’s topmost political leaders including Dr. Singh for his numerous skills, which include building difficult consensus be it with key opposition leaders or captains of India Inc. Nair has been an expert in developmental economics, and despite his soft-spoken nature, has made lasting changes to the PMO, almost all of them ending up with increasing the monitoring capacity or power of this topmost office. 

For instance, it was on Nair’s suggestion that Dr. Singh agreed that PMO should regularly and directly monitor the execution of massive schemes like NREGA, NRHM, & Bharat Nirman. 

Still, Nair ruffles few feathers, as he has that rare gift to wield power without showing off power. 

Another of TKA’s impressive skills that appeals to political bosses is his comprehensive knowledge about the aptitude and capabilities of hundreds of senior IAS officers. That makes him not only a team builder but a king maker. 

According to New Delhi grapevine, the list of senior IAS officers suggested by TKA for top posts, and agreed upon by Dr. Singh, is endless. It includes former CAG, Vinod Rai; former Cabinet Secretary, KM Chandrashekhar; and current National Security Advisor, Shivshankar Menon. 

But ask TKA about such things, and there would end even that remote chance for a media interview. We found it for ourselves during our first meeting with Nair. He was quite upfront about the fact that he wouldn’t be able to speak about any official or controversial matter. “I am still a government servant, and it is just not right speaking about such issues,” he says. 

But in the same breath, he adds, “There are so many other constructive issues to speak about.” So, we shared the detailed questionnaire we had prepared, and we could see his face alternate between smiles and frowns as he scanned the variety of questions we had prepared. 

Finally, he says, “See, if you ask me about Dr. Singh, I can’t say anything; if you ask me about Vinod (Rai) I won’t say anything. But, of course, there are other issues to converse here.” Then he adds, “Please also don‘t project me as a great figure, which I am not. I am just a small cog in the administrative machinery.” 

His modesty not withstanding, this cog is a pretty important cog in the machinery that governs India today. 

The latest instance has been government’s recent submissions to PAC titled, “VIP References for Coal Block Allocations”, which reveals that several prominent politicians including Central Ministers and Chief Ministers of all parties - including Narendra Modi - lobbied hard with PMO for getting coal blocks allotted in favour of certain companies. The written requests for all these have been received and recorded by none other than TKA Nair. 

But ask him about this, and we receive the reply that that question is also out of bounds. “See, I am privy to a lot of such information, but I can’t speak about it with media. It can only be shared according to accepted norms and rules,” he feels. 

When Dr. Manmohan Singh was invincible - returning to power in 2009 even after completing a full 5-year term thereby becoming the only PM other than Nehru to achieve that feat - TKA Nair’s job was obviously easier. 

But today, after reeling from the impact of a global economic crisis, when Dr. Singh has been facing flak for practically everything, TKA knows that he should be extra vigilant. 

Only time will judge Dr. Singh’s contributions to India and its economy. Meanwhile, Thottuvelil Krishna Ayappan Nair pulls on, believing in Karma Yoga, like the lotus leaf glorified in the Gita.

Seasonal Magazine in conversation with TKA Nair,  Adviser to Prime Minister:

You have been a part of PMO since the time of IK Gujral, serving in the offices of AB Vajpayee, and then with Dr. Manmohan Singh. Do you especially like this role of aiding the Chief Executive of the country, than any other role that you could have landed?

Being part of PMO has indeed been a great privilege. I think I was fortunate to be where I am today. Though I have been part of PMO when IK Gujral and AB Vajpayee were Primer Ministers, my role then was as Secretary. It was under Dr. Manmohan Singh that I became the Principal Secretary and later Adviser. On whether I like this role than any other roles, obviously yes. But it was not a result of any planning. It just so happened.

Being a Punjab cadre IAS officer who spent considerable professional time in Kerala too, you would have sufficient exposure to the strength and weaknesses of both states. What lessons should both states learn from each other?

That is a very interesting question. Both states are very developed in their own way, and they are far ahead of many Indian states in this regard. In fact, the rest of India has much to learn from both these states. Still, I would say that Punjab has a lot to emulate from the Kerala model, which leads the nation in important sectors like healthcare and education. By leading in those two sectors is how Kerala manages to record the highest Human Development Index in this country. If the whole country achieves Kerala’s HDI, that will be a major developmental milestone.

How will you assess the social commitment of our topmost political leaders of all parties - of the rank of PM, Cabinet Ministers, Chief Ministers etc. Is it worse than public and critics assess, or is it better than such assessments? Do they really have to work hard at these posts?

It is a very difficult question to answer. I am not even sure whether it is proper that I answer that.

But you can, as the question is not about leaders from any specific party or coalition or government…

Well, I would emphatically say that the top political leaders are much more socially committed than the assessment by critics, media, or public. I am not someone who harbours a very negative view on all politicians or politics as a whole. They indeed have to work hard.

What would be the most difficult thing that they are called upon to do on a routine basis?

I would mention something that readily comes to my mind. Managing conflicting interests in each issue is a major challenge. Almost every issue that reaches a PM, Ministers, or CMs involve these kind of conflicts. An elected administrator has to look after the interests of all sections of affected people in each issue. Managing such conflicts and developing an amicable consensus is a major challenge that they face every day.

So, you emphatically feel that our top politicians work hard on social commitment?

Yes. Even if you take a completely cynical view on it, we shouldn’t forget that all of them want to be re-elected by the people. So, no party or politician can afford to forget social commitment. If they does, it is nothing but political suicide.

Coming to the role of bureaucracy, and you being a top-most bureaucrat for many years now, how would you assess its effectiveness in this country?

First of all, I don’t believe in such elevated statures. In fact, anyone who has worked in government for some years, would agree with me in this regard, at least in private. We all are just small cogs in this huge machinery called government. When all major initiatives are fine-tuned and executed by thousands of officers at various levels, how can a single officer be credited with success? Of course, there might be some officers who believe in projecting such larger-than-life persona, or the media may be creating such image-building, but count me out of it.

You mean a single officer can’t make any drastic change?

He can, but what really works in the background is that such change is the net result of the planning and execution by hundreds or thousands of officers. If somebody wants to take credit for that, will he or she take the blame too when something goes wrong? The reality is that, forget officers, not even ministers or the prime minister himself has got such invincible or superlative powers to make changes on his own. Again, the blame too shouldn’t be the leader’s alone. It is not only a case with India, but with any truly democratic nation.

Earlier on, you mentioned the Kerala model. Have you analyzed how the state got such an edge and what could the rest of India do to emulate this?

Yes, I have often been surprised with Kerala’s development on these fronts, especially as I travel around a lot across India which enables me to compare. The most critical advantage that Kerala enjoyed was good leadership during its earlier decades. When I say this, I am not mentioning any specific party or politician or anything like that. This leadership quality even predates the official Kerala formation, to the time of the princely states. Not only were the early leaders very benevolent, but they also had the foresight to bring up the living standards of all sections of the society through a focus on education and healthcare. Those two are great equalizers, and that is how Kerala got a head-start in social development. Everything else followed. Any state would stand to benefit from following this twin focus.

Any other significant factors that you have analyzed?

Yes, the contributions of Christian Missionaries in the state has been very valuable. They focused largely on education, and also on healthcare, and went about establishing pioneering institutions across the state, that has thrived even to this day. It was not driven by profit motive, but by social commitment. I can personally vouch for this, as I am a product of such an institution near by my home. If St. Thomas College, Kozhencherry, was not there, I wouldn’t have had a college education.

Earlier, you mentioned how Punjab could benefit from following this model. What is there for Keralites to learn from Punjab?

I would say it is sheer hard work. Punjabis are extremely hardworking people. If Punjab has become the Granary of India or the bread-basket of India, it is not only due to the soil’s exceptional fertility; it is more due to Punjabis’ exceptional willingness to do hard work. That culture has spilled over to other sectors like steel rolling mills, infrastructure, small scale industries etc, where Punjab leads.

So, you mean to say Keralites are very lazy, comparably?

No, not like that. What I meant was that Kerala can be much more productive. Keralites are very hardworking, especially when outside Kerala. One only has to visit Gulf countries to realize this. In fact, this extreme hardwork of Non Resident Keralites has been an equally important reason for Kerala’s high HDI, especially in recent decades. All said and done, Kerala has remained a money order economy. But the real lesson is that if such hard work has been adopted inside Kerala too, this state would have been number one in all respects.

Kerala’s developmental challenges are not unique to the state. How would you advise states like Kerala?

Yes, Kerala’s scarcity of natural resources like mineral ores, oil, or even land, is a major challenge. Even the processing of the only available natural resource, black sand, involves many serious hurdles. Secondly, labour is quite costly over here, with wages being multi-times that of some other states, but which is a good thing that contributes to the higher HDI here. But such issues are really only a challenge for large-scale industrialization. What I have always maintained is that, in Kerala, development is indeed possible by pursuing service sectors like education, tourism, healthcare, knowledge industries etc, where the real strength is human resources. It is a well-known phenomenon that Middle East countries absorbed more Keralites than any other Indians because of the higher educational achievements of this people.

How should Kerala or other such states go about doing this development?

Well, let us speak about education alone. There was a time when Maharaja’s College, Kochi; University College, Thiruvananthapuram; or CMS College, Kottayam were ranked among the best colleges in the country. A time when educated Malayalis were known to deliver the best written and spoken English. But today discerning Malayali parents would rather send their children to reputed colleges in Delhi or Mumbai to get the best education. What went wrong? Though we were pioneers, we lagged behind in creating Centres of Excellence. Today, if you take any higher education stream, including science, humanities, engineering, medicine, or law, there is no Centre of Excellence from Kerala. It is not a matter of faculty remuneration, which is at par with the best in this country, and teacher compensation has grown multi-fold along the years. What is lacking is the vision and will to create Centres of Excellence. Motivating teachers should be a big part of this exercise. When I joined St. Thomas College, Kozhencherry, it was quite a young college; but what teachers lacked in experience they made up in their passion.

You recently visited Attapady on behalf of PMO and submitted a 12-Point Implementation Plan. Can you elaborate on the ground situation there?

I did a two-day visit to Attappady in mid-July to study the situation first hand. The situation there is really very heart-rending. As you know, as many as 54 children have reportedly died in the Attappady hills, allegedly due to malnutrition, in the past 11 months. I met with lots of tribal people, especially women, who complained about various issues contributing to the current crisis. One thing that is striking about Attappady is that the infrastructure there is not bad at all. In fact, it has significantly improved from, say, 10 or 20 years back when I visited, thanks to projects like Attappady Hills Area Development Society (AHADS), which was backed by a Japanese government loan to the tune of Rs. 177 crore. Though the ecological situation has improved, the living standards haven't. Evidently, there are gaps in infrastructure, execution, and monitoring. So, I have written a 12-Point letter to the Chief Secretary outlining the suggestions. It includes tracking of around 900 pregnant women and all babies under 12 months in the three villages of Agali, Sholayur, & Pudur. Joint teams of medical professionals and Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) staff should visit each Ooru (tribal hamlet) once a week. The report also recommended micro-plans for procuring nutrient food requirements at each anganwadi centre (play school or day care centre), taking into account local sensibilities and local availability of edible items. Strict implementation of the midday meal programme should also be ensured at the anganawadis.

Land alienation and allegations regarding consumption of illicitly brewed liquor have also been mentioned in the report. Can you clarify?

The adivasis I met there, especially men, were unequivocal in their stand that they don’t want to be treated like beggars. What they want for the long-term is not food, but means to cultivate their own food. For this, they want to get back their alienated land, and I have addressed this issue comprehensively in my report, so that there is marked improvement in this regard within six months. Regarding illicit brewing and consumption, I am not quoting any government or media reports, but the tribal women themselves complained to me. Whereas long back they prepared semi-alcoholic medicinal brews with some herbs and roots, now it is the worst liquor imaginable with ingredients like crushed batteries. So measures to curb illicit brewing and consumption have also been detailed in the report.   

      

You are a history buff by education, and even by way of your initial teaching jobs. How has a history background helped you professionally? How relevant is a background in history for various occupations like IAS, Business, Law, Politics etc?

I wouldn’t say it was of much relevance. Forget history, no subject is exceptionally relevant to a long IAS career like what I had completed. I would say that it is relevant only as a backgrounder and of course for passing the IAS entrance. This career is all about learning on the job. If you are entrusted with a revenue job in Punjab, you have to prepare yourself for that by identifying and studying relevant real-world material. No academic course is going to prepare you for that. The learning never stops. When I visited Attapady, and interacted with the tribals there, it was the next round of learning.

You have a long association with KSIDC, and is still its Chairman. How far are you satisfied with the role KSIDC has played over the years? Do you think that much more could be done by a state development financier? Are there better models to emulate?

Institutions like KSIDC have played a pivotal role from many years back, in initiating industrialization in various states. What is especially noteworthy is that many of them including KSIDC was instrumental in pioneering public-private partnerships in the industrial sector, much before the PPP model was introduced in the infra sector. Rather than following a better model to emulate, KSIDC has been re-inventing itself by participating in infrastructure development, investments, promotion, venture funds etc.

As a veteran IAS officer who has scaled the apex of that career, what would be your advice for the youth, and especially for aspiring IAS candidates?

Firstly, IAS is not the ultimate career. The situation today is not the same as when I joined several decades back. Today, you can be a noteworthy part of nation-building whichever profession you are in. For instance, one can just be a journalist, or be a really good socially contributing journalist, who can contribute even more than an IAS officer. Or one can be a really good engineer. Or a really good entrepreneur employing thousands of people.

Do you think IAS officers need to be protected more in light of the Durga Shakti Nagpal episode?

The protective mechanisms are already there. But the more pertinent issue is the lack of motivation. Everything boils down to human resources. And humans can’t ever be conquered except through motivation. If a boss calls a subordinate “scum” all day, what he will get in return is work worthy of a scum. I was associated with many Indo-Japanese JVs, and it was stunning how the Japanese bosses treated their subordinates. If a Japanese worker had to be deputed to India, the company would first arrange an all-expenses paid survey trip to India for him to visit the actual factory and residential facilities, and only if he is satisfied, he is expected to take up the job. That is how the world operates, and Indian bosses have much to learn from it. On a personal front, I was very fortunate to have some of the most considerate of bosses, and I hope I too have extended the same to my colleagues.

You are known to be a very religious person, with a special adoration towards Sabarimala. Nobel laureate Amartya Sen says that he can belong to a majority community and still feel the insecurity of all minority communities. In this backdrop, how do you assess the current communalism versus secularism debate. How important is Nehruvian secularism as practiced in this country for its bright future?

How many of us have selected our own religion? Not even 1% of us, right? I became a Hindu because my parents were Hindus, and they too didn’t have any choice for the same reason. Because I was born a Hindu, I go to temples, but I am equally at home at any other places of worship. So, pursuing communalism in itself is absurd. How can any right-meaning person segregate himself into some religion that he was born into, something for which he had no choice? And when communalism begets hatred and eventual violence, it becomes quite dangerous. That is why secularism is absolutely essential for this nation’s continued well-being and prosperity. Amartya Sen is very right in this regard.

How to Succeed in Anything, From Cricket to Civil Service

Dr. KN Raghavan, IRS, Customs Commissioner of Kochi, has led a uniquely exciting and multitasking life which offers much to learn for practically anyone - Doctors, Civil Servants, Cricketers, Umpires, Cricket Analysts, Authors, Students, Multitaskers, & High Achievers. Because, Dr. Raghavan has done all those roles with élan. His is a life truly customised. Seasonal Magazine interviewed this high achiever to unearth his success secrets:

Interview and Feature by Jaison D and John Antony:

“Life is what happens to us while we are making other plans,” wrote American writer and cartoonist Allen Saunders way back in 1957. The quote became so popular that many repeated it as their own, including The Beatles co-founder John Lennon in a 1980 song, ironically just three weeks before he was murdered. The quote has also been attributed to many later day celebrities due to its re-tweetability and applicability for most people. How often do we go through life rueing at the bad educational or career choices we had taken or were forced to take. For many there seems to be no escape. As we advance in life, we realize that life can’t be customised to a great degree. Here is where the unique life and experiences of Dr. KN Raghavan, Customs Commissioner of Kochi, stands as a class apart. But the real value from studying his life is that there is so much to learn for practically anyone - Doctors, Civil Servants, Cricketers, Umpires, Cricket Analysts, Authors, Students, Multitaskers, & High Achievers. At the age of 14, when most boys were eager to follow their father’s successful career, Raghavan chose not to be a lawyer. At the age of 16, when most boys were still unwilling to lose their boyhood and become a man by taking up responsibilities, Raghavan became a cricket umpire. At 22 years, when most doctors were eager to begin a flourishing practice, Dr. Raghavan chose to be a civil servant, though medicine was not available as a subject for IAS entrance and he had to study fresh subjects like history and public administration. At the same age, though unsure about how a job like umpiring can co-exist with a demanding IRS career, he decided to pursue both by applying for and winning a position in the National Panel of Umpires and then the All India Panel, thereby setting the stage for a unique dual career. “When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it,” wrote Paulo Coelho in The Alchemist in 1988. Dr. Raghavan, IRS, knew it by nature. As luck or such ’conspiracy of the whole universe’ would have it, he found accommodating bosses who supported his umpiring hobby as much as they could. That is how Dr. Raghavan could officiate around 5 ODIs, not to mention numerous Ranji, Duleep, & Deodhar Trophy matches. And, wonder of wonders, IRS got a sharper officer due to his quick decision-making skills, honed on-field. But the really cool thing about him is that Dr. Raghavan also knew when to call its quits. That is how he retired as an International Umpire in April of this year. He had moved up too high in his IRS career by this time, to continue with a dual focus. Meanwhile, unlike those of us who complain of little free time to do anything extra in life, Dr. Raghavan found time to author two books, one on cricket and the other on history. His 2012 book, ‘Dividing Lines: Contours of India China Conflict - A book on the origins, events, and impact of the India-China War of 1962,’ went on to garner critical acclaim as the book busted several myths that India’s political and military establishment had promoted to cover up a massive defeat. But if you expect Dr. Raghavan to be a cynic, you will be disappointed to the core. He is the antithesis of a cynic, if there ever was one. A diehard optimist, he tries to find the good in everything from BCCI to IPL to political pressure on bureaucrats, as he begins all discussions from the fundamental premise that society is not perfect. When Seasonal Magazine met him in Custom House at Kochi, 50-year old Dr. Raghavan appeared as young, dashing, energetic, and enthusiastic as he should have been when he chose to be an umpire when he was just 16! Never ever during the two-hour interview did we find this senior bureaucrat bending his spine or slouching in his chair. Always sitting upright and alert, he lives up to the ’hawk’s eye’ for which he is famous on-field and in his IRS career. One can blame him only for a tad too much of optimism, but that is a risk he is obviously willing to take, that is, to err on the side of pragmatism.    

Seasonal Magazine in conversation with Dr. KN Raghavan, Customs Commissioner, Kochi:

You are just back from an Executive Education program. Can you update us on it?

Well, I was selected by our department for this program by IIM Lucknow. It is a two month long program, part of it in IIM, and then we do the remaining at LSE, Cambridge, Amsterdam, and at World Customs Organization at Brussels. It was a hectic schedule, but a very enriching experience. 

You have a unique mix of experience, trained as a doctor, then an umpire, then a civil servant. How do you view this unique history of yours?

Well, like any other youngster doing his SSLC I too was considering the few options available before me like engineering, medicine, law etc. My father was a lawyer, so I had a rough understanding about what a law career was about, and I didn’t think I was cut out for that. Though I was reasonably good at maths, I was not inspired to pursue engineering, as engineers were finding it difficult to find jobs during that time. At least that is the impression I had from seeing the difficulty some acquaintances and relatives were facing in finding desirable jobs after engineering. Doctors, in contrast, were never out of work, as they could at least practice on their own, or so I reasoned! Also, the medical profession had the respect and esteem everyone appreciated. I also had the marks to get a second-group or science seat. I performed reasonably well in pre-degree too to get an MBBS seat and that is how I ended up pursuing medicine at Kozhikode Medical College.

And the other two professions, civil service and cricket umpiring, which happened first?

Umpiring, of course. That happened when I was just 16 years of age. There was a small announcement in the newspaper by Kerala Cricket Association regarding an Umpiring Clinic in which they were selecting candidates for umpiring. I knew I was too young, but still I applied with a couple of my friends. But after knowing the nitty-gritty, some candidates dropped out. I, however, liked the details provided by the famous umpire, Sriramulu, and stuck with it. Finally, I was among the 10 candidates selected for the KCA panel. It was the first time such a panel was being formed by KCA. I was lucky to be a part of that.

But nobody objected to your young age?

Yes, that was an issue. Sriramulu personally took me aside and told that I was too young for it, but that he is considering me as he sensed a potential inside me for umpiring. But he reminded me that I would have to work hard at it, due to my young age, so as to prove myself.

You were just 16 when this happened, so you were yet to join the medical college?

Both happened nearly simultaneously. I was soon umpiring matches, even though it was difficult finding time for it amidst a tough schedule like MBBS. Steadily, I gained experience, never missing a chance to umpire a match even if it required taking leave from college, or travelling. But by the final year of MBBS, the academic load became too much to handle on a shared focus, and I dropped umpiring temporarily to focus on my exams.

Didn’t your parents object to you doing umpiring, together with your MBBS?

Not much, especially my father who was very encouraging that I should pursue something which I was passionate about. But, as you would expect, there were some objections from the family, as an MBBS seat was hard to come by, and nobody could come into terms with the chance that I could end up wasting a precious seat!

What made you switch careers then to civil service?

Soon after enrolling for MBBS, it had become clear to me that I was not really cut out for that profession. Still, I was very particular that I should complete something that I had begun. I completed successfully and did my Senior House Surgeonship specializing in General Surgery. But my prime reason to look beyond medicine, was a realization that being a good doctor demanded extreme commitment to the profession. Doctors need to keep on learning and get updated on the latest developments in their speciality. My wife is a doctor, a very good doctor with a respectable practice, and seeing her work even to this day, by reading and attending seminars, I think I took the correct decision indeed!

Still, why did you go in for your PG in medicine?

The options before me were limited. Since I was internally planning to forsake medicine as a career, I needed to choose something that was equally or more good. I had developed some love and admiration for a career in civil service. But during those times, civil service was not a sure shot bet. Another personal problem was that due to me coming after MBBS, my age was higher and I had only one chance for attempting civil service before the age bar would cut in. The bar was lower in those days. Still another issue was that medicine was not an available subject for civil service entrance, and I had opted for history and public administration for my mains, which was additional work. So, as things stood, I realized that I couldn’t totally bank on a civil service selection. That is why I opted for a PG in medicine. But this time around, I decided to merge my passion for sports with my academics, and opted to do PG in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation - which included domains like sports medicine - at Thiruvananthapuram Medical College. But when I got selected to IRS, I discontinued my PG.

Apart from umpiring, were you also playing cricket? What was your role in the team?

Yes, I was a wicketkeeper batsman. I was part of the Under-19 Cricket Team representing Ernakulam.

Which happened first - your return to umpiring or your selection to civil service?

Again, it was almost simultaneous. While I had taken a break from umpiring for my MBBS final year and house surgeonship, one of my fellow umpires in the KCA Panel got selected as a National Panel Umpire by BCCI. This was an inspiration for me, as I thought that if he could qualify I too could make it. So I started trying for it. By that time, the civil services results were out, I was selected, and I had opted for IRS. Soon, however, BCCI also selected me as a National Panel Umpire. To this day, I am grateful that the final selection procedure by BCCI and my IRS training at Mussoorie didn’t coincide. If it had, I would have been forced to forsake umpiring for my career!

Can you explain how your umpiring career took off from that selection?

Well, my first officiating of a Ranji match was in 1992 between Bihar and Tripura at Ranchi. Since then I have umpired numerous Ranji Tropy and Duleep Trophy matches. In 1996, I got elevated to the All India Panel of Umpires. This made me eligible to officiate One Day Internationals apart from other national matches. I made my ODI debut in 1998 for the match between India and Bangladesh, at Mohali. For the first Kochi ODI at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, between India and Australia in the same year, I was the third umpire. I was reserve umpire in three more ODIs - India vs South Africa at Kochi in 2000, India vs Australia at Vizag in 2001, and India vs Zimbabwe at Hyderabad in 2002.

And meanwhile, how did your IRS career span out? More importantly, how could you manage both for many years?

I joined IRS - Customs and Central Excise in 1990. I have worked in Central Service and in Kerala Service, as well as in Tamilnadu. In Kerala, I have been MD of Kerala State Co-operative Rubber Marketing Federation Ltd and CEO of Kochi’s Co-operative Medical College. I also had an overseas stint for four years from 2007 as First Secretary in the High Commission of India at Singapore. I was fortunate to have good support from my bosses to accommodate my umpiring activities. I also made it a point to reduce the number of matches, so as to fulfil my responsibilities as an IRS officer.

So, why did you finally quit from umpiring in April of this year?

There were a few reasons behind that sad decision. Over the years, my responsibilities in my IRS career had increased. It was getting increasingly difficult for me to find time for umpiring. Meanwhile, the umpiring field has also been undergoing a transformation. BCCI was increasingly in favour of full-time umpires as against part-timers. Since 2002, ICC had also constituted its Elite Panel of Umpires. For a while I mulled about attempting to gain entry to the ICC elite panel, but then official duties became paramount for me. Moreover from 2007 till 2011 I was posted at Singapore. So, there was a disconnect. That is why on April 3rd, I finally chose to retire as an international cricket umpire. I was a bit sad, but then I have to move on with my priorities. I have also been umpiring less taxing matches like Ranji Trophy, Duleep Trophy, Deodhar Trophy, other First Class matches, junior level matches etc which I can continue if I can manage the schedules.

Can umpiring be a prime career for an aspirant? You would be the best person to answer this…

It can be a prime career for aspirants especially in this new scheme of things, and in fact, that is the way ICC and BCCI are designing this profession, around full-timers. The days of part-time umpires are over. In another five years, there will be only full-time umpires. A new breed of young umpires are coming in, some of them are players, being involved with the game at various levels. So, it can definitely be a prime career, at least from now on. But there is a flipside to it too. For example, cricket has always remained a passionate hobby for me. That has been the case while I was playing cricket, and later too when I had to study cricket in-depth for umpiring. But when it becomes a full-time career, umpiring too will be subject to all the challenges of a full-time career like the need for networking, self-promotion etc. For me, it would have killed the passion or love for the game.

This has been very interesting, this unique mix of different careers. Do you think the rest of us, or at least our youngsters, should emulate something like what you have done?

I wouldn’t say so. Because, much of these diverse experiences were not precisely well-planned. It so happened when I pursued a couple of my passions and dropped some other options. Secondly, it is not easy by any means. I could do it, because of my good luck, as well as due to the understanding of my bosses. But having said that, pursuing multiple careers definitely has its advantages. For instance, in umpiring, you have to take decisions on the spot and it has helped me focus and sharpen my decision-making process in other fields too.

Coming to something regarding customs, there have been allegations that certain entities enjoy the so-called Green Channel clearance in Kerala. Is there any truth to such allegations?

That is a common misunderstanding. Green Channel clearance is something that 95% or 98% of travellers through our airports should enjoy, and are enjoying since many years now. Earlier this was not the case. Everyone had to open up their suitcases or bags before the customs personnel for searching and frisking. It was a sad state of affairs, especially in a state like Kerala. We always had a sizeable traffic of NRKs from Gulf, and most of them were not very affluent, and they had to go through this procedure every time they visited Kerala, after enduring the hardships in their workplace as well as a long travel. And most of the time there will be nothing to unearth, except for an odd gold coin or such small things. It was a very sorry state, as any person’s baggage is a very private affair, and forcibly inspecting it was akin to asking someone to undress for inspection. But thanks to modern technology like baggage scanners as well as better intelligence gathering and sharing, we could properly implement a convenient Green Channel mechanism in our airports. The idea is that for a 2% or less than that of erring passengers, the remaining 98% shouldn’t have to face this indignation and suffering. Other than this universal Green Channel available for all passengers, there is no selective or preferential green channels for anyone.  

Is gold smuggling again on the rise? There was a recent case of a family attempting to bring in gold bars. What could be contributing to this?

Yes, it is slightly on the rise again. The reasons are obvious. The import duty on gold has gone up significantly in recent months. Government had to resort to it, to control the influx of gold into the country, so as to limit the Current Account Deficit. But it also created an incentive for unscrupulous elements to smuggle in gold. However, we were well prepared for this, and that is why we could make some recent interceptions. But having said that, let me assure you that the level of smuggling seen now is nowhere near the organized smuggling by large operators that was recorded between 1963 to 1990 when the Gold Control Act was in force.

A customs official was recently found to have travelled in the cockpit just like a popular actress. Was this official from Kochi Customs?

Really? This is a shocking news to me. I was abroad for a few weeks and might have missed it. I can’t even imagine something like that could have happened because cockpit is such a sacrosanct place as far as a flight is concerned. Absolutely nobody who is unauthorized should be allowed access to a cockpit.

Coming back to cricket, what is your opinion regarding the recent fight between BCCI and Sports Ministry to bring it under RTI?

Firstly, even by any stretch of imagination, nobody can argue that BCCI is not a public body. So, it should indeed be under RTI purview barring may be some information like why one player was selected and not another or such game related data. But having admitted that, let me also point to you that BCCI is a thoroughly professional body, which has nothing to hide. I was a part of BCCI for many years, and I know that they work very professionally. Also, just because some other sporting bodies have come under RTI doesn’t mean that they are anywhere near BCCI in professionalism or achievements. When I was a young boy, India was the world leader in hockey but nothing at all in cricket. What is the situation now? The credit for improving cricket in this country largely goes to BCCI. We may find fault with certain actions of certain leaders in BCCI, but the fact is that most of them have contributed immensely to promoting cricket in this country. It has always been like that whoever has been leading BCCI. I am sure that if and when BCCI finally comes under RTI, everyone would be left wondering what was the reason to resist such a move.

Rahul Dravid has recently come out against the BCCI. Why are players so reluctant to come out such when they are on active duty?

I think it is because players are greatly appreciative of the work BCCI has been doing. Be it Dravid or Tendulkar, they should be knowing more about the professional support of BCCI, as they have been beneficiaries of it. BCCI has also tremendously improved during the last three decades. You can see it in the way cricketing infrastructure has come up in all nook and corner of the country. You can see it in the way national players are emerging from even Tier-II cities. Dhoni is from Ranchi, Sehwag is from Najafgarh, which were scenarios unthinkable twenty or thirty years back, when Indian cricket was a three-city affair.

Do you think player selection is fair in this country, at all levels, including the national selection? What do you think about the Parvez Rasool episode?

Selection is absolutely fair at most levels, especially at the higher and national level. People mistakenly think that it is biased, basically because there are so many talents to choose from. If we entrust the selection independently to three most qualified selectors, they will not come up with identical teams. Because selection still has a subjective element to it. Ultimately, the proof of whether selection was good or not lies in the performance of the team, because we are competing with the world’s best. Regarding Rasool, my personal opinion is that he should have been played, but then the judgement of the selectors and Captain is final in that regard. Rasool will get his further chances and he will surely come up.

How come a player like Shikhar Dhawan could make a comeback after many years since his debut, while Tinu Yohannan couldn’t and lost it forever?

Tinu was playing brilliant during his debut period. Then there was a prolonged slump in form. Shikhar Dhawan too had a similar brilliant debut and then went out of form for long. But why Dhawan could make a comeback and Tinu couldn’t is also a function of the respective Ranji sides that they are representing. A strong Ranji side like Delhi gave Dhawan ample opportunities to demonstrate his talent again and again. Such opportunity can’t be expected from any side that gets defeated in the first or second round of Ranji. Then there are the temperamental differences between players. Cricket is as much about temperament as it is about talent and hard work.

It is well understood that umpiring has its flaws. So, there is need for something like DRS. But BCCI says it is full of irregularities. Is it really so or is it more about DRS' application failures? Can it be denied that BCCI is using its clout over other national bodies to resist this technological advancement that they somehow doesn't like?

It is universally accepted that human beings make mistakes and umpires are no exception to this general rule. Studies conducted amongst international umpires have shown that most of umpires in the panel make one wrong decision out of 25-26 decisions that they are called to make. In fact Simon Taufel, the Australian umpire who is considered to be the best, makes one mistake in 28 decisions. So it can be taken that human beings of that level are capable of getting correct decisions in 95-97% of the decisions. Now, what is aimed by introducing technology in the form of DRS is to attain 100% accuracy. DRS has been used in many series even now involving teams other than India but it can be seen that the results have not been satisfactory. BCCI's major objection is to the fact that this technology is not owned by concerned cricket boards who organise the matches and are responsible for its proper conduct within the laws of the game. The technology as well as the infrastructure required for preparing the pictures for review are owned by the broadcasters who are entities of purely commercial nature. Since the entire conduct of game including appointment of umpires, scorers, and other match officials is the responsibility of the cricket boards, it would not be proper for decisions to be arrived at based on data prepared and provided by entities other than the said cricket boards. At the present juncture, some of the cricket boards (eg: Zimbabwe, Bangladesh etc) do not possess the financial resources for owning the required technology and infrastructure. Further there are also doubts that the technology involved is not fool proof especially when it comes to hot spots and snickometer. The recent England-Australia series where DRS has been used has highlighted the limitations of technology currently employed. Hence BCCI is well within its right to insist that unless the technology involved is sufficiently fool proof to convince the players about its absolute accuracy, it is not fair to employ it. It is not fair to rush in with a less than perfect technology and make the players suffer. Players accept that umpires are also human and hence prone to make the occasional mistakes but when it comes to technology they seek nothing less than an absolutely fool proof one. Finally there lies the question of the number of reviews allotted per side which is two  at present. The number of reviews have been limited to keep loss of playing time on account of such referrals / appeals to the minimum. However this can result in the near comical situation that took place in the first Ashes test where everyone except the bowlers and umpire saw clearly that Chris Broad was out but nothing could be done as Australia had exhausted their quota of reviews. So there is scope for improvement in this area also. BCCI feels that unless these aspects are considered, and solutions acceptable to players and officials are reached, DRS should not be employed. I think there is lot of merit behind BCCI's line of thought. It is better to be certain about the accuracy of the technology before rushing in with an incomplete or inaccurate one. Regarding BCCI's use of financial muscle to stall use of DRS , I feel that this allegation is not correct. As said earlier, BCCI has only sad that they would not be using this and England and Australia have used this during the Ashes series currently under progress. In every international body or multi-lateral organization there is some amount of muscle flexing by its prominent members and if BCCI uses that to the benefit of Indian cricket and its players I would not criticise them.

Dalmiya has recently come out against the failure to correct problems in the Duckworth Lewis system for 15 years. Why can't BCCI endorse Jayadevan system (VJD method) which is used in some domestic leagues? Is it because of its usage in the rival ICL?

Regarding Duckworth Lewis method for determining the target score in rain affected matches, I would say that too much should not be read into Dalmiya's statement which was made in another context. Over a period, Duckworth Lewis has been subjected to lots of improvisations and the one employed at present has the advantage of having stood the test of time and gained the confidence of players and officials. The method suggested by V Jayadevan (VJD method) was certainly much superior to Duckworth Lewis when it was first mooted but for some reason BCCI was not able to get other test playing countries to agree to replace Duckworth Lewis with VJD method at that juncture. Now it would not be easy to get players, officials, and other cricket boards to consider VJD method as Duckworth Lewis after its various improvisations has won the confidence of all concerned.  I may be wrong on this but to the best of my knowledge modifying or changing Duckworth Lewis and replacing it with VJD is not under active consideration of BCCI at present. Having said that, I still maintain that VJD was much superior to Duckworth Lewis when it was first mooted by Jayadevan. On the suggestion that it was BCCI's animosity to ICL that caused its lack of support to VJD method, I do not think this is correct. Jayadevan had brought out his method of calculation much earlier than 2007 when ICL was launched. It might be a fact that ICL has used VJD method but that is not the prime reason for BCCI not using this method. As I said earlier, it was BCCI's failure to convince other test playing nations of ICC that remains the root cause for it not being used in official matches of BCCI.

How do you assess the whole Sreesanth match-fixing episode? Is this as nasty as Delhi Police would have us all believe?

It is difficult to comment on it as it is still with the courts. I know Sreesanth for long, from when he was a young boy. It is difficult to imagine that he would do something like this. Because, cricket is what made Sreesanth. Difficult to think that he would spoil that very foundation. But we should take the case by Delhi Police seriously. Because rarely does such cases spring out of thin air. It is very noteworthy that Delhi Police could file the charge-sheet quickly. It is a feat in India, especially in such cases. All we can do now is keep our fingers crossed regarding Sreesanth. 

According to you how can Indian cricket be cleaned up?

In my opinion, the dirty aspects of Indian cricket began with IPL and ends with IPL. But that doesn’t mean that IPL is necessarily a bad thing. Not at all. The overall impact of IPL has been good as it gave more opportunities for more young players to emerge on the national stage. IPL also helped in popularizing cricket further, and it has been good for all concerned including viewers, BCCI, government, and advertisers. But IPL needs to be cleaned up a bit. Like how the cheer girls have gone, I expect the after-match parties to be curtailed. Cleaning up IPL is so easy as better models regarding code of conduct is already available. For instance, access to players is strictly prohibited during ODIs. It is almost like they are in confinement. The same model should be applied to IPL too.

Do you think betting, spot fixing, and match fixing are rampant in cricket? Do you think betting needs to be legalized in India?

Betting may be rampant, but not spot fixing, and certainly not match fixing. But all these can happen because high-stakes betting drives the need for spot fixing and even match fixing. So, betting should never be legalized. Such strange ideas - that if it is too popular or too difficult to control then legalize it - have never worked anywhere. 

What would be your advice for Kerala Cricket, Cricketers, and KCA?

I would say that KCA has been doing a good job, especially since the last few years. Turfs and camps have come up at many places across the state, and the results are showing. As you know, three of our players, Sanju Samson, Sachin Baby and VA Jagadeesh, have been selected for the Indian A Team recently. Such focus should continue from the part of KCA as Kerala Cricket still has a long way to go.

Coming to something official, how do you assess the issue of Durga Shakti Nagpal? Do you think civil service officers need more protection? As an IRS officer, how would you assess the political pressure on these kind of jobs?

It is very difficult to comment on a contemporary issue like Durga’s suspension which is still an evolving one. Personally, I don’t think there is any need for additional protection for civil service officers. The system already has the necessary checks and balances, and grievance redressal mechanisms. Regarding my own experience, I have completed 23 years of service in the Centre and various states including Kerala. I can say with certainty that I have never been pressured by any politician or party. But then it also depends on your conduct as an officer. If we give out the right signals about our intention to keep our integrity, nobody would bother us. In the final tally, what everyone appreciates and wants is an honest officer. I have not worked in many states to comment on the situation there, but I am confident that an honest officer can indeed survive in this country. Often the problem starts when an officer takes refuge with a politician to get any undeserved favour. Then it is a given that the politician would want a favour in return. Civil service officers should steer clear of such practices, and everything will be fine.

You come across as a diehard optimist…

Yes, I have often been blamed for being too much of an optimist! But my reply is that though the society is not perfect, it is not all gloom and doom. There is every reason to be optimistic about the future, as long as we are improving.