Learning from others proved impactful

The then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi initiated training programmes for Civil Servants. One week of compulsory vertical integration courses were initiated for IAS officers from Sub Collectors to Additional Secretaries to GOI at Administrative Staff College of India at Hyderabad. During this training so ably structured by Prof Balwanth Reddy and others on ‘Awareness of Economic Environment’ there were some anxious moments as well. That was the first interaction with seniors outside our cadre. So going by the informality that we earlier tasted with our seniors I made a remark. I was rebuffed by a haughty senior who was Additional Secretary in Defence Production. The context was discussion of our defence preparedness. I felt that India’s defence outlook should focus on China and not Pakistan. The Addl Secretary dismissed my contention with all the contempt at his command. Luckily, Prof Balwanth Reddy came to my rescue

Often we hear that at a point of utmost significance does an individual meet his or her Guru. This word ‘Guru’ is bandied in a variety of ways having no connection to the role and symbolism attached to ‘Guru’ in Sanathana dharma. It was my good fortune that my first guru, namely, my beloved father took me to Satguru Sri Kandukuri Sivananda Murty garu on the most sacred Guru Purnima day in 1987 to have his darshan and receive his blessings. I can now look back and say how much that meeting had impacted my pursuits and principles that I held sacrosanct as a civil servant. The meeting was simple, short and sweet. I politely bent down and touched his feet observing the regard that my father had for him.

Another significant event in my life was official visit of S R Sankaran as Principal Secretary of Social Welfare, to my sub-division. We were waiting at the R&B guest house to receive the senior officer in Hanamkonda (Warangal district). He reached by road after dusk and he went past me without acknowledging my greetings. It was a chilling experience and I was struggling for words to comfort myself. After half hour, when Sankaran came out he was asking for me and I naturally ran into his presence. He then expressed his surprise at my beard and found that as a reason for not spotting me before.

Next two days, we travelled to Mulug, Venkatapur, Govindraopet, Eturnagaram, Narsampet, Gudur and Kothaguda mandals and Sankaran was reviewing the implementation of the special component plan for scheduled castes and tribal sub plan for scheduled tribes. At the forest guest house at Tadvai, I went to Sankaran and informed him that I made all arrangements for his board and food without palming it off on any staff. He was happy to hear that and he had no reservations in accepting hospitality. Such were the standards of personal honesty adopted by seniors in the cadre. In less than week days, Sankaran would communicate the orders which he orally dealt with during the visit to district. His review of both SC welfare and ST welfare at district headquarters was an education on welfare administration. Without raising his voice he commanded so much attention and awe. I later felt that thanks to this visit seeds of my next posting were cast.

Next important event that I must mention is my marriage. I often heard from several seniors and friends that only lucky officers are blessed with an understanding spouse. The talk of status, authority and role of civil servants in governance apparatus is all good to hear. But what about the sustenance to the officer? How does he/she survive all the vicissitudes of life? There are dream postings and there are gloom postings! Take home salary is never on par with social status enjoined on a service officer. Officers in their thirties are managing districts and facing media trial especially for a variety of imaginary commissions and ommissions. In all this stands the officer all alone. So the role of the spouse is significant.

The family background of that spouse also plays a role in shaping and sculpting the career. Lose cementing of that relationship has led to several mishaps in our cadre understandably. For an officer coming from an educated middle income group like me this relationship proved to be a great boon. From multi-storied apartments in New Delhi, my wife got into rapid mode of adjustment to a single-room tiled house in Mulug and began her saga with reptiles and rural life with willingness and understanding.

Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi initiated training programmes for Civil Servants. One week of compulsory vertical integration courses were initiated for IAS officers from Sub Collectors to Additional Secretaries to GOI. My batch mate (late) P Subramaniam and I attended one such training at Administrative Staff College of India at Hyderabad. One of the evenings, Subbu, Sowmya (my wife) and me went to Dwaraka hotel for a meal and went to watch ‘Mr India’ (Hindi movie). We thoroughly enjoyed the evening. Bonhomie that exits among the batch mates produces magic. During this training so ably structured by Prof Balwanth Reddy and others on ‘Awareness of Economic Environment’ there were some anxious moments as well. That was the first interaction with seniors outside our cadre. So going by the informality that we earlier tasted with our seniors I made a remark. I was rebuffed by a haughty senior who was Additional Secretary in Defence Production. The context was discussion of our defence preparedness. I felt that India’s defence outlook should focus on China and not Pakistan. The Addl Secretary dismissed my contention with all the contempt at his command. Luckily, Prof Balwanth Reddy came to my rescue. During our stay in ASCI, we received our senior-time scale promotions and we were posted to ITDAs. Subbu and I wanted to visit AP Secretariat and get some tutoring and guidance. Somehow only I could visit secretariat and I started my visits going to U B Raghavender Rao (UBR), the most famous Secretary to Chief Minister. I was immediately pulled inside and made witness to an important discussion underway. UBR and Lalith Mathur were having serious discussions about the recommendations of Rustomji and later P Upendra. The recommendations were dealing with the position of the head of department vis-a-vis the secretariat functionary of equal seniority. The two seniors did not allow me to escape and wanted me to decide on their arguments and pick the best. One can imagine the discomfiture and danger that I saw in that task. The informality, affection and love that exist among cadre officers impressed me. I had my lunch with those seniors and both of them shared their meal besides getting vada and dosa for me from the secretariat canteen. I wonder if this kind of learning is possible in other cadres. They both wished me well in ITDA posting.

By 1987, I packed my bags and was honoured with a warm farewell in ITDA Eturnagaram by CVSK Sarma. When we were heading to Mulug, my wife and I were greeted by a herd of Tadvai bisons. They were all grazing and gave us a loving glance to wish us well at Parvatipuram where I was going to. So my stay in the subdivision was coming to a close. What a myriad of experiences that I can recall which gave me immense confidence and wholehearted satisfaction. During this stay of little more than 20 months, a few lessons could be recapitulated here. The way my office superintendents Mahabubuddin and Chakrapani enabled my revenue officers meetings with all MROs every month. My MROs were also so knowledgeable and were all practitioners of Padala Rami Reddy’s ‘Revenue Laws’. How can I forget individuals like Zama, Chakrapani, Seetharamaiah etc? They all taught me so many nuances of revenue law. Whenever we now visit Gurudham on Mulug road to pay respects at the brindavan of Pujya Guruji, all these experiences re-surface and nostalgia reigns supreme in my mind.