Abstract
Many civil servants in the recent past have come out with their memoirs. The book, Different Colours—Reflections of a Civil Servant by Nilamadhab Mohanty is yet another valuable addition to the collection. Both candid and reflective, it merits compulsory reading by every civil servant aspiring to make a mark. It is the fascinating journey of a civil servant who was born and bred in a remote village in Odisha under harsh conditions. Nevertheless, through grit and perseverance, he fulfilled the dreams of his parents by excelling in whatever he did—whether in the Balasore Zilla School, in Ravenshaw College at Cuttack, at the then prestigious Allahabad University or later in life, studying for a Master’s degree in Economics at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, USA. He reflects on how things have changed during this journey, and with a feeling of nostalgia observes:
In those days there was a sense of idealism and nationalism among the young men of our generation, a desire to serve the nation in the public service arena and to discharge one’s professional responsibilities with honesty and integrity. The urge to make money at any cost and to amass material wealth as soon as possible, was not as intense as is the case today. The society was not politicised to the extent it has happened in recent years and the general public, including the old generation politicians were treating public servants with respect and appreciation.
As a civil servant myself of earlier vintage, I can fully testify to the regrets mentioned in the book by Mohanty. However, he bemoans the fact that attitudes of some classes of public servants have not changed since pre-Independence period while they should have attuned to meet the changing circumstances. He refers specifically to police behaviour, especially in remote areas, where public scrutiny is not very effective.
Unlike developed societies, police is rarely seen as a ‘friend’ by an average citizen in our society. A person is reluctant to go to a police station with his or her complaint when a criminal act takes place. There are difficulties in registering First Information Reports (FIRs). Often, police harassment and adoption of third-degree methods (beating and torture) against individuals, sometimes result in custodial deaths. There are instances of investigation being botched up to help influential persons and falsely implicating innocent individuals in crimes. There is also a tendency on the part of senior police officers to support blindly the misdeeds of their erring subordinates in the name of camaraderie and police solidarity.
Mohanty has also struck a note of caution for current civil servants pointing out the need for maintaining the old traditions of fair play, justice, objectivity and impartiality, as he feels a new and an unhealthy culture is emerging. In his own words:
It may not be out of place to mention here that since the Prime Ministership of Indira Gandhi, the idea of a ‘committed bureaucracy or civil servant’ has been unfortunately the concept carried forward by political leaders. In the 1950s and 1960s senior public servants were judged by their proven competence or track record.
Mohanty has referred to the various responsibilities that a civil servant is entrusted with in his career. He remarks that ‘there was never any question of anyone suggesting to me how the powers were to be exercised’. He has also dwelt on significant political developments, such as the imposition of the emergency and its impact on the northern states with just minor tremors in States like Odisha.
In his dealings with personalities under whom he served, he had been very candid and frank without mincing his words. Of particular interest are his views on J.B. Patnaik, former Chief Minister of Odisha, under whom he had served as Principal Secretary. Though he extolled the virtues of Shri Patnaik, Mohanty was unsparing as regards to his personal life, including his sexual exploits. He also refers to the role and contribution of V. Krishnamurthy, Secretary in the Department of Heavy Industry under whom he worked. Describing him as ‘an outstanding public sector manager and an extremely able Secretary to Government’, he recalls with a touch of sadness, the way he was treated and removed on political considerations.
I have always felt that the Government had been somewhat unfair to Krishnamurthy who was one of the most capable managers in the public sector. He had come to the Department of Heavy Industry after outstanding performance at BHEL, in later years he played an equally stellar role in creating Maruti and improving the management at the Steel Authority of India of which he was the Chairman.
Mohanty has acquired a wealth of experience working in his home State at different levels and in different capacities. He was also assigned responsibilities in diverse fields in the Government of India, which he discharged with aplomb and distinction. He could have reached the highest point of his career by becoming Cabinet Secretary, as aspired by every civil servant. However, he instead decided to take up an assignment with an international organisation—United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO). In the words of a colleague, he was, ‘The Cabinet Secretary India never had’.
Having dealt with policy issues at the highest level and having encountered problems because of political pressures, Mohanty is in a position to comment on governance issues. I was particularly interested in his observations on how the Tata-Singapore Airlines deal approved by the Committee of Secretaries, which he was heading, was finally scuttled by the Minister of Civil Aviation and Secretary, Civil Aviation, under pressure from various political parties including Congress, BJP and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).
Mohanty in his entire career never compromised with his principles and maintained the highest traditions of the civil service. We need more people like him. This breed is rare and is in danger of becoming an endangered species.
The book with experiences and instances shared by Mohanty will certainly enhance the understanding of the readers on the functioning of civil service in India and related operational challenges in governance.