Pursuing Idealism Through Civil Service : Memories of an Administrator and a Trainer
Contents: 1. Prologue. 2. Choice of the administrative career. 3. Training at Metcalfe House: grooming of an administrator. 4. Joining the Cadre--practical training at Bangalore. 5. Subdivision officer--Davangere--my first charge: igniting the spark of community development. 6. SDO Pandavpura (1957-58): giving relief to tenants. 7. Deputy Commissioner, Raichur 1958-59 - administering a backward, droughtprone area. 8. Deputy Development Commissioner and director (Youth) combining secretariat work and field supervision. 9. Brief interlude at Mussorie. 10. At London School of Economics (1962-63). 11. New Delhi--in the Central Ministry (1963-65). 12. Founding Director, Vaikunth Mehta National Institute of Cooperative Management (1967-71). 13. Secretary to Government of Karnataka: dealing with Mountain of Flies and many ministers. 14. Administrator, Malaprabha and Ghataprabha Project (1971-72). 15. Divisional Commissioner Belgaum (1974-77). 16. Joint Secretary in the Department of Cooperation (1977-78). 17. Establishment Officer (1978-80). 18. Additional secretary, Ministry of Agriculture (1980-81). 19. Director, IIPA. 20. Secretary (Coordination) Cabinet Secretariat (1986-88). 21. Epilogue.
"This book is a rich treasure of administrative experience relating to a whole range of development programmes taken up in the early years of post-independent India. The successive chapters of the book dealing with different assignments are administrative case studies, which are as interesting as they are instructive. Successful implementation of development programmes has many dimensions programme planning, organization building, coordination between different agencies, human resource development etc. But even more important than these technical aspects are the character of administration and attitudes, which the civil servants bring to bear on their work. Is administration people-oriented? Do the civil servants have a sense of dedication and idealism? If these were missing, the goals of good governance would remain elusive. The book hopefully may provide the needed corrective to governance. All those who are interested in better administrative performance would find the book valuable." (jacket)
