I Have A Dream

It was 2^nd of October about a month ago, a day when we remember Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. While some speak about his being the apostle of peace, others will eulogize his role in the freedom movement and then there are those who blame him for his so called role in the partition of the country and the ills that followed. However, lately, his mission of cleanliness seems to have swept all his other achievements and failures into the dustbin of history. Today, I shall neither praise him nor raise him to the level of a Mahatma nor will I decry him but just write about another part of him beyond this debate.

When in school, often we were asked to write an essay on ‘India of My Dreams’ and I would refer to a kunji (guide) which inevitably started with a quote from Bapu which read: “I shall strive for a constitution, which will release India from all thralldom and patronage, and give her, if need be, the right to sin, I shall work for an India, in which the poorest shall feel it is their country in whose making they have an effective voice; an India in which there shall be no high class and low class of people; an India in which all communities shall live in perfect harmony. There can be no room in such an India for the curse of untouchability or the curse of the intoxicating drinks and drugs. Women will enjoy the same rights as men. Since we shall not be at peace with all the rest of the world, exploiting, nor being exploited, we should have the smallest army imaginable, all interests not in conflict with the interests of the dumb millions will be scrupulously respected, whether foreign or indigenous. Personally, I hate distinction between foreign and indigenous. This is the India of my dreams….I shall be satisfied with nothing less.”

Over 70 years have gone by after independence and yet what the man said then still holds good as goals for any person who loves and thinks good of this nation- freedom, poverty alleviation, harmony amongst its diverse people, the curse of untouchability, care and respect for women and world peace. No wonder the man was different and about  whom Albert Einstein remarked that, “Generations to come, it may well be, will scarcely believe that such a man as this ever in flesh and blood walked upon this earth.”

Will the Mahatma’s Dream remain Utopian thoughts of a man long gone and oft ridiculed by many today? I recently lay my hands on one such dream of a person of today, an IAS Probationer, whose script of her two minute speech delivered sometime ago before the Indian President at Durbar Hall of Rashtrapati Bhawan en-capsuled two months of Bharat Darshan where the probationers needed to traverse different parts of the country and experience India and its people. 

Honourable Mr. President,

It is a matter of great pleasure and honour to be standing here in the hallowed arches of the Durbar Hall to recount our Bharat Darshan experiences. These 55 days have made us observe, reflect and internalise learning from very diverse platforms- all of which are cogs in the wheel of nation building. Our exposure to the Armed Forces sensitised us to the harsh conditions and way of life in which these brave men and women serve, and that too with pride and dignity. We witnessed how human capacity can be stretched to its limits in the freezing heights of Nathu La, in the dense jungles of Kibithu and in the inhospitable terrains of Poonch.

Nathu La, Sikkim

Kibithu, Arunachal Pradesh

We learnt about the many facets of civilian-military interface during our ground level interactions. We realised that not only at the higher echelons of the Defence Ministry but also at the lower levels of district administration, we can play a key role in the lives of our army men. These were mostly manifested in the very basic but extremely important issues like civil disputes on land and succession affecting a jawan's family or providing speedy monetary compensation for our martyrs’ kin. And it is in these aspects, we intend to bring more synergy between the different arms of the administration.

At the bedrock of all our takeaways was an appreciation for diversity – not just in cultures and traditions but also in administrative structures. From urban local bodies in Gujarat to tribal village councils in Nagaland, we realised that governance has a truly panoramic character. In many a hinterland, the traditional sources of local authority have been perfectly wedded to the modern democratic institutions to provide administrative efficiency.

In the milieu of these varied structures, we tried to imbibe best practices across regions because that is the basis for evidence based policy making. Successful government ventures– ranging from Kudumbashree* in Kerala to the BRTS Scheme** of Ahmedabad – made us realize that government machinery can be galvanised to deliver efficiently with good implementation and political will. And this applies to rural and urban areas alike. While rural and urban problems have different flavours altogether, they do have common threads like the population pressure on land, the need for quality infrastructure and the use of technology in the betterment of lives.

And, speaking of creating an impact, Sir, we also saw the importance of civil society in the process of nation building. It is often said that the success of a democracy depends on a well-informed electorate. We realised that when this electorate mobilises itself to address its own issues, they can truly supplement and complement the government in its efforts. For example, the low cost innovations like the Jaipur Foot which is helping scores of disabled people daily for years together and which now needs to be scaled up. Also, worth mentioning is the Akshayapatra Foundation which provides mid-day meals across various states in India that has helped in improving the nutritional status of the children. Voluntary organisations have therefore truly helped in elevating economic profiles, building capacities and changing lives of many in this country.

Akshyapatra Kitchen

Sir, in these travels across the nation, each one of us captured fond memories and many stories of fortitude, resilience and enterprises. As they say that the best steel is forged in the hottest fire and so it is in human lives. In many strife torn regions, we found many a burning ray of hope. In the Naxal district of Dantewada in Maharashtra, we found one of the best residential schools for physically challenged students, while in Manipur we came across a well-developed sports infrastructure which has given the nation many a sports superstar like Mary Kom and Dingko Singh. These tales were narrated to us in many different languages, but each more inspirational than the previous.

Sir, during these travels, apart from these insights about our wonderful nation, we have also got to know our own self and our colleagues better. We learnt about lessons of teamwork, leadership, crisis management and adaptability. And for the great camaraderie and lifelong friendships that have been forged, we will indeed look back on these days with fond nostalgia.

Finally, it is rightly said about our great nation that no matter where you go, it becomes a part of you, and today we can proudly say that we truly carry India in our hearts.

Thank you!

Jai Hind!

The first thought that comes to our mind when someone utters Indian Administrative Service is Power- Power of the ‘Yes Minister’ bureaucrat and also their Powerlessness before the political masters. These are officers selected after a couple of rigourous written examinations followed by an interview where finally only the best are filtered and then the top rankers of the lot get selected to join the elite service called IAS. With power in their hands, many of these individuals have over the years made a difference to the lives of the countrymen. When I read the speech, I could feel the honesty and simplicity of the young probationer with a deep appreciation for the Wonder that is India and a small flame of hope in wanting to do good for the nation and its people.  How this young lass, who happens to be the daughter of a colleague, will shoulder the hopes and aspirations of a billion people is anybody’s guess and a tale only time will tell but for the sake of all of us and our children, let us wish her and her young tribe luck, fortune and everything that’s nothing but the best. May the power be wielded well for betterment and greater good and her dream come true, for her sake and ours.

Happy Birthday Bapu.

SS

NB: 

*Kudumbashree is the community based women’s empowerment and poverty eradication program, framed and enforced by the Government of Kerala with the support of Government of India and NABARD. It aims to eradicate absolute poverty within a definite time frame.

**BRTS, Ahmedabad is Bus Rapid Transport System is operated by Ahmedabad Janmarg Limited, a subsidiary of city’s municipal corporation. BRTS has gone along way in providing safe, accessible and efficient transport system and one which has won many international laurels.