My THIRD JOB AS ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER
CHETANA IN RAJ BHAVAN
PROFESSIONS, CHECKERED CAREER, AND
LESSONS
From Khangi School to Center for Excellence-5
Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao
After completing a meaningful phase of
my professional life as Librarian at the BHEL Higher Secondary School, destiny
gently but decisively led me into an entirely different world, Raj Bhavan. This
transition was neither abrupt nor accidental. It emerged from relationships
built on trust, shared values, and a quiet recognition of my intent to serve
with sincerity rather than ambition. Looking back, this third job became not
merely another assignment, but a deeply formative chapter that continues to
sustain me in times of both distress and triumph.
I joined Raj Bhavan on First January
1986 as Administrative Officer of Chetana, a Voluntary Organization devoted to
rural development and social action, functioning under the direct Chairpersonship
of the Governor of Erstwhile Andhra Pradesh, Kumud Ben Joshi. Chetana was
originally established during the tenure of Governor Sharada Mukherjee, on the
advice of her Secretary, Mohan Kanda (Who later retired as Chief Secretary of
AP), with the Governor herself as Chairperson. Over time, however, the
organization had lost momentum.
When Kumud Ben Joshi assumed office, she
envisioned reviving Chetana and expanding its social reach, alongside
establishing another institution, the National Institute of Social Action
(NISA). It was in this context that I was inducted, largely through the
thoughtful intervention of Dr V Chandra Mouli, the then Principal Secretary to
the Governor, who was an exceptional human being and administrator, brilliant,
compassionate, and unwavering in his commitment to social justice. Born in 1937
in Tamil Nadu, an MA Gold Medalist in Economics, a postgraduate in History, and
a PhD in Social Anthropology, he brought to governance a rare blend of
scholarship and empathy. Before joining the IAS, he served as a college
lecturer.
Later, across a distinguished 33-year
career, he worked in key areas such as revenue administration, tribal welfare,
social welfare, labor welfare, food, and civil supplies, and as Director
General of the then Institute of Administration, that was named subsequently as
Marri Channa Reddy Human Resource Development Institute, from where he retired
in 1995. He also served as Secretary to Governors Shankar Dayal Sharma. He
authored nine books in English, three of which on Hyderabad, Chennai, and Goa,
published by Sterling Publishers, I had the privilege of co-authoring.
My association with Dr Chandra Mouli
began in 1984–85 through my illustrious brother-in-law, Dr AP Ranga Rao, when
Chandra Mouli was Principal Secretary, Social Welfare. Although circumstances
then did not permit my appointment at National Institute of Mentally
Handicapped (NIMH), a sense of responsibility stayed with him. When Kumud Ben
Joshi took over as Governor in November 1985, he resolved to bring me to Raj
Bhavan. He personally impressed upon the BHEL authorities and the BHEL HSS
management, that, my services were urgently required, enabling my immediate
relief and smooth transition.
I formally joined Raj Bhavan on First
January 1986 and was allotted residential quarters within the campus soon
thereafter. My responsibilities were diverse and evolving. Drawing upon my
professional background, one of my earliest assignments was to reorganize the
Raj Bhavan Library, a task that brought visible satisfaction to the Governor.
As Administrative Officer, and at times Project Officer, of Chetana, I became
closely involved in planning and implementing rural development initiatives,
such as, tree plantation drives, promotion of smokeless chulhas, flood relief
operations in coordination with the Red Cross, and several grassroots
interventions aimed at dignity and self-reliance.
Kumud Ben Joshi was an extraordinarily
active and courageous Governor. Within a month of assuming office, she began
extensive tours across all 23 districts of the State and even outside it,
determined to be more engaged than her predecessors. Under her leadership,
Chetana, NISA, and the Red Cross, all functioning from within the Raj Bhavan
campus, became vibrant instruments of social action. Despite severe resource
constraints, she worked tirelessly to strengthen the Red Cross, improve its
affiliated institutions in Hyderabad, expand its membership, and ensure its
readiness during floods, droughts, and other calamities.
One of the most historic and courageous
initiatives undertaken under her chairpersonship, with the active involvement
of Dr Chandra Mouli, and with which I was enthusiastically involved, was the
campaign to eradicate the Jogini System in parts of Telangana, particularly in
the then undivided Nizamabad district. With the support of social activists
Lavanam, Hemalatha Lavanam, and Dr Marla Sharma, a scholar on bonded labor
issues based in Germany, a rehabilitation framework was created at Varni,
including the establishment of ‘Chelli Nilayam.’
One such spirited and path-breaking
effort towards the welfare and empowerment of Jogins, undertaken at a time when
such initiatives demanded not only conviction but moral courage, was performing
their marriage, an impossibility at that point of time. In an unprecedented
step, on January 31, 1988, Governor Kumud Ben Joshi’s birthday, along with Dr
Marla Sharma, Lavanam, and Hemalatha Lavanam, I had the privilege of
facilitating the first-ever registered marriages of three Jogin couples.
The ceremony was solemnized in the
Darbar Hall of Raj Bhavan, in the presence of Chief Minister NT Rama Rao,
several members of his Cabinet, Union Minister Jalagam Vengal Rao, and several
dignitaries. That moment remains etched in my memory as a testament to the
power of humane governance. While the event attracted both praise and
criticism, it succeeded in bringing a deeply entrenched social evil into
national focus.
This was followed by a two-day national
conference in New Delhi on Jogini welfare, attended by leaders such as PV
Narasimha Rao, Jalagam Vengal Rao, and Swami Agnivesh.
Under NISA, several other landmark
programs were conducted, including a national conference of voluntary
organizations at Raj Bhavan, and the grand multi-media presentation ‘Indiramma
Rupa Vani’ a Light and Sound Live Display on the life and times of former Prime
Minister Indira Gandhi, that was conceptualized by the renowned filmmaker KB
Tilak.
After its successful debut in Hyderabad,
it was showcased across district headquarters and later in Delhi, drawing
appreciation from political and non-political leaders alike. During this
period, infrastructure such as a Dome House built with American technical
assistance, and a computer training center, were also established within the
Raj Bhavan campus. I was made to associate either directly or indirectly in
several of these activities.
My association also extended deeply into
the activities of the Indian Red Cross Society, Andhra Pradesh Branch, where
Kumud Ben Joshi was Chairperson, the Chief Minister ex-officio Vice-Chairman,
and Dr AP Ranga Rao Secretary. Among the many initiatives, one memorable event
was the organization of a benefit cricket match between India and Pakistan,
captained by Kapil Dev and Imran Khan respectively. The match took place
against the backdrop of communal tensions in parts of Hyderabad, and I vividly
recall the Governor personally leading a round of the stadium grounds prior to
the match, symbolizing reassurance and unity.
I was entrusted with unofficial public
relations work connected to the voluntary organizations and invited to every
major program she conducted. In addition, one of the most significant
responsibilities entrusted to me by the Governor was in the realm of political
public relations, a field that she approached with openness and intellectual
honesty. She never hesitated to critique her own government on issues where her
conscience compelled her to differ.
I was also permitted to obtain State
Government Press Accreditation Card, attend press interactions, gather feedback
on political developments, and assist in the formation and dissemination of her
views, including her Republic Day addresses, which were always her own, often
delivered extempore, with conviction and clarity.
Beyond institutions and programs; formal
roles and protocol, what made these years truly exceptional and distinguished,
was the extraordinary humaneness of Kumud Ben Joshi. Despite her demanding
schedule, she took personal care of the staff, cutting across hierarchy. She
rose above pyramid and formality, extending warmth and trust to my family and
me. She personally allotted us a residence within the Raj Bhavan campus,
visited our home on several occasions, informally, setting aside protocol with
ease and warmth, and graciously accepted my wife’s simple hospitality. She had
simple tastes, Chinta Pandu (Tamarind) Pulihora (Yellow Rice), freshly
harvested pulses, grains, and sprouts.
My family and I were warmly included in
official lunches and dinners at the Main House. Our children studied at the
same Begumpet Public School as her brother’s children, and they moved freely
between our quarters and hers. She never allowed her gubernatorial status to
overshadow simple human relationships. Through her conduct, I learnt a lesson
that has stayed with me for life: that from messenger to managing director, all
are equal, and dignity flows downward from those at the top.
The Raj Bhavan campus itself was a place
of quiet abundance in those days, with gardens, cows, and regular distribution
of milk to staff quarters. These experiences that remain among the most
cherished memories of my life. It was a Great Learning for me as to how,
irrespective of our superior placement in a role, to respect all those below in
ranks, with the message that, from Messenger to Managing Director all are
equal.
Of course, not everything was smooth. There
were moments when envy manifested in subtle yet hurtful ways, including being
temporarily deprived of basic facilities at work. I chose silence over
confrontation, trusting time and sincerity. Without complaint or confrontation,
I continued my duties until the Governor herself noticed and corrected the
situation, restoring not only dignity and facilities but also faith and confidence.
Those years and experiences taught me the enduring value of patience, that
grace under pressure, faith in one’s work, and quiet perseverance often speak
louder than protest.
Dr Chandra Mouli remained a constant
source of strength throughout my career. Wherever he was posted, he found ways
to include me, guide me, and support me, whether at Raj Bhavan, the Handicrafts
Development Corporation, or later at the Marri Chenna Reddy Human Resource
Development Institute, where he brought me on deputation as faculty. His belief
that rules exist to serve people, not oppress them, was reflected in countless
acts of kindness, both to individuals and institutions. Integrity, competence,
compassion, and an unwavering commitment to the marginalized defined his life.
I always valued them and valuing till now.
When I look back today, my third job at
Raj Bhavan stands out as a period of profound learning, about administration
and governance, about power and humility, about courage and compassion, and
above all about remaining human amidst authority. These memories are not merely
recollections of the past, but they are anchors of strength. To my near and
dear, my kith and kin, and my close friends, I share this not as a chronicle of
achievements, but as reassurance that sincere work, guided by values and
sustained by good people, always leaves a lasting light, especially in moments
when the path ahead may look bit uncertain.
During this period, as the Congress
Party was in opposition, several of its Legislators and former ministers, who
visited Raj Bhavan developed friendly associations with me, relationships that
later proved valuable in my professional journey. I learnt, often by
observation and experience rather than instruction, how to function amidst
authority, power, controversy, and public scrutiny, how to strengthen public
relations with integrity, how to remain connected with people across social
strata, and above all how to navigate envy and misunderstanding with patience
and dignity. And, towards the next job.
{{From my Forthcoming Book
PROFESSIONS, CHECKERED CAREER, AND
LESSONS
(From Librarian to CPRO to CM KCR)
A Journey from Khangi School to Center for Excellence}}
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