Sixth Job as Faculty in Dr MCR HRD Institute-1 >>>>> (National Training Policy: The Guiding Framework) >>>>> Professions, Checkered Career, and Lessons-10 : Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao (May 15, 2026)

 Sixth Job as Faculty in Dr MCR HRD Institute-1

(National Training Policy: The Guiding Framework)

Professions, Checkered Career, and Lessons-10

Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao (May 15, 2026)

This narrative brings together, in a single incessant flow, my sixth professional engagement at the Dr Marri Channa Reddy Human Resource Development (MCR HRDI) Institute and my association, experiences, and learnings with the Institute as it evolved into a nationally and internationally respected Centre of Excellence, to the extent possible, maintaining chronology, and retaining a wholly positive orientation.

Soon after Dr V Chandra Mouli assumed charge as Director General of the then Institute of Administration in 1995, one of his first decisions was to seek my deputation from the Handicrafts Development Corporation to the Institute. At that point, Rajaji, the then Chief Secretary, and a close friend of Chandra Mouli, expressed initial hesitation, as deputation from a public sector organization to a government institution involved procedural complexities.

Though the proposal initially encountered procedural hesitation, it moved forward with due approvals, and I joined the Institute on September 5, 1995 as Faculty, initially on a one-year deputation. That date coincided with a significant political transition in the State, but for me it marked the beginning of a defining professional phase. What was conceived as a one-year engagement extended organically into a continuous association of nearly nine years, despite changes in leadership at the helm of the Institute. 

During this period, the Institute witnessed changes in leadership, with Director Generals including Dr V Chandra Mouli, VK Srinivasan, PV Rao, Urmila Subba Rao (In-Charge), and PVRK Prasad. Amidst these transitions, my responsibilities deepened, and I was entrusted with higher academic and managerial roles, eventually serving as Senior Faculty.

What followed was an exceptionally enriching phase of my professional life. Working alongside a galaxy of eminent, intellectually accomplished, and deeply committed Director Generals was an experience of rare value. I also had the privilege of collaborating with several Additional Directors General and Joint Directors General drawn from diverse fields, each bringing with them distinct perspectives and expertise.

When a formal objection was raised by the Finance Department, seven long years, regarding prolonged deputation, I complied with the only option available, returning briefly to my parent organization, resigning, and rejoining the Institute on contract. This entire process was completed within a single day, and I was appointed as Additional Director, allowing continuity of work with enhanced responsibility.

            These years coincided with a transformative phase in the Institute’s history. When I joined, the Institute, then still widely known as the Institute of Administration, was relatively obscure, its location unfamiliar to many, its programs largely traditional, rule-based, and classroom-oriented, and its resources modest. Faculty members often waited anxiously for participants, budgets were limited, and training was not yet systematic. What followed over the next few years was a remarkable institutional metamorphosis.

A decisive impetus came with the leadership of PVRK Prasad, an exceptional administrator, institution builder, humanist and spiritualist, whose association with me spanned nearly five decades. His tenure as Director General marked a turning point. Under his stewardship, and with the active encouragement and vision of the then Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, the Institute was renamed as Dr MCR HRD Institute, with a clear mandate to develop competent, future-ready human resources for the State Government.

PVRK Prasad as Director General, was ably supported by a dedicated team that included Urmila Subba Rao, Ravulapati Seetarama Rao, MP Sethy, Ranjana Shiva Shankar, Usha Ashok Kumar, and many other professional colleagues. The National Training Policy became the guiding framework, and a comprehensive State Training Initiative was launched with the ambitious but necessary vision of ‘Training for All.’ This growth was not confined merely to capacity building, but it marked a decisive shift towards true capability building within government systems.

One of the earliest and most pioneering steps in this direction was the Systematic Training Needs Analysis of government employees using Optical Mark Reader Technology. Beginning with nearly five to eight lakh employees and later expanding further, this exercise was among the first of its kind in the country. I was closely involved in conceptualizing, coordinating, and implementing this initiative, which laid the foundation for structured, evidence-based training across departments.

Infrastructure grew in parallel with intellectual ambition. The campus at Jubilee Hills expanded into a vibrant, state-of-the-art training environment, with modern classrooms, auditoriums, conference halls, hostels, guest houses, sports facilities, and a lush green setting spread over thirty-three acres. District Training Centers were established across the State under the leadership of District Collectors, decentralizing training delivery and embedding learning within administrative practice. A separate training budget head, equivalent to 1.5 per cent of the salary budget, was institutionalized, reflecting the seriousness with which training was accorded priority.

I was involved in developing structured training modules and introducing DVD-based training. A landmark development during this period was the establishment of the Centre for Good Governance (CGG) within the Institute campus, aimed at identifying best practices and developing replicable models of governance. The inauguration of the Centre by the then UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, and his extended interaction with the Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu on campus, symbolized the global relevance the Institute had begun to command. I was always part of the Institute’s frequent interactions with the CM, who visited the campus almost thrice a week over a span of nine years.

Alongside institutional growth, my own professional journey deepened in both scope and substance. I consciously invested in strengthening myself as a training professional, undergoing rigorous programs in Systematic Approach to Training, Design of Training, Management of Training, Director Trainer Skills, and related trainer–training certifications, largely through the Government of India’s premier training institutions. These learnings were not mere academic exercises. They were continuously translated into program design, module development, and training delivery.

I learnt how to conceptualize and organize programs such as Governing for Results to suit the needs of the government of the day. I gained clarity on the Right to Information and on designing Citizen Charters, and all these learnings were consistently translated into training inputs delivered to participants.

One of the most fulfilling recognitions of this work was the design and development of a module on ‘Reform Initiatives in Administration’ prepared at the instance of the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), Government of India. OP Agarwal, then heading DoPT, was highly impressed by this work resulting in Its subsequent adoption at the national level. Thet led to my selection for a three-week Indian Trainer Training Program at Thames Valley University in the United Kingdom.

That exposure significantly enriched and deepened my understanding of facilitation, mentoring, training needs analysis and contemporary training methodologies, while also offering moments of cultural and intellectual reflection that remain deeply cherished. It also gave me the opportunity to visit several places in the UK, including the British Museum, which remains close to my heart.

Another defining contribution of mine was the conceptualization and implementation of the ‘Orientation to Management of Training (OMOT)’ program. Designed to seek ownership and commitment from senior leadership, this module was conducted for nearly two hundred senior IAS, IPS and non-cadre officers, first time at MCR HRD Institute, under the explicit direction and support of the Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, coordinated by me and MP Sethy. Over time, this initiative too evolved into a nationally replicated model, reinforcing the idea that training succeeds when leadership leads by example.

{{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}}