A Blessed Day of Reflection and Renewal
On the Auspicious Nagula Chaviti
Presentation of the Pre-Print Copy of my forthcoming
Book
‘Democracy and Governance Through Lens and Blurred
Glasses
A Journey into Distorted Visions of Modern-Day
Politics’
Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao
October 25, 2025
This
afternoon marked a memorable milestone in my long journey of reflection and
writing on democracy, governance, and public life. I had the honor of
presenting the ‘Pre-Print Copy and the Cover-Page Design’ of my
forthcoming 508-page book ‘Democracy and Governance Through Lens and Blurred
Glasses: A Journey into Distorted Visions of Modern-Day Politics’ to Justice
V Ramasubramanian, Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission
(NHRC), who was on an official visit to Hyderabad. The meeting, graciously
facilitated by senior advocate Sri Harkara Srinivas Garu, a close friend
of Justice Ramasubramanian, and equally mine, turned into a deeply meaningful
interaction on the spirit and sustenance of Indian democracy.
Justice
Ramasubramanian received the pre-print edition with warmth and appreciation.
With characteristic humility, he went through the title page, preface, and
design details, offering insightful observations on the book’s central theme
that, democracy, though sometimes blurred by politics and power, remains
humanity’s most luminous idea. He congratulated me on the effort and expressed
happiness that such an extensive and analytical compilation has emerged from
decades of lived experience within the institutions of governance.
The meeting
carried a special emotional significance. Justice Ramasubramanian has written
the Appraisal for the book, and his words now appear as an inspiring
endorsement on the title page. Describing the work as one with ‘Universal Appeal’
he observed that, it will serve as ‘a guiding light to all those who are and
who aspire to become part of the three pillars of democracy.’ His lucid
appreciation and felicity of expression lend profound legitimacy and strength
to this volume, and I remain deeply indebted to him for this gesture of
scholarship and goodwill.
Our
conversation naturally drifted toward the philosophical foundations of
governance. Justice Ramasubramanian’s ability to blend legal acumen with
Sanatana Dharma has always fascinated me. His reflections during our brief
interaction earlier too, reaffirmed what his distinguished judicial career has
always symbolized that, integrity, intellect, and humility must remain
inseparable in public life. His saintly composure, steeped in knowledge and
simplicity, reminded me why I described him in the author’s note as ‘a
walking encyclopedia of contemporary jurisprudence and ancient wisdom alike.’
The occasion
also gave me the satisfaction of sharing the creative and intellectual journey
behind this book. Conceived over several years, the work brings together seventy-five
of my published essays, written between 2010 and 2025, that explore the
moral, administrative, and institutional dimensions of democracy. Each essay
examines a facet of India’s political evolution, from the resilience of
parliamentary traditions to the delicateness of ethical conduct in public life.
The collection is a blend of analysis and observation, but most importantly, of
lived experience drawn from my own engagements with government, media, and
academia.
In many ways,
this book is both a chronicle and a conscience. It chronicles India’s
democratic journey with faithfulness to fact, yet it also serves as a
conscience that asks difficult questions about leadership, ethics, continuity,
and consultation. Democracy, as I have often written, is not a static
achievement but a work in progress; and governance, if stripped of morality,
becomes an exercise in management without meaning. These convictions form the
soul of the volume.
I was also
happy to recall before Justice Ramasubramanian the invaluable contributions of
those who added intellectual depth to the publication. The Foreword by Sri
S Narsing Rao, IAS (Retd), former Principal Secretary to the first Chief
Minister of Telangana, situates the book within India’s evolving democratic
framework. His words that ‘this compilation stands as both a chronicle and a
conscience’ reflect the very purpose with which the book was conceived, to
reawaken the moral and participatory spirit of democracy.
Equally
enriching is the Prologue by Sri MP Sethy, former Joint Director
General of Dr MCR HRD Institute, whose analytical reflections, drawn from
decades of experience as a master trainer, connect governance with learning,
ethics, and capacity-building. His prologue, ‘A Chronicle of Democracy, A
Companion in Governance’ brings to the reader a practitioner’s insight into
how administrative institutions can translate democratic ideals into daily
practice.
Adding
another significant dimension is the Introduction of the Author by
senior journalist Sri Venkat Parsa, which places my writings within the
larger conversation on democracy and governance in India. He traces my
professional journey across diverse domains, from rural development and media
relations to administrative training and public service, and relates how these
experiences shaped my understanding of the interplay between power,
accountability, and citizenship.
Behind the
scenes, many creative minds helped transform the manuscript into a work of
substance and beauty. The cover page design by Sri Ramoju Ganesh, with
its subtle symbolism of clarity and blur, visually captures the spirit of the
title. The page design and layout by Sri Brahmam (Bhavana Grafix), the printing
and publishing (in progress) by Mihira Kriyatíves at Karshak Art
Printers, and the support of my family members — Vijayalaxmi, Prema, Vijay,
Kinnera, Kishan, Aditya, Parul, and our grandchildren Yashwin, Mihira-her
husband Yagnic, Ansha, Medha, Kanak, and Irah, together made this labor of
reflection possible.
In the
presence of Justice Ramasubramanian, I felt a quiet sense of fulfilment that
the years of thought, writing, and revision had finally reached a point of
completion. After the meeting, I proceeded to send the book for final
printing, marking the transition from pre-print to publication. The formal release
of the book will follow shortly after the books are ready, and I look
forward to sharing it with readers, thinkers, administrators, and all those who
cherish the ideals of democracy and good governance.
This volume,
like my earlier works, draws its energy from observation and participation.
Having worked in public institutions for over four decades, from the days of
Governor Kumud Ben Joshi’s Chetana project to my tenure as Chief Public
Relations Officer to first Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao, I
have seen democracy from within, through its lens and, at times, through
blurred glasses. These experiences have shaped my conviction that democracy,
despite its distortions, continues to correct itself through the moral will of
its citizens.
The title
itself, in consultation with several experts, ‘Through Lens and Blurred
Glasses’ is both literal and metaphorical. It suggests that while democracy
allows us to see clearly, politics often clouds the vision. Yet, it is through
these very blurs that we rediscover the essence of democratic life: debate,
dissent, dialogue, and duty. Each article in this book attempts to restore that
focus, to reduce the blur and to reaffirm faith in democratic governance.
For me,
writing has always been an act of responsibility, to interpret, to question,
and to contribute. If this book succeeds in provoking thought, in rekindling
trust in democratic ideals, or even in encouraging one reader to view
governance not as a privilege but as a public trust, I shall consider its
purpose achieved.
As I look
back on the afternoon’s meeting with Justice V Ramasubramanian, I am reminded
that the journey of democracy is also a journey of gratitude, to those who
guide, to those who question, and to those who believe. The pre-print soft-copy
edition of ‘Democracy and Governance Through Lens and Blurred Glasses’
may now be in print, but its message continues to evolve that, democracy,
though imperfect, remains the finest mirror through which a nation examines its
conscience.
The day
carried an added layer of significance. It happened to be the auspicious
Nagula Chaviti, a day when reverence to the serpent symbolizes renewal,
protection, and the unbroken cycle of creation. In the morning, before meeting
Justice V Ramasubramanian, I, along with my wife Vijayalakshmi, visited
the Dr MCR HRD Institute, a place that has been both my professional
home and spiritual space for over three decades. Within its serene premises
lies a small abode of the Sacred Snake, where we have been offering milk
to it, every year as a mark of devotion and gratitude, especially during the
seven years we lived within the campus.
Continuing
that cherished tradition, we once again made our offering this morning,
invoking blessings for clarity, wisdom, and protection, values that the symbol
of the serpent so powerfully represents in Indian ethos. It felt profoundly
appropriate that, on this very day of spiritual reverence and renewal, I should
also place before a distinguished jurist and scholar the pre-print soft copy
of my book on Democracy and Governance, a work that seeks to cleanse the
blurs, renew vision, and reaffirm faith in righteousness and moral courage in
public life.
As I reflect
upon these moments, the morning’s offering in silent prayer, the afternoon’s
meeting with Justice Ramasubramanian, and the post-afternoon’s quiet
satisfaction of dispatching the book for printing, I feel a deep sense of
completion and continuity. Perhaps destiny chose this day of Nagula Chaviti
to remind me that knowledge, like faith, must keep shedding its skin to remain
alive. Democracy too, to stay vibrant, must renew itself constantly, shedding
old distortions and reclaiming its original grace.
With that
thought, I close this memorable day in gratitude, grateful to tradition that
grounds us, to intellect that guides us, and to democracy that continues to
evolve through both lens and blurred glasses. The formal release of the book
will follow shortly, but for me, its true blessing has already been
received today, in faith, in fellowship, and in fulfillment.
