This movie will be shot in Tamil and Telegu. The shooting starts on the 24th in Hyderabad. Thoongaavanam meaning forest that never sleeps is the selected title for this movie. The movie is said to be a thriller . Rajesh M Selva, Director of this film is making his debut with this film ! Keep an eye out for it !
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The Collective show cased colour having a new role to play with continuing focus on colour blocking or over-dying and over printing. Here are some pictures from the event .
When fate hands you a lemon, make lemonade. A ten year old boy saw his first role model – a Deputy Collector who used to play the violin in his church choir, collapse during the service and die. But the soulful notes of music and the charm of government service lingered on in his mind, as he soon joined the Sainik School in Tirupur in Class 6. Those were “the best years” of his life, where it wasn’t just physical and mental prowess that was strengthened but a place where “the seeds of patriotism” were sown. Then came a second blow. A career in the armed forces, the predictable dream of any Sainik school alumnus, had to be shelved even before it could begin, with two terse words: “Medically Unfit.”
Life went on. A degree in History at Loyola College, laurels in volleyball, an eventful stint with the NCC that catapulted him to a Youth Exchange Programme in Canada and bestowed on him the honour of being adjudged the second best cadet in the country gave a young Davidson fresh hope to don the uniform. But a real shot in his well developed biceps came when he saw the then Director General Of Police Walter Davaram who had come to Loyola College as the Chief Guest of a function. So enamoured was this NCC cadet by the super cop’s “presence, his walk, his voice, everything about him” that he set his sights on the Indian Police Service. Those years, as is probably the case even today, civil service aspirants made a beeline at the Jawaharlal Nehru University. A Master’s in Sociology followed by MPhil and the UGC Exam were a prelude to the gruelling Civil Services Examination. In his third attempt, Davidson Devasirvatham earned the magical letters ‘IPS’. It has been an eventful two decades for this 1995 batch IPS officer in Tamil Nadu. His present posting as the Inspector General of Police (Administration) is perhaps the lightest assignment he has ever had. Yes, the IG (Admin) is a sort of HR Head of the one lakh strong force and is beset with issues from promotions and awards to disciplinary action and service conditions. But it’s not classic ‘field policing’.
Photography: Gurunath Prabhu
From the word ‘go’, Davidson has been in the thick of action. After his training as ASP Dharmapuri, the young officer had to deal with caste clashes in Paramakudi. Ditto in Cuddalore. As the SP, he had sleepless nights quelling caste riots, as molotov cocktails were hurled, buses were burnt and peace took a backseat. What may have come across as a headache was the “best tenure” for Davidson who relished the action. Having encountered challenges to Law & Order in Karur and Kancheepuram, he was saddled with the task of maintaining peace in Coimbatore, as the Deputy Commissioner, in the aftermath of the serial blasts. Streamlining chaotic traffic in Madurai was another feather in his beret.
Then came hard core intelligence assignments as SP of the Special Branch and DIG Intelligence, which involved investigating the seizure of rocket launchers, the interception of an explosive laden boat and the interrogation of extremists from Andhra Pradesh and the Tamil Tigers.
An international interlude in Kosovo as part of the UN Peace Keeping Mission has been an exciting highlight in Davidson’s career. “ We had to tackle the conflict between the Albanians and the Serbs. Grenades were being hurled and guess what, we were armed with just pistols! For 72 hours, we had to operate indoors from the control room. It was scary but I enjoyed every moment of my stint.”
Although I had heard a lot about Davidson (and another illustrious senior at Loyola College A.K.Viswanathan, now Police Commissioner of Coimbatore) from my History Professors, I saw him for the first time in Kancheepuram when I was on a sensitive assignment for NDTV 24×7. My formal interaction with him was during his Central deputation as the Zonal Director (South India) of the Narcotics Control Bureau and my deputation as Executive Editor of NDTV Hindu. “The NCB had been very active during the tenure of my predecessors T.Rajendran and Shankar Jiwal who had practically eliminated the India – Sri Lanka heroin route” with massive seizures, including a big catch of 50 kilograms in a single operation. “This was good exposure in tackling organised crime. I focussed on getting convictions in pending cases. In Mumbai, we arrested a kingpin operating from Dubai.”. Working in tandem with the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence and Customs, “we turned our attention to ephedrine smuggling to Malaysia as well as cocaine peddlers in Chennai.”
Like a child takes to the playground, Davidson’s eyes lit up when he was posted as IG West Zone in Tamil Nadu. “This 18 month period marked my return to Law & Order and field policing. I travelled to close to 200 police stations and studied the local crime spots. My posting here also satiated my love for travel as my jurisdiction was along the scenic Western Ghats.” If you put aside the three years in Intelligence, five in the NCB and a year in the UN Mission, you will find that Davidson has spent half his career in Law & Order roles. The field is his natural habitat. Ask not just his batchmates but his seniors and subordinates and the unanimous take is that apart from his competence, Davidson is the type no one can influence. One of them sized him up in a sentence “he is ramrod straight and his integrity is unquestionable.”
When he gets into his T Shirt and jeans, this top cop sways to the beats of Tamil, Hindi and English music. Quite active on the social media, many of his posts on facebook garner hundreds of Likes and comments. “I write and think a lot.” What about reading? “I collect books but seldom complete reading them! It’s usually 10 pages in the beginning and the end!”. The travel buff that he is, Davidson is also happy to escort his home maker wife Junitha and his daughters Nivitha Sharon and Nikitha Sharon, students of Ewart School to Citi Centre or Express Avenue Mall. Thinking about the field brings on withdrawal symptoms. Life without the police mike and uniform is not the same. But for an honest officer, beyond a point, it doesn’t matter where you are posted. Davidson Devasirvatham, IPS. Pera Kettale Summa Athiruthilla!
Sanjay Pinto is a Lawyer, Columnist, Author, Public Speaking Mentor & Former Resident Editor of NDTV 24×7.
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Photography: Gurunath Prabhu
This could be another Murphy’s law: avoid the media glare but end up with more publicity! For an officer who has always preferred to let his work do the talking, Dr.J.Radhakrishnan must be tired of seeing his pictures in newspapers. You can easily mistake Tamil Nadu’s Health Secretary for a model or an actor – tall, fair, slim and with arguably the best wardrobe in babudom.But beneath all those flashy colours and debonair presence lies a heart of gold. Don’t take my word. Ask close to a hundred children in Nagapattinam who were orphaned by the tsunami when he was rushed to the district. They didn’t call him ‘Collector Ayya’ or ‘Saar’. It was ‘Appa’ – a term of endearment that came about spontaneously because Radhakrishnan didn’t merely distribute food packets at welfare centres but his whole family spent weeks looking after them like their own relatives. “Even after leaving Nagapattinam, I do visit the place at least once or twice a year. Out of affection, these children call me appa and it’s very touching.” As for sections of the media, the prefix ‘tsunami’ is used to distinguish his rather common name from the others in the bureaucracy.
It was almost as if Radhakrishnan was destined to be at the helm of relief and restoration work in the aftermath of some of the worst tragedies Tamil Nadu has witnessed. If there were 99 children who lost their parents to the killer waves, 94 parents lost their children in a terrible blaze that engulfed a school in Kumbakonnam, Thanjavur district the same year. Here too, Radhakrishnan was the Collector. “The resilience displayed by the affected people has left a deep impact on me and is a constant reminder on the need to focus on Disaster Risk reduction initiatives and the need to actively involve the local communities in such efforts.” Having covered his work on NDTV extensively in the past, the one quality, apart from being easily accessible, that makes this IAS officer of the 92 batch stand out, is his habit of always sharing credit for a job well done. Not many would view the aftermath of tragedies as “an opportunity” to serve people. Not many would so willingly declare that the “policy directions and Government orders were instrumental in enabling us at the field level to provide succour to the victims and their families”. Not many would acknowledge the “complementary role of NGOs” in the healing process. Radhakrishnan always does, as would any good team player.
If Dr.Abdul Kalam was referred to as the ‘People’s President’, Dr.J.Radhakrishnan would automatically qualify for the title of ‘People’s Collector’. And such encomiums are not very different from what he received from former US President Bill Clinton when he visited the tsunami ravaged Nagapattinam district as the UN Secretary General’s Special Envoy. Few were surprised when this dynamic officer was handpicked to be the country head of the United Nations Development Programme.
My closest interaction with him used to be at the Ripon Building when he was the Commissioner of the Chennai Corporation. With a revival of the post of Mayor, one would have expected a more senior bureaucrat in the hot seat (Remember the likes of Special Officer L.M.Menezes who were very senior IAS officers at the Corporation). Radhakrishnan had completed under ten years at the time but his performance was brilliant. All that it took to have a pot hole filled, a road re-laid or mosquito infested areas fogged was a simple text message. I will never forget shooting an off beat story on his strategy to catch stray pigs in Nandanam. These ‘street smart’ porcine creatures had chased away Corporation staff who tried to catch them! So our Commissioner hit upon the idea of roping in professional ‘rearers’ to do the job.
Where there’s a challenge, there’s Radhakrishnan. Whether it was bringing warring castes to attend peace meetings in sensitive districts or overseeing the implementation of Special Programmes of the Government, you would seldom fail to notice this officer in bright coloured shirts rolling up his sleeves in the thick of action. Had he not been in the IAS, I suspect that apparel manufacturers would have bent backwards to sign him up as their brand ambassador!
As the Health Secretary, Radhakrishnan has had his hands full with the H1N1 scare and claims that “Tamil Nadu has been able to contain it effectively and prevent its spread so far by putting in place a multi-dimensional effort such as entry point screening camps, stocking up Oseltamavir, vaccinating the health workers,having hand washing campaigns, putting in place isolation wards with adequate ventilators and facilities and a vibrant coordination with the private sector, involving the IMA.”
I have often wondered about when a day would come when VIPs choose to get treated in government hospitals, like they do in the West, instead of jetting to foreign countries for surgeries, including hair transplants! That would probably take years. For now, Radhakrishnan proudly rattles off some highlights:
“68 percent of the approximately 10.5 lakh deliveries per annum in the State take place in Government institutions. We handle over five lakh outpatients and over 60,000 inpatients per day. The Government has strengthened the Primary sector having 8706 Health Sub centres, 1751 Primary Health Centres and the 270 District and Sub district hospitals apart from providing State of Art services in the 43 tertiary care hospitals attached to the 19 Government medical colleges and at the Super specialty hospital at Chennai. The Chief Ministers’ Health Insurance Scheme also ensures that the people are able to access services in the 769 empanelled private and Government Hospitals.”
That he is known for his bullwork, dogged spirit and horse sense can probably be traced to his academic background. Radhakrishnan is a veterinarian by qualification. And the service mindedness to his family background. Three generations of his family have been in government service. Right from his grandfather who was a Railway Engineer to his father the Late V.Jaganathan who was with the Indian Air Force or his mother Tripurasundari who was with the Telephone department and then became a banker, Radhakrishnan has kept the ‘sarkari’ connection alive. But it was a fascination for “converting visions into policies and ultimately implementing them on the field” that drew Radhakrishnan to the Civil Services.
The wife is no less stylish than the husband. A private producer and anchor of Television programmes, Krithika puts together programmes on cookery, health, lifestyle and tourism. Along with their son Arvind, who is finishing his schooling this year, the trio have immersed themselves in welfare activities wherever he is posted. “They are big pillars of strength.” And the brain behind his wardrobe too?!
Sanjay Pinto is a Lawyer, Columnist, Author, Public Speaking Mentor & Former Resident Editor of NDTV 24×7
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Photography: Gurunath Prabhu
When the going gets volatile, the docile don’t get going. That’s when the Election Commission steps in and posts officers who don’t genuflect when asked to bend by their political bosses. On four occasions during the polling season whenever officers came under a cloud, Abhash Kumar got a call from Nirvachan Sadan to pack his bags. The country’s Election Commission had handpicked him for some of the most sensitive assignments – twice as the Commissioner of Police – Madurai, as the Inspector General Of Police (South Zone) and Inspector General Of Police (West Zone). These postings are often viewed as a barometer of neutrality, evident when many an incumbent get shunted out if the same party comes back to power after an assembly election ; or retained or given a plum post if there’s a change of guard!
Not the type to hanker after publicity, Abhash has maintained a low profile throughout his career. It’s a different matter that his fans have put up a wikipedia page on him. Now functioning as the Additional Commissioner of Police for South Chennai, Abhash’s foray into the civil services can probably be traced to his genes. Born and bred in Bihar, his father the late Satish Kumar Nidhi was in government service and had almost cracked the gruelling Union Public Service Commission examination. A graduate from the Patna College and a Post Graduate in History from the premier Jawaharlal Nehru University, Abhash was a topper throughout his academic life. A Bihari, an academic topper, a son of a government officer and a JNU product, in the late eighties and even today, is a natural contender for the Civil Services! After a short stint as a Probationary Officer with State Bank Of India, Abhash made it to the Indian Police Service in 1990.
For some reason, most of his postings have been in Southern Tamil Nadu, right from his maiden role as Additional Superintendent of Police – Paramakudi, followed by a city posting as Assistant Commissioner of Police (Law & Order) in Madurai. For the next seven years, Abhash cut his teeth into district policing as the Superintendent of Police – Kanyakumari and Virudhnagar. At an epicentre of caste clashes at the time, with firing and lathi charges a regular feature, the young SP of Virudhnagar was instrumental in setting up Human Rights Cells in Police Stations. The idea gathered such momentum that Madurai Kamaraj University sought his inputs to make Human Rights a Post Graduate Course. But his most ‘concrete’ feat was the construction of what is still called the ‘Police Bridge’ in Virudhnagar. Forty feet long, it was to ease traffic congestion. The catch is that it was built entirely by the police with raw materials contributed by the public. “I myself carried bricks to the site.”
A seasoned hand in city policing, Abhash was the Deputy Commissioner of Police – Adyar, Deputy Commissioner of Police – Traffic and even had a stint as the Aide-De- Camp to the then Governor of Tamil Nadu – Rama Mohan Rao, a retired IPS officer himself, with whom Abhash still maintains “a very close rapport”. The retired Director General Of Police from Andhra Pradesh who made it to the Raj Bhavan in Chennai “has been more like a family member.”
From Law & Order to Traffic to Training, Abhash served in the Intelligence Wing as the Inspector General of Police (Internal Security) for three years. The Q Branch, under his command, managed to zero in on top naxal leaders “even though we didn’t have many of their photographs”. Another milestone was apprehending an ISI spy “who was recruited by a Pakistan High Commission agent in Sri Lanka to collect information on India’s nuclear submarine project”. It was a “joint operation” by the Tamil Nadu Police and the Intelligence Bureau.
Quick to give others credit for their work or leadership, Abhash is all praise for his boss – Police Commissioner S.George, whom he describes as a “tough task master” but “very devoted” to his work. “Once you get to know him well, you will find him to be a very warm person.” Manpower utilisation for hard core policing has gone up considerably under his watch and that’s something “I marvel at.” At any spot, “we can mobilise 150 policemen and officers in about 10 minutes.” Abhash claims that the Commissioner’s “buzzword of ‘visible policing’ with LED lights, lurking patrol vehicles at shopping malls, red patrol vehicles at crime prone areas, the midnight surprise checks on the functioning of the control room as well as other proactive measures have resulted in a 20% drop in the number of murders in Chennai over the last year.” How does he build a different bridge – of interface between the police and the public? “Apart from meeting petitioners regularly, our beat system involves keeping tabs on the local community, especially senior citizens.”
An officer always on the move, Abhash has a strange way of unwinding that he prefers to call “solitary walking”. After dinner, close to midnight, “I make it a point to walk alone for about an hour. This is when I introspect, take stock of situations and get fresh ideas. I carry my lathi and mobile phone with me. My driver and constables know where I will be so they can reach me for any emergency, especially if there is any important communication on the mike.” The senior cop is a voracious reader of non-fiction, particularly books on Physics (I’m reminded of the recent drone controversy!) and can be heard humming songs of Kishore Kumar.
Married to Minaxi Nigam, a doe-eyed post graduate in Zoology from a distinguished family in Bihar, Abhash is proud of her entrepreneurial venture in plastic granules. Their sons seem to have inherited their academic brilliance. Their elder son Anubhav Nidhi who topped the Matriculation, Plus Two and Engineering Examinations is studying MS (Computer Science) in the United States of America. “Anubhav got a scholarship and a job as a teaching assistant. He even pays income tax and I don’t need to support his education.” A student of PSBB, the younger son Neil Nilay Nidhi is now bang in the middle of his Class 10 CBSE Exams. But will his hectic city police posting give him the luxury of staying beside the little boy as he revises his lessons? The police wireless cracks. “Mike 7 to Control.”
“Control to Mike 7, Ayya. Good evening, Ayya. Receiving Ayya.”
“ Ask the night rounds DC to speak to me on the mobile.” There may not be time for his moon walk tonight.
Sanjay Pinto is a Lawyer, Columnist, Author, Public Speaker and former Resident Editor of NDTV 24×7
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Photography: Gurunath Prabhu
The ‘post-marriage flab’ gripe has almost become a cliche. But a ‘paunch star’ status can become a career hurdle too. In a physical test for the Indian Forest Service that involved a 25 Km Walk in 4 hours at the Delhi Zoological Park, Dr. Jayant Murali barely managed to scrape through, making him realise that it was time to work out. Although he cracked the IFS Exam in 1990, peer pressure and the new fitness bug pushed him towards the Indian Police Service the following year. And there hangs an inspiring tale of keds, iron, sweat and muscle.
As a young ASP Trainee at Salem drafted for the Chief Minister’s bandobust duty, Jayant was “awestruck and amazed at the fitness and energy levels” of the then DIG of the Special Security Group (SSG) K Vijay Kumar, IPS. “After my bandobust duties, I couldn’t wait to get into my shorts and run in the Armed Reserve Grounds in the dead of night!” During a record 4 year stint as the SP – Thanjavur from 1995 to 1999 (which is when I first touched base with him while reporting on the Cauvery issue for NDTV) Jayant used to run 12 kms on weekdays and 25 kms with his Striking Force constables in tow. No wonder, even at 52, as the Inspector General Of Police – Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), South India, he effortlessly runs marathons, now flanked by his daughters! Not many senior officers can boast of having run ten marathons. Jayant’s personal best of 3 hours and 48 minutes was at the Full Marathon in Auroville, Puducherry. How did his young daughters enter the fray? “My colleague in the IPS Sandeep Rai Rathore coaxed me into signing up for the Chennai Wipro Half Marathon so that he could run along with me. On D-Day, his father was unwell. That’s when my daughters – Anisha and Anusha decided to run with me.”
Peer pressure didn’t just herald a fitness regimen in Jayant’s life. It pretty much shaped his career choice as well. Although his father was with the Indian Railway Engineering Service, Jayant showed no inclination towards the Civil Services, immersed as he was in research. Post graduation in Micro Biology was followed by a PhD through the Indian Agriculture Research Institute, New Delhi. A perfect setting for a shy, young lad’s foray into the quiz circle and debating society. At the height of the Mandal agitation, his IFS exam got postponed. When it was rescheduled, Jayant had a mere fortnight to prepare. And he topped the Indian Forest Service Exam with an All India 6th Rank! Corporate job offers from companies like Biocon trickled in. “I was keen on the Indian Revenue Service. But a friend from the Police Service in the Union Territory cadre – Deepak Mishra, gave me a pep talk about the charm of khakhi. Honestly, my parents were sceptical as they didn’t think I was made for a police job!” But he eventually sided with what his friend recommended and landed in the 1991 batch of the IPS.
Throughout his stint, Jayant has focussed on making a difference sans the customary fuss or publicity, evident from the number of times he politely declined TV interviews on his work. And right from his first posting as ASP Usilampatti sub-division in Madurai. Notorious for female infanticide, Jayant was instrumental in registering the first female infanticide case as murder. “We worked closely with the ICCW( Indian Council of Child Welfare) and were able to check this menace to a large extent not just by taking criminal action but also by bringing social awareness about this pernicious practice.” Tirunelveli, a hotbed of communal riots, was lucky to have had this tough officer as SP in 1995 and later as the Commissioner of Police. Prohibition was a challenge in the face of hooch deaths. “ By installing complaint boxes, we were able to get information from the public on rowdies as well as many a tip off on the illicit liquor gangs.” Jayant led combing operations in Melapalayam as the Commissioner to smoke out ultras from their hideouts. In Trichy, he was part of a massive Community Policing project, the brainchild of the then Commissioner and present ADGP Prisons JK Tripathy. In Madurai, as the DIG, Jayant used technology to streamline police functioning. But his longest stint so far has been with the CISF, to which he has been on deputation for the last 7 years. “Working in Central Paramilitary organisations is extremely satisfying as the canvas is huge.” The 17,000 strong team of officers and men that he leads provides security to 55 critical installations like the Space facilities at Sriharikota, VSSC Thumba, ISRO Bangalore, Defence Industries, Sea Ports, Refineries, Steel plants, Power Plants, Infosys and so on. “We introduced Krav Maga and one minute drills in the sector, many several welfare measures to mitigate the hardship of our men besides an anti corruption drive.”
When he isn’t policing (or running!) Jayant enjoys curling up with a book and watching movies with his family. Having married his ‘named for each other’ research mate Dr. Jayanthi, now posted as the Additional Director of Environment, monitoring Coastal Regulatory Zone violations, their life revolves around their two daughters – Anisha – in her final year of Architecture at Anna University and Anusha studying Bio Medicine at Kings College, London.
Now I’m just wondering if he will be able to motivate me to run the next marathon in Chennai along with him! Or will his daughters have to stand in for me on the big day?!
Sanjay Pinto is a Lawyer, Columnist, Author, Public Speaking Mentor & Former Resident Editor – NDTV 24×7
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If there is anything that bureaucrats look forward to or dread in equal measure, it’s the ‘Transfer & Postings’ order from the Secretariat. The reaction depends entirely on whether it’s a plum transfer or a punishment posting. But there’s one officer in Tamil Nadu, who, a la Rudyard Kipling, meets “triumph and disaster” and treats both these “impostors” just the same. ‘Punishment Posting’ is perhaps the only expression Dr. Santhosh Babu, IAS, doesn’t understand. This 1995 batch IAS Officer who has had a fair share of the conventional ‘ups and downs’ in his career, views every new assignment as an “opportunity to innovate.” In the recent Christmas season, Dr. Santhosh Babu, turned the Tamil Nadu Handicrafts Development Corporation, popularly referred to as ‘Poompuhar’, that he now serves as the Chairman & Managing Director, into a potential Santa Claus. Brand Poompuhar has now stormed into the e-commerce and social media space. So all those ethnic gifts are just a click away, what with a new hybrid app as well for smart phones.
The marketing team now flaunts iPads, all the products are bar coded and an MoU has been inked with India Posts for orders and delivery. These proactive steps to take brand Poompuhar to the next level could have been jolly well postponed as Santhosh was posted by the Election Commission of India as an Observer for the Jammu & Kashmir poll for three weeks. Trust this tech savvy officer to overcome the situation, which he did through Skype discussions with his team back in Chennai, to get his brainchild off the ground. Not just at Poompuhar, wherever he has been posted, this doctor turned administrator has proved that ‘innovation’ is his middle name. When he was the Collector of Krishnagiri, Santhosh created India’s first Rural BPO at Hosur for naxal affected youth and developed a tracking software back2school.in to locate and bring back school dropouts through “a convergence of schemes, funds and functionaries.” Instead of cribbing about lack of funds for maintenance of sports stadia, here was another rabbit out of his hat – a ‘Fund In Perpetuity’ of 1 Crore, which he raised “in an hour” by roping in “100 influential people” to contribute 1 lakh each. “This fund was not to be touched. The interest of ` 60,000 a month was to go towards the upkeep of the Krishnagiri District Sports Stadium.” In return, the donors were given Life Membership at the stadium. In Sivaganga, as the Collector, Santhosh established the country’s first All Woman Courier Service. “I firmly believe that citizens must not see the government but feel it. And the only interface between the two must be through the internet.” So when he was the Special Officer of the Chief Minister’s Grievance Cell, he computerised the entire redressal system. Google, Facebook or Flipkart would have grabbed this officer had he been open to the private sector! Santhosh has launched 13 government sites. And counting.
As the Managing Director of the Electronics Corporation Of Tamil Nadu (ELCOT), the Director of E-Governance and later as the Secretary – Information Technology, Santhosh ramped up the State Data Centre, turned the Tamil Nadu Corporation for the Development of Women into the State’s First Paperless Government Office and ensured that citizens who usually run from pillar to post for about 10 of the most common documents like Community or Nativity Certificates, can apply for them online and get digitally signed print out from their homes or offices or public browsing centres, without having to visit government offices and grease palms. “Files should and can move at the speed of thought.” But he regards his innovation at the Horticulture Department as the most fulfilling. The government was doling out 100% subsidy for micro irrigation projects. As the Commissioner, Santhosh says he found that “people were taking this grant without establishing the units.” To plug this loophole, came a novel Geo Sensing Technology tool, with which he used mobile phone software to track the installation process with data compression photographs as evidence to release payments. What an idea, Sirji! This is just a sample of his 150 plus initiatives as an IAS Officer in Tamil Nadu. Small wonder that Santhosh has bagged a slew of awards from the Best Collector Award in Krishnagiri to South India’s Data Quest E Governance Champion crown and even a special mention by former President Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam in his address on Civil Services Day in the capital a few years ago. Now you would imagine that Dr.Santhosh Babu is a workaholic. Guess what, his mantra is not to work hard but to work smart. “I never take work home or home to work” and usually “close my office at 5.45 pm for the day”. Always receptive to new ideas regardless of where it emanates from, Santhosh recalls how he recently implemented his peon’s suggestion to have biometric attendance for the staff in Poompuhar showrooms.
The Civil Services didn’t happen by accident but was deeply ingrained in him as a little boy by his father who was a government Auditor in Kerala. “From Class 5 onwards, I used to read Competition Success Review”, which was basic reading material for candidates who hoped to crack the exam. A voracious reader, Santhosh’s education didn’t stop with his MBBS degree from the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College but continued, while in service with a Master’s in Public Policy Management from the Singapore National University and the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, Boston, U.S.A and a British Chevening Gurukul Scholarship at the London School Of Economics. Santhosh’s wife – Beena, a Clinical Pathologist now working in Kilpauk Medical College as the Blood Bank Medical Officer, would probably certify that innovation runs in his blood! Or for that matter, even his son Nitin Sathosh, an IT Engineer from Anna University, has been influenced enough to consider public service as a possible career option. For an officer who realizes the importance of “now”, his after work schedule is just as colourful. Badminton (incidentally, I first met him on the shuttle court at the IPS Officers Mess more than a decade ago) and music help him unwind. I love playing the guitar. As I quizzed him further, he remembered even setting up an All Government Orchestra in Krishnagiri where a district judge played the flute, a jail warden was on the tabla and a tahsildar on the keyboard! Soon, he breaks into his favourite Tamil film song: “ Rasathi Unnae Kaanaatha Nenju…” Here’s an officer who dances to his own tunes!
Sanjay Pinto is a Lawyer, Columnist, Author, Public Speaking Mentor & Former Resident Editor of NDTV 24×7.
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Photography: Gurunath Prabhu
Two roads converged and he took the one less travelled by. And that has made a big difference to the bureaucracy in Tamil Nadu. As a young MBBS graduate from the Kurnool Medical College, Prabhakara Rao’s first brush with the work force was as a Medical Officer in the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) in Ahmedabad or what has now come to be called ‘Modi – land’. But the role of a medical practitioner didn’t catch his fancy. A self diagnosis of a craving for a wider canvas – as a “development practitioner” egged him on to give the Civil Services Exam a shot. A berth in the 1982 batch of the IAS seemed just what the doctor ordered. And there hangs the tale of an officer who just lapped up the “sheer variety, the volume of work, the decision making and the reach” that the Indian Administrative Service had to offer.
There’s a lot more to Tamil Nadu’s Transport Secretary, who has been recently promoted to the Chief Secretary grade – the highest echelon of babudom in the State, than a passion for public service. Born on Christmas Day in the mid fifties, Dr.T.Prabhakara Rao has worked many an administrative miracle during his tenure in this State. We are all so accustomed to cynical outbursts like “an honest auto driver is an oxymoron” or “the ‘auto mafia’ is beyond redemption”. With an Obama like ‘Yes, We Can’ persistence, he prescribed the right ‘dose’ to the ‘fleecing tribe’, even as he oversaw a fare revision and ensured that the good drivers were recognized and rewarded. Then came the task of reining in Omni Bus and Call Taxi drivers by first having them all registered and even providing opportunities to fine tune
their driving skills. All this while holding additional charge as the Transport Commissioner of Tamil Nadu. Rao’s track record was reason enough for the Government to put him at the helm of the Transport Department as its Secretary. “After every tenure, I make it a point to assess the value addition I made to
the post.” Why not? When he was the Collector of the then South Arcot district, he found that the people of Cuddalore had no entertainment and had to trudge to Puducherry to unwind. So he spruced up the Silver Beach there with rest rooms, toilets and also roped in music troupes. The same commitment came to the fore in all his postings. As the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Registrar of
Co-operative Societies and Labour Secretary, Rao’s accent was on welfare. The doctor’s ability to feel the financial pulse of Government undertakings, catapulted him to the top slot – as the Chairman & Managing Director of the Tamil Nadu Industrial Investment Corporation (TIIC), Tamil Nadu Power Finance Corporation and TANCEM. A God-fearing officer, Rao’s way of letting his hair down is by spending time with his family, going for his morning walks, listening to ghazals and singing Hindi songs. A man who has always placed merit above all else, the only ‘strings’ he pulls are on his Sitar, that he enjoys playing in the evenings! “I never visit clubs. That’s just not my cup of tea.” The dutiful dad has ensured that his children have pursued their dreams. Vinay Swaroop didn’t walk in his father’s footsteps but chose India Inc instead. After an Engineering degree from Anna University and an MBA from Cardiff
Business School, Vinay now works for Dell Software Services in Chennai. Unlike her brother, Maanasa, to a limited extent, has taken after her dad – at least from an academic standpoint. Opting for medicine, the bright young lady is into reading minds, pursuing an MD degree in Psychiatry. The altruistic streak runs in the family. Rao’s wife Bharathi is the former President of the IAS Officers Wives Association (IASOWA) and remains an active member, plunging heart and soul into a slew of outreach programmes for the needy. In a politically volatile State where officers can easily get branded one way or the other, he has steered clear of controversies. Not by being low profile but by dint of his unquestionable integrity.After thirty two years in service, he knows that there is no pillow as soft as a clear conscience.
Sanjay Pinto is a Lawyer, Columnist, Author, Public Speaking Mentor & Former Resident Editor of NDTV 24×7.
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Photography: Gurunath Prabhu
At Aayakar Bhawan – Chennai’s Income Tax Commissionerate, he’s the boss of Tax Deducted At Source (TDS) which accounts for close to half of the fifty thousand crore collected in the State every year. But the moment his car reaches home, Rajib Hota metamorphoses into a doting dad of his teenaged son Ritwick. Two years ago, I remember getting an anxious text message from this Commissioner of Income Tax (TDS) Tamil Nadu, which was a sort of advance booking for his son for a Public Speaking Course that my wife and I were conducting. Every time we chatted, what struck me was his sparkling wit and sense
of humour. That made this 1985 batch Indian Revenue Service (IRS) Officer, an automatic choice for the role of a Chief Guest at the Silver Tongue Academy Convocation at PSBB school, at which he endeared himself to the audience by even clicking selfies with some students. In the run up to the function, I got a request from Hota. “No formalities, please. A soft copy of the invitation, if you’re printing one, will do.” I realized why only when I dropped in at his office later. His table was clean, bereft of the trademark pile of files that adorn the desks of most bureaucrats. “I am all for a paperless office. I hate clutter. I don’t keep unnecessary papers. Nothing remains on my desk for long. I clear them almost as soon as they surface.” Throughout his twenty nine year career, Hota has had a soft corner for the underdog. “ I empathise with the lone rangers – senior citizens, retired folk, widows, pensioners. I make it a point to even “depute an officer to follow up on legitimate pleas”, obviating the need for them “to keep coming back” to the income tax office for either a refund or some other grievance. “ Big corporate houses have
a battery of experts at their disposal. The individual tax payer needs some hand holding.” When he was the Commissioner Appeals from 2005 to 2007, his focus was on “expeditious and prompt justice” with a practice of orally pronouncing orders instead of making assessees wait indefinitely for the outcome of their appeals. The following year, as the Commissioner in charge of the entire textile belt – Coimbatore, Tirupur, Pollachi, he reached out to tax payers through “big awareness melas” and special counters for ladies, teachers and other categories of taxpayers. A stint in the Investigations Wing and as Additional Director in Hyderabad, this no nonsense, ramrod straight officer unearthed a lot of black money. “Even during a search and seizure, if you are fair and objective, people will realise that the tax administration can be humane and not adversarial.” The distinction of implementing the Income Tax Act in Sikkim is something he cherishes while he was the Under Secretary of the Central Board Of Direct Taxes (CBDT) operating out of North Block. Not many are aware that Hota has a strong legal acumen and background. The firebrand debater from Delhi University’s Campus Law Centre was able to demystify complex concepts like ‘permanent establishment’, ‘business connection’, ‘royalty’ and the like and breeze through many a legal thicket with elan as the Director – International Taxation, thanks to his legal education. His mastery of tax laws landed him in a slew of highpowered committees to reduce litigation
and make the tax system more friendly. Hota was an all-rounder in college. With an academic performance – both while pursuing his honours degree in Political Science and Law, that was consistently commendable, he made a mark in debating and dramatics. His passion for theatre catapulted him to the stage in several plays as part of a theatre group ‘Ruchika’ and he even made it to the big screen as a front line volunteer for the film ‘Gandhi’. While preparing for the Civil Services, Hota
tried his hand at journalism with the Junior Statesman, as a Probationary Officer of Bank Of India and a Management Trainee at Lintas. Why did such a colourful personality gravitate towards babudom? “My father,the legendary Satkadi Hota used to work for the Railways. He is a literary figure in Odisha, author of thirty novels and Founder- Editor of ‘Samay’ Newspaper. And my mother Gita Hota is the Editor & Publisher of an Oriya magazine ‘Amrutayana.’ My parents have always dealt with people and their issues. I wanted to be a participant in the government delivery system. And at that time, there was the charm of the Civil Services.” But don’t some youngsters today prefer the IRS to even the IAS and IFS for
the wrong reasons? “Well, when I joined the IRS, I was well aware of the salary and that the remuneration was not on par with the private sector. But the sheer joy of serving people more than makes up for the mega bucks. And yes, the experience of also dealing with the creme de la creme of society and captains of industry.” Public perception is that the income tax department lets the big fish off the hook but catches small fry. “That’s not correct. We get a sizeable chunk of tax from the big fish.” Why do only less than three per cent pay income tax in India? “I can’t comment on that. It all boils down to the value system. If I earn a taxable income, I must discharge my tax obligation. That must be the thinking.” How much Black Money has been stashed away by Indians? “I can’t answer that. You see, the moment someone doesn’t get a bill while buying something on the ground that he or she can save about twelve per cent tax, the problem of black money originates.” What’s his take on draconian tax provisions like Section 234 E of the Income Tax Act that slap both penal interest and a late payment fee amounting to double jeopardy? “I don’t think any of the tax provisions are draconian. There are Do’s and Don’ts. When assesses fall short, there is a problem.” And on retrospective taxation? “The Finance Minister has already clarified hat in his budget speech.” Any amount of probing doesn’t elicit a juicy headline. It’s evident that Hota wears a hard hat as a bureaucrat, speaks in a measured tone and would make an excellent spokesperson for his department! A voracious reader, especially of autobiographies, Hota loves his evening walks, working out at the gym (the proof of the exercising lies in the firm handshake!) watching plays, listening to Hindi music and trekking. “In the early nineties, I recall going on a safari with my colleagues from Delhi to Ladakh and getting stranded in Himachal due to a landslide. I am an adventure freak.” Although he is active on facebook and follows the Prime Minister, Finance Minister and intellectuals like Gurumurthy on twitter, Hota prefers face to face interaction, through cultural groups and Rotary meetings. Would he want his kids to write the Civil Services Exam? “One of my sons – Shivasish who studied MBA and works for Colgate Palmolive is preparing to crack the exam.” What about his other interest – Law? My daughter Shruti has completed her Masters in Law and was working with a Law Firm but has taken a break now as she has a baby girl – Ishaanvi.” After the photo shoot for this column, Hota called me to say that RITZ magazine made him feel like “Shah Rukh Khan”. Guess what, by hanging in there for the common man and being absolutely whistle clean, Rajib Hota, I.R.S is a star himself. Agree?
Sanjay Pinto is a Lawyer, Columnist, Author, Public Speaking Mentor & Former Resident Editor of NDTV 24×7.
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Photography: Gurunath Prabhu
“What do you need to get a Passport without hassles? A) Money. B) Influence. C) Patience.”. That was y opening googly to the Regional Passport Officer in an interview on NDTV in 2011 . As it was my first rush with this 2002 batch IAS Officer from the Uttar Pradesh cadre on deputation, who looked like a college student, I expected him to be clean bowled around his legs. Guess what? Dr. C.Senthil Pandian swept the delivery all the way to the deep fine leg boundary with this repartee: “ D) None Of The Above.” I was impressed with the reply but skeptical. After all, he had inherited an office that was mired in a corruption case. In hindsight, Option D didn’t turn out to be a glib punchline. From two and a half lakh passports when he took over three years ago to close to four lakh passports per year today, there have been sweeping changes in a department that if you went by public perception, probably required another option E) All The Above! From a typical Central Government establishment at Shastri Bhavan, with touts attached, to a spacious 20,000 sq ft office at Rayala Towers on Anna Salai with Passport Seva Kendras in South, North & Central Chennai outsourced to smart, young executives in ties from Tata Consultancy Services, Senthil Pandian can be credited with infusing the e-governance model and fresh air to what was once considered the domain of stuffed shirts. Thanks to the online application system for appointments, your mouse or smart phones can do what the good old travel agent or tout promised to but more often than not, failed. Quite like the old Hero Honda ad line – ‘fill it, shut it, forget it’, the new mantra at the Passport Office could well be, ‘Click It, File It, Collect It’. So what are the stipulated timelines in question? If all your documents are in order, two weeks to get a fresh passport, of which ten days are for Police Verification. Three days for a tatkal application.
Three days for a re-issue or renewal, provided the police verification is clear. And how long to stake out at the passport service kendras? The passport chief claims just about twenty minutes to an hour, again if you follow the guidelines carefully. Thinking out of the box and using discretion to relax rules to help people in distress symbolise the ‘good particle’ in bureaucrats and distinguish them from the mere file pushers. Or robots! As I push the boundaries and give Senthil an emergency scenario that requires issue of a passport the same day, he does a sort of Usain Bolt sprint. “In anout thirty instances, we have issued passports in an hour.” This is in cases of death of family members or medical reasons necessitating urgent travel. It’s the “worst nightmare” for an applicant and this is where “we need to be humane.” Senthil recalls how the door bell at his home rang on a Sunday. The visitor was in tears and sought his intervention for an urgent passport as her mother had met with a fatal accident in the United States. “Initially I was furious that an applicant landed up at my residence on a Sunday but after hearing her story, I realised that the least we could do to ameliorate her pain was to issue a passport asap. The next day before noon, we handed over the passport to her.” In another instance, an elderly couple approached him after their son suffered a heart attack in France. “They didn’t seem to have proper address proof but after ascertaining that it was a genuine case, we helped them.” More recently, “we opened our office on a Saturday” to help a cop in Chennai whose daughter was found dead in the UK under mysterious circumstances. “We issued his passport in about an hour.”
These passports are usually issued with validity for just one year. With a spurt in the number of fake passports created by criminals who replace photographs on stolen passports with their own mug shots, the Ministry of External Affairs has been on high alert. Under Senthil Pandian’s leadership, Chennai has emerged as arguably the first unit in India to implement the issue of passports with additional security features. These feats are no flash in the pan. Having served as Collector of five districts in Uttar Pradesh, this Madurai born and educated officer had scored a hat trick of awards in his cadre State under both Mulayam Singh Yadav and Mayawati regimes before coming to his home State on deputation. The State Literacy Award in 2008, the Chief Minister’s Social Welfare Award in 2009 and the AIDS Awareness Award from the Union Ministry of Health in 2010 adorn his resume. Back in UP, Senthil Pandian is known for his fearless crackdown on the ‘Education Mafia’, especially in districts like Ballia and Pratapgarh where “mass copying was rampant and schools used to open only during exams!” Senthil’s drive led to the “de-recognition of many institutions.” Had it not been for the Civil Services, Senthil Pandian “would have been happy as an agricultural scientist.” The namma Tamil Nadu officer studied Agriculture in Madurai and completed his Masters and PhD in Delhi with a Fellowship from the Indian Council for Agricultural Research. “Money or prestige was never my mantra. The satisfaction you get by helping someone is something no money can ever buy.” That’s living in tatkal mode!
Sanjay Pinto is a Lawyer, Columnist, Author, Public Speaking Mentor & Former Resident Editor of NDTV 24×7.
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The only piece of ‘uniform’ that this top cop likes to have on always is his thinking cap. From it has emanated award winning innovative concepts in policing. Dr.Prateep V.Philip, Additional Director General Of Police (Economic Offences Wing) Tamil Nadu, does not quite fancy the blue light atop his car or the star plate and police flag. Neither are the epaulettes, chips on his shoulder. The 1987 batch Indian Police Service Officer wasn’t even in love with khakhi before he joined the service. The travel bug egged him on to set his sights on the Indian Foreign Service. Two cracks at the exam, post a stint with State Bank Of India and he gave in to God’s will. Filled with idealism, the young IPS probationer began to view the uniformed service as a perfect amalgam of a “calling with an honour.”
I first ran into Prateep at the Cricket Stadium in Chepauk during an India-Pakistan match in the nineties that I was covering for NDTV. The salutes he received at the stands were the only signs of ‘authority’. Otherwise, given our little chat, I would have easily taken him for a Professor of English or a Shiv Khera sort of motivational speaker! But don’t misconstrue his suave approach as a lack of toughness. His 27 year police career so far has been more than eventful and includes a miraculous escape from the jaws of death. Prateep was on duty during that fateful night at a Public Meeting of Former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in Sriperumbudur and only remembers collapsing when the blast went off. The steel pellets that he still carries in his body, he says, are a reminder of that terrible night and the second lease of life God gave him.
There is no such thing as a ‘punishment posting’ in Prateep’s lexicon. Post him anywhere and he will come up with something novel. In one of his 4 district assignments as Superintendent of Police, Prateep hit upon the idea of “sharing power with ordinary citizens taking off from our Preamble to the Constitution ‘We The People’. This was how the ‘Friends Of Police’ movement was born in Tamil Nadu in 1993. As a young SP, he remembers making a presentation of his brainchild at the Chief Minister’s Conference. Known for her support to proactive policing, Prateep recalls Chief Minister Jayalalithaa passing a GO extending this scheme to bridge the Police-Public gap to the whole of Tamil Nadu in the summer of ‘94. If that was the “cornerstone” of this initiative, international recognition followed in the form of the Queen’s Award For Innovation In Police Training & Development. The award in 2002 came with a corpus fund of close to 11 lakh rupees which went into the setting up of a Multi Media Training & Documentation Centre in which more than a lakh personnel and citizens have been coached in community policing through 188 annual workshops in all the districts of the State.
For a decade and a half, while covering the men in khakhi on national television, I have often been fascinated by his approach to policing. As DIG Intelligence, he was involved in monitoring the movements of forest brigand Veerappan. As the DIG of Tirunelveli, then quite a hotbed of violence, Law & Order was certainly not a routine task. As the Principal of the Police Training College, he did his bit to impress upon the probationers the need to use their “wits and not their fists” while interrogating suspects. As the IG – Social Justice, he organized a tea party roping in road side tea stall vendors to break the social stigma among caste groups that had led to the 2 tumbler system in certain pockets of Tamil Nadu. In his present avatar as the ADGP (EOW) Prateep, who is active on the social media, not just to propogate his pet topics like ‘Equilibrium Thinking’ & ‘Exenomics’ – “tools for self renewal and to reinvent management” or his copyrighted motivational one liners – “fillipisms” but to also fight crime. The Economic Offences Wing is meant to safeguard the rights of gullible investors who are often led up the garden path and duped by fly by night finance companies. Instead of merely prosecuting these unscruplous elements, Prateep has created a group called “Scam Busters’ on facebook to create awareness among the public. How? “ We have formed committees comprising financially savvy professionals to indentify tainted investments and organisations to prevent the common man from being lured by them. It’s not just online. Our 340 members conduct public meetings across the State to spread the word.” The Idol Wing under Prateep’s watch, recently busted a big racket with the arrest of international kingpin Subash Kapoor. A highly decorated officer, Prateep is the recipient of the Prime Minister’s Medal for Meritorious Service in 2003 and the President’s Medal for Distinguished Service in 2012. “Had I not joined the IPS, I may have become a lawyer.” That’s an ambition his elder daughter Nimisha has fulfilled by getting into a Law Course at the London University. Not the party hopping kind, Prateep makes it a point to spend quality time with his younger daughter Nishala, a student at Sishya and his interior designer wife Sakhi. When he isn’t delivering motivational lectures, Prateep unwinds by writing. “Journalism was another career option. As a student of St.Joseph’s College in Bangalore, I used to write ‘Middles’ in the Times Of India, Deccan Herald and the Indian Express.” As I called him for this telephonic interview, Prateep was busy giving finishing touches to the launch of his upcoming third book “For Better Through Verse” – a work on leadership and management principles from the Bible, published by Covenant Media. We often lament that the bureaucracy which Sardar Vallabhai Patel called the ‘Steel Frame Of India’ can do with more officers with nerves of steel. Here’s one who literally has steel in his body. Does that qualify as a ‘fillipism’?
Sanjay Pinto is a Lawyer, Columnist, Author, Public Speaking Mentor & Former Resident Editor of NDTV 24×7.
Hyderabad get ready! Vir Das is coming to town and he’s bringing his Unbelievable Tour with him. The actor/comedian took to social media to announce his next two trips – one in Goa and one in Hyderabad. He just finished a show on 16th in Bengaluru and will be coming to Hyderabad on May 30th after his gig at Goa on 29th. Looks like the city’s got something to look forward to now! Comedy fans, get ready.
It’s sweltering, but there’s no way you’re getting rid of your beard!!! Everyone from George Clooney to Shah Rukh Khan are sporting facial fuzz, so its important to know how to keep cool and look cool with your beard this summer.
Style It
If this is your first time sporting a beard, then may we suggest that you head to a stylist or good salon and get it shaped the first time. A beard is shaped in accordance with the shape of your face, your skin tone and texture, the shape of your eyes, nose and lips to give you an enhanced look. Once you’ve set the style for your face you can look at weekly home maintenance with either an electric trimmer or razor.
Trim It
If you have a sculpted face, then opt for a shorter version of the beard. Designer stubbles on the sides, with the chin area being a tad fuller, work for those who have a bit of cheek to show. A full beard is highly recommended for those with plump features. They work brilliantly to cut back cheek flab and hide a double chin.
Clean It
You might shower everyday, even twice a day. But how many men actually take time to wash their beards? Did you know that beards collect bacteria and can be one of the most contaminated parts of the body if not cleaned well? We recommend you use a mild face wash and make sure you lather the beard area thoroughly to remove any grime or dust particles. Do not use shampoo as it is usually meant to cleanse the oil from the scalp. When used on a beard shampoo will dry the facial skin below and might result in flaking. Then you’d have to deal with dandruff in your beard! Ugh!!
Oil It
Yes, there are beard oils. They’re a great way to keep facial hair soft and supple and work well to keep your beard looking smooth and shiny. You an use a hog bristle brush to groom your beard once you’ve oiled it (maybe once a week) to keep it tangle free.
Cool It
If your beard is thick then make sure you use a hair dryer to cool it off (with a cool blast) or a warm stream to dry it in the winter months.
Come June 8th and it’s omnom time for Hyderabad. Hyatt Hyderabad is going to serve up what looks like some promisingly delicious burgers and some beer to accompany that! Bet foodies around the city cannot wait to dig into these beauties. Such a perfect way to say goodbye to summer, we think!
Bella Ciao has been around for a while now and still is a top favourite for Italian food. With its beautiful out door seating under thatched roofs and dim lighting its ambience is breath taking. The food is authentic and full of flavours, a must try are the wood fire pizzas that are perfectly crunchy on the outside and have the freshest and most delicious toppings. Being by the sea the seafood is nothing but amazing ! If you are looking for a quiet dinner, this should be your top option !
