A K Bhattacharya: Other books

BEHIND THE POWER:
VIGNETTES FROM MY LIFE IN THE IAS

P S Bhatnagar
Price: Rs 395
Manas Publications

The author, a 1965 batch IAS officer, retired as chief secretary to the Delhi government in January 2002.

As an officer belonging to the Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram-Union Territories cadre, Bhatnagar spent most of his working life dealing with politicians and bureaucrats in smaller states.

The book is an account of 37 years in service and captures how politicians behave in these smaller states, when they are elected to positions of power and when they are out of them.

At times vain and boring (there is an eminently avoidable chapter on the good qualities a bureaucrat ought to have), the book also brings to light how bureaucrats engage themselves in petty machinations to improve their own prospects and thwart the progress of their own colleagues.

There are many interesting anecdotes that reveal the nature of politicians and bureaucrats. But the author has been more than discreet by omitting the names of all persons whenever they figure even in a remotely controversial incident.

His reason is that he does not want to "appear to be sullying reputations selectively". Over two years after retirement, Bhatnagar continues to play safe more than a serving bureaucrat would do.