Just a civil servant

In his book, Anil Swarup narrates a host of stories surrounding his assignments, some of them linked to historic moments in contemporary Indian politics, such as the demolition of the Babri Masjid

Not Just a Civil Servant

Anil Swarup

Unicorn Books; Rs 499, 200 pages

If only former bureaucrats could forget they were civil servants and drop their inhibitions when they pick up the pen. In his book Not Just a Civil Servant, Anil Swarup narrates a host of stories surrounding his assignments, some of them linked to historic moments in contemporary Indian politics, such as the demolition of the Babri Masjid. But true to his civil service instincts, he does not jettison diplomacy or discard the bureaucratic veil to call a spade a spade, at least, if not a shovel.

For instance, in