Pradeep Gupta
I was posted as a Deputy Secretary in the State Agriculture Department in December, 1993. After series of hectic assignments, I was finally enjoying my work. This was largely due to the bonhomie prevailing in the department headed by the Agriculture Production Commissioner, Vijay Bakaya, who had the knack of extracting the best from his officers without being bossy. He not only made me feel important in the department but also included me in Chief Secretary’s XI, which he ably captained. The team was egalitarian in character constituted of orderlies, drivers, clerks and senior Government officers. He often took us to the stadium for practice after office hours and organised matches on Sundays. He was a good cricket player and had played inter-university. He could hit sixes as good as any in the game. I was not such a good a player, though I fielded well. My inclusion in the team was Mr Bakaya’s way of rewarding his friends and subordinates. Some of the sports shirts I received for playing in the exhibition matches still adorn my wardrobe. A generous host, Mr Bakaya loved to entertain, almost compulsively, and often invited us for dinner at his residence gamely arranged by his wife. People of all age groups and all walks of life were equally at ease with him. The experience helped me to get over my shyness.
Life was trudging along smoothly until one fine morning in March 1995, when I received a call from C.S’s office conveying that the Chief Secretary desired to see me next day at his residence. I was a little ruffled but reported at the waiting Hall of C.S’s residence at Wazarat Road, Jammu at 9.30 am sharp. I was not over awed as I had earlier worked as a Special Assistant with stalwarts like R.K.Takkar and V.K Kapoor. I asked the wireless operator to notify the Chief Secretary of my arrival. I kept pacing up and down in the waiting Hall apprehensive of what lay in store. I got a little impatient when there was no word till 10 am. I asked the wireless operator to press the buzzer and hand over the receiver to me. “Good morning, Sir, this is Pradeep Gupta, you had asked me to see you”, I said pleasantly. “Do you think I am not going to come down today”, he snarled back and disconnected the phone. This was my first encounter with Mr Ashok Kumar. The exchange left me crestfallen. I shrunk like a deflated tyre. All my confidence was gone. Perhaps I had been too cocky! I waited pensively. He came down at 10.15am dressed in not too well ironed suit and necktie and sat in his official car. He signalled me to get in. I tried to squeeze in by the front door to be as far away from him as possible. He glared at me and asked me to sit by his side. I was nervous and sweating though it was a cold wintry morning. Suddenly from the corner of my eye I noticed that Mr. Kumar was in his bathroom Slippers? Oh! I thought the Chief Secretary has forgotten to put on his shoes!! Here I thought was an opportunity to redeem and impress Mr Kumar and show him that I was not a buffoon that I appeared to be. “Sir! You have forgotten to put on your shoes ” I blurted out. He looked at me with contempt without saying a word. Soon the car stopped in front of Raghunath Temple. Mr Kumar walked out majestically and entered the temple even leaving his slippers behind. He returned after a while and the driver smartly took out his shoes from the car dicky. I avoided his look and was now completely petrified. I closed my eyes in silent prayer and beseeched Lord Raghunath to come to my rescue. Soon I heard Mr Kumar saying in his gruff voice, “Pradeep, you are going to be my OSD. You accompany me to the State Guest House to assist me in the meeting of Select Committee of PSC”, scheduled that day for making appointment of KAS officers to the IAS. In my nervousness it never occurred to me that I should have at least pretended to hem and haw before accepting the assignment. I meekly muttered that I was still posted as a Deputy Secretary in the Agriculture Department as no orders had been issued. I found the transfer order on my table when I returned to my room in the Secretariat.
Mr. Kumar was a hard task master. He made us all toil hard. We often worked at his residence after office hours till late in the night. A fitness buff, he cajoled us to play Badminton every evening, sometimes even in formals and leather shoes! He maintained a tough exterior which kept the Administrative Secretaries on their toes. Deep inside he was humane and full of compassion. A person of un-impeachable integrity and unpretentious who followed a very simple life style. One upon his return from Delhi he shared with us Kerelas (bitter gourd) and Roties very lovingly packed for him by his wife in a Tiffin box! It was largely because of his tireless efforts that Parliament and Assembly Elections were successfully held in the State in 1995/1996 after a long gap. He micro managed the conduct of elections by monitoring the arrangements on day to day basis in a high level Group, serviced by me. It is sad that Mr Kumar had to leave without even a farewell after the elected Government was sworn in at the SKICC on 9th, October 1996. The bureaucracy was overhauled and a new set of officers were inducted to man the top positions. Mr Kumar’s work went un-acknowledged and unsung. The gains of Governor’s administration were soon frittered away and a golden opportunity missed to turn the tide. As Louis XV said preceding the French Revolution ‘ Apres moi, le deluge’. After me the deluge. That story is, however, left to be told on another day.
(The author is former Divisional
Commissioner)
feedbackexcelsior@gmail.com
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