Civil Services Day
John Samuel
President, Transform Consulting, Former Chief Post Master General Govt of India & Former Consultant, United Nations UPU
21 April …Civil Services Day
It was on this day in 1947 that the country's first home minister Sardar Patel addressed the probationers of Indian Civil Services. He rightly described the civil servants as the ‘steel frame of India’. The Civil Services Day celebrates the dedicated works of the civil servants in serving the citizens of India and at the same time, it’s a reminder to renew their commitments to public service and excellence in work.
No doubt, Civil Services offer a remarkable opportunity for participating in nation-building and societal transformation. My tenure as a civil servant for more than 35 years in the Government of India and in the foreign assignment for five years in Thailand was indeed a memorable one in the nation-building initiatives. For me, character and competence are the hallmarks of being a civil servant. This is one of the reasons, I always encourage many young people with the right values to get into the Civil Services so that we can build a nation of nobility and righteousness, prosperity and excellence.
There are many Civil Servants who have done remarkably well in the governance of our nation. On this Civil Services Day, let me talk about three bureaucrats who, I believe, have stood as role models.
Mr. C G Somiah’s service in the civil services is a shining example of excellence and integrity. He held key positions in the Government including the Union Home Secretary, Central Vigilance Commissioner and finally, a six-year tenure as the Comptroller and Auditor General of India. ‘The Honest always stand Alone’ – the book written by him marks the journey of a man who always upheld the truth. He had worked as Home Secretary during Rajiv Gandhi years and he never hesitated to call a spade a spade. He stood his ground when he had to. The more you read the book, the more one can understand the joys and challenges of being in the Civil services
As the Post Master General in West Bengal & Sikkim, I had plenty of opportunities to closely interact with Mr. Gopal Krishna Gandhi, the then Governor of West Bengal. A thorough gentleman and a person of high esteem. He joined the Indian Administrative Service in Tamil Nadu cadre, worked as Secretary to Vice President of India and later served as Ambassador of India to Norway and Iceland and High Commissioner to South Africa and Sri Lanka. He is a remarkable writer and thinker and his occasional editorials in the newspapers remind us of our responsibilities in building our nation with sacrifice and dedication.
When I worked as the Chief Post Master General in Jammu & Kashmir, Mr N N Vohra, a retired IAS officer of Punjab cadre was the Governor. We had developed a very close rapport with one another, as both of us had a passion for developing the State in terms of its physical, social and economic infrastructure. A man of humility and impeccable honesty, he was always at the forefront in reaching out to the people. He displayed a remarkable servant leadership in his style of governance.
True, the Civil Services opens a door to energizing and exciting nature of jobs with plenty of challenges. We can be hopeful of being a vibrant and developed nation, so long as there are Civil Servants committed to able and noble governance.