About the Book

This autobiography is about the personal and professional life of a civil servant. The book seeks to cover the sacrifices made by his parents in bringing up their three children, of which he is the youngest. It emphasizes the importance that the parents laid on the education and upbringing of the children even at the cost of the basic amenities in their life.

Having been a classmate of Amitabh Bachchan at Sherwood, the chapter on his school life dwells on this relationship with the actor. He has shared his experiences and struggles, right from his childhood and school and college days, his career in the civil service and thereafter.

He has particularly highlighted his service in two worlds. Over 13 years in the field of rural development where it was about service to the poorest in society and then again of rubbing shoulders with the czars of Indian industry while he was in the Ministry of Finance for four years. He raises the question of what should be the ideal role of government. Should it be tilted towards the large majority of poor or the minority of rich.

The book contains a variety of experiences, both positive and negative and interaction with public at large, businessmen and politicians. The author acknowledges that the process of learning never ends. The importance of values in life and work has been stressed. The author acknowledges the role of the ‘Invisible Hand’, the Lord above, in guiding and protecting him throughout his service career.

The book should provide good reading for the aspirants and to all those already in the civil service.

Praise for the book ...

The style of writing is most engaging – it was as though ‘Tich’ was sitting beside you and giving a narration of his life experiences. This is the most envied quality of any writer.

AMITABH BACHCHAN, Actor

Inderjit has been able to combine what few people can do effortlessly – to be able to put together the official sequence of events in a chronological order – and to blend the postings with real life family stories. His ups-and-downs, stories of the simple life his parents lived.

SHAILAJA CHANDRA, former Chief Secretary, Delhi and Secretary to Government of India

Super. Excellently written. For IAS aspirants, parents, children, teachers and every person. This book will be a great hit. This book will be a great influence for all those preparing for entering the civil service and take it up as a career. Once I started reading these memoirs, I found it difficult to put it aside. It is well written with genuineness. 

T.V. RAO, former Professor, Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad and Chairman, TVRLS

The book makes excellent reading with one episode or incident following another throughout the narrative. It also gives a panoramic view of a life spent in service of the nation. The powerful faith that the author has in the Almighty also comes through very clearly.

C.K. MATHEW, former Chief Secretary, Rajasthan and Professor, Azim Premji University, Bengaluru

Contents

1          Brief Family History

2          Parents and Childhood

3          Sherwood

4          St. Stephen’s College

5          Towards a Career

6          The Indian Administrative Service: Training

7          The Sub Divisions

8          Collector and District Magistrate

9          Deputy Secretary, State Government

10        Director of Education

11        Special Secretary, Planning

12        An Interlude

13        Visiting Professor, Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad

14        Commissioner, Tribal Area Development    

15        Joint Secretary, Government of India

16        Secretary, Planning, Energy and Finance, Rajasthan

17        Secretary, University Grants Commission     226

18        Additional and Special Secretary, Government of India

19        Enforcement Director, Government of India

20        Chief Secretary, Rajasthan

21        State Election Commissioner, Rajasthan

22        Association with Gita Mittal Foundation and others: 2008 Onwards

APPENDICES

1.           Family Tree

2.           Senior Deputy Director, NAA, RP Khosla’s Greeting Card

3.           Professor Ranjit Bhatia’s Post Card

4.           Service Abstract

5.           Collector and DM P.K.B. Kurup’s Inland Letter

6.           Collector and DM H.C. Pande’s Letter

7.           Collector and DM Anil Bordia’s Letter

8.           Chief Secretary Mohan Mukherji’s Letter

9.           A List of Various Studies, Project Reports and Other Teaching Materials at IIMA

10.         Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s Note

11.         A List of Studies/Reports and Consultancies (1984 to 1990) as Joint Secretary

12.         Performance of the Electricity Boards based on the Thermal Plant Load Factor

13.         Chief Minister Bhairon Singh Ji’s Letter

14.         Chief Secretary T.V. Ramanan’s Letter

15.         Thanks Card from Vice Chairman and MD of a Global Telesystems Company

16.         Letter from Mani Shankar Aiyar, Minister for Panchayati Raj, Youth Affairs & Sports and Development of the North Eastern Region, Government of India

17.         “Sewa Ratna” Award

18.         Foreword received from Amitabh Bachchan

About the Author / Editor

Inderjit Khanna is an alumnus of Sherwood College, Nainital and of St. Stephen’s College, Delhi from where he did his B.Sc. (Honours) and M.Sc. in Mathematics in 1964. He joined IAS in July 1966 and was allotted Rajasthan cadre. He served as Collector of Barmer, Banswara and Bhilwara districts; Director, Primary and Secondary Education; Commissioner, Tribal Area Development and as Secretary of the Planning, Energy and Finance Departments. He has the unique distinction of working as a full time Visiting Professor at IIM, Ahmedabad and also as Secretary, University Grants Commission.

He had a successful innings of 13 years in the Government of India as Joint Secretary, Ministry of Rural Development, as Additional Secretary and Special Secretary in the Department of Economic Affairs, and as Enforcement Director.

He served as the Chief Secretary of Rajasthan for three years. After retirement he was appointed as State Election Commissioner. Over the last fourteen years he has contributed with his experience as a mentor to several organizations in the health, education, skill and rural development sectors.