Monday, September 06, 2010

BoI list of 5 Most Powerful Bureaucrats, 2010, is out; 3 IAS, 1 IRS and 1 IFS figure

THE final BoI (babusofindia.com) list of 5 Most Powerful Bureaucrats in India, 2010, is out. Based on feedback from over 50 bureaucrats and politicians in corridors of power in Delhi, BoI Team has prepared the list which has three IAS, one IRS and one IFS officer. These bureaucrats, who wield tremendous power and have capacity to influence key government decisions, have derived their power not because of the posts they hold, but thanks to their proactive and at times controversial way of pushing matters ahead. In corridors of power, you can criticize each one of them for some decision or the other, but you can’t simply ignore any one of them. Welcome to the world of power babus.

No 1: KM Chandrasekhar
The Prime Minister’s recent decision to bestow overriding power to cabinet secretary KM Chandrasekhar-headed committee to monitor Commonwealth Games is just one of many instances of how “soft spoken”, “non-interfering” and “mild” Cab Sec has asserted himself during the last one year as the most powerful bureaucrat in India. His serial extension as India’s top bureaucrat even at the cost of making new rules and causing heartburns to his juniors, has vindicated his clout in the government and demonstrated PM’s growing confidence on him. (Read: Why is Chandrasekhar powerful?)

No 2: TKA Nair
A 1963 batch retired IAS, working as principal secretary to PM since May 2004, TKA Nair, is ranked No 2 in the BoI’s (babusofindia.com) list of 5 Most Powerful Bureaucrats second time in a row. From managing crisis for the Prime Minister, meeting ministers on behalf of the PM to taking the viewpoints of top corporate honchos on all policy matters, Nair is still the man of the moment in PMO. (Read: Nair as Henry Kissinger style bureaucrat)

No 3: GK Pillai
Union home secretary GK Pillai is quite assertive, vocal and even non-diplomatic at times when questions of internal security become a priority. Pillai, a 1972 batch Kerala cadre IAS, is ranked 3rd in BoI’s list of 5 Most Powerful Bureaucrats, 2010. Pillai and his boss P Chidambaram are now gearing up for a fool-proof security arrangement for the biggest sporting extravaganza in India, the Commonwealth Games. For Pillai, Games provide an opportunity to make him a true game-changer. (Read: Is Pillai a game-changer?)

No 4: Sudhir Chandra
When 400 taxmen carried out a massive search operation across properties of former Jharkhand chief minister Madhu Koda last year to trace his Rs 2000 cr allegedly unaccounted assets, a tax hound sitting at his North Block office was instructing everybody how to be extremely polite in handling the operation, but at the same time be as courageous as “Rani of Jhansi”. Sudhir Chandra, Member, Investigation of Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) is the 4th Most Powerful Bureaucrat in the list, and undoubtedly the most surprising candidate. But he is the driving force for making IRS no-lesser mortal in front of IAS. (Read: What makes Sudhir Chandra a powerful bureaucrat?)

No 5: Nirupama Rao
Indian foreign secretary Nirupama Rao, the second woman IFS officer to clinch that coveted post, is suave, polite and as the profession demands “highly diplomatic”. For over one year now, she has been instrumental in motivating her colleagues to act like economic ambassadors of the nation and paint a good image of the country. Her firefighting in GK Pillai’s “ISI remark” episode which had resulted into the collapse of India-Pakistan foreign minister level talks, was the most remarkable during the recent time. She walked across the road to North Block to have a cup of tea with Pillai demonstrating real-diplomacy inside Raisina Hills! 

22 comments:

  1. Thanks to Babus of India for making this fabulous comparision of Indian bureaucrats .

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  2. the purpose of your website is good but the design is terrible and is not easy on the eye. make it simpler.
    thanks

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  3. Its a rare coincidence that 4 out of 5 are keralites

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  4. Let us look at the performers as Indians..
    When will we come out of this regionalism?

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  5. Irrespective of the fact that 4 out of 5 above mentioned Bureaucrats are 4m Kerala....the fact is whether they are really making good for India....

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  6. The IAS is an All India Service affirming its nationalist character.Kindly do not underplay its significance.Agreed that regional bias does a play a role in the high level appointments,but the credibility and the acumen of the officers is in no way comprimised.

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  7. Good persons can be from any state.If 4 out of 5 are from Kerala it does not matter..most of the GODS are from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar but people worshipp them without considering their birth state..Highest regards to all top IAS,IRS,IFS OFFICERS ..AK Jain C.E.UPPCL Retd NOIDA.MOB.7838229487

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  8. it is good to know that an Indian lady figures in the list of most powerful persons.

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  9. how did you do the rankings?

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  10. 4 out of 5 are mallus

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  11. yes mallus are great...really kerala has given so many capable public servants. High regards to all of them

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  12. Becoz of more lobbying by their politicians (recent example Kochi IPL team by Sasi Tharoor)& less work & co-mallu feeling

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  13. who is from Kerala no 1 in the list is from kerala all are INDIAN civil servants not Kerela civil servants those who are talking of regionism (certain comments) they are dividing the country based on regionism.

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  14. It's An Indian Service so, no matter if it's mallu or bihari or any, he/she has to be an Indian and should Lead our country any how.

    Regards,

    Mayurbhai C. Gadhavi

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  15. The four out of five are the Mallus of Kerala.All the five have brought disgrace to the India and have led the country to disaster. The PM ,a non peforming asset,is over dependent on these sycophants,the chaatukaars@
    A K SAXENA (A retired civil servant)

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  16. most of IAS are CHATUKAAR only. This is other factor.
    But pointing out tha fact that most powerful are Keralite is not good. They are Indian.
    If they led this country to disaster then wrong doing is the Profession not Keralite.

    I am very much Indian Living in northern Part of India not in North India.

    Indianeverest@gmail.com

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  17. Nirupama Rao was born in Kerala and completed her college in Bangalore, then topped the civil service examinations and joined IFS. She is married to a very senior IAS officer of Karnataka cadre, who is now on a posting at the center.

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  18. what an obvious list

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  19. I donot understand what does it mean "most powerful". A Government servant is a servant a sevak and how he could be a powerful. Influencing someone or some section of the socienty doesnot mean power.

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  20. You never know.. check out Sudhir Chandra.. he too would turn out to be connected to Kerala..

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  21. should the name 'babu;s' change ? Perhaps the Britishers' babu/s today feel awful likening babu/s with 'some thing inferior' . To refute that, somewhere in their career, they feel 'to hell with...make hay while I remain a babu'. Let's change their notion. Let's make them feel they are as much inherent part and parcel of the Indian society as any one else --- say an industrialist, beggar or a middle class. Let's call them as officer/s. Mr so and so down below. So on and so forth. If that be so, their temperament, psche, behaviour will change and they will be more useful to the country. Thank You.

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