Fashion with a Cause: How civil servants post their photos sporting handwoven saris, jackets

Varsha Joshi, 1995 batch IAS sporting a handwoven sari

REACTING to a trend #IWearHandloom that took social media by storm on Monday, a number of civil servants including Ambassador of India to UNESCO Ruchira Kamboj, joint secretary ranked IAS officers Sumita Misra, Abhishek Singh, Varsha Joshi, Usha Padhee etc., NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant, former IFS Nirupama Rao, former IPS Kiran Bedi et al have shared their own photos sporting beautiful handwoven dresses in micro-blogging site Twitter in the last couple of days. The trend began when union textile minister Smriti Irani shared her own photo wearing a blue handloom sari with an appeal for others also to wear…

Ex-foreign secretary Nirupama Rao takes to Twitter to discuss TV channels’ Kashmir debate; gives befitting replies to trolls

ON A day, IAS officer from Kashmir, Shah Faesal stirred up a debate by writing a newspaper article with a strong argument that every hour of prime time TV news aggression pushes Kashmir a mile westward from India, former foreign secretary of India and 1973 batch retired IFS Nirupama Rao carried forward the debate in micro-blogging site Twitter, giving reasons why there is a need for matured and intelligent discourse, and also giving befitting replies to trolls. Rao, who had huge experience in effectively handling many a tricky issue including Kashmir diplomatically at various global forums in the past, said,

Who are the bureaucrats in Twitter? And why their followers love to read about "safe" sarkari experiences

ON Thursday night, former foreign secretary of India and 1973 batch retired IFS officer Nirupama Rao thanked her 4 lakh Twitter followers. "400K followers today. Humbled and honored. Thank you all", she wrote in a post in the micro-blogging site, Twitter. In fact, if there is one area of Indian bureaucracy that has undergone a sea-change in the last couple of years is the very willingness of more and more serving bureaucrats and diplomats to share their “safe” sarkari experiences in social media platforms. BoI picks out a few bureaucrats from a list of about 500 who are effectively using Twitter to reach out to citizens:

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, his IAS father, Naxalism and “dead revolutionaries of Srikakulam”

Nadella while listening to PM Modi at San Jose, California

EVERYONE knows who Satya Nadella is. No prize for guessing it. He is the CEO of Microsoft. But some of you may be unaware of a factoid -- Nadella is the son of an IAS officer named BN Yugandhar. Yugandhar, a 1962 batch IAS had trained and influenced many officers including former foreign secretary Nirupama Rao in Mussoorie academy. Later he became a member of Planning Commission of India, now called NITI Aayog. On Saturday night, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the Digital India dinner at San Jose of Silicon Valley, Nadella referred to an incident of Naxalism that he…

How senior bureaucrats reacted to Saturday’s civil services results; their reminiscences of UPSC days

Ex-foreign secretary Nirupama Rao in 1973

AS UPSC announced the civil services examinations results on Saturday, many a senior bureaucrat including those serving as union secretaries, joint secretaries, ambassadors, former bureaucrats—all took to the social media sites to talk about the results, congratulate the toppers and narrate their reminiscences of their UPSC exams days. Revenue secretary and 1980 batch IAS Shaktikanta Das wrote in Twitter that he felt very happy for the customs and excise IRS officer Ira Singhal who topped the exam this year. “Her performance in Customs and Excise training academy was impressive. Great determination”, Das added. As many as…

Meet Nirupama Rao, the poet; who are other bureaucrat-poets?

DID you know, India’s former foreign secretary and 1973 batch retired IFS Nirupama Rao has a private passion -- writing poems? The former diplomat on Thursday released two of her poems -- one on life in Jaffna (2005) and the other on women safety in Delhi (2011) in a social media site. Over a decade ago, Rao came out with a poetry book titled “Rain Rising Poems”. First, a part of a poem on city of Delhi written by Rao:

What bureaucrats have to say about BJP’s landslide victory, formation of Modi Sarkar

Lotus blooms in Delhi traffic signals (Courtesy: Abhishek Singh, IAS)

A DAY before the results of the general elections that gave Narendra Modi-led BJP a thumping victory, IAS officer of 1995 batch Abhishek Singh posted this photo in Twitter showing how a boy was selling lotus flowers in a Delhi street. His caption: “Lotus blooms on traffic signals in Delhi! #bjp #namo #lotus”. A day later, when actual results were out, union industry secretary and 1980 batch IAS Amitabh Kant wrote: “This is vote against doles, against vote bank politics, against corruption, against dynastic politics! A vote 4 growth and jobs! Task begins now!” BoI here lists a few social media posts by serving and former bureaucrats on BJP’s landslide victory and formation of Modi Sarkar:

Devyani Khobragade case creates a deep crater in Indo-US bilateral ties, says Nirupama Rao; Rao's 8-point argument

Rao with US President Obama

DIPLOMAT Nirupama Rao who till recently was India’s ambassador to US has said that Devyani Khobragade case has created a deep crater in the Indo-US bilateral relationship. “Was the much vaunted defining partnership between the two countries so inconsequential that US decided to treat whole case as routine?” Rao who was also the foreign secretary said in a social media site. Here are eight tweets that Rao posted on the row on Friday.

BoI Power List 2013: Diva of Diplomacy Nirupama Rao ranked India's 4th most powerful bureaucrat

Nirupama Rao is former foreign secretary of India. Post-retirement, she has been assigned the job of India’s ambassador to US. Why then BoI chooses to call Rao, a 1973 batch retired Indian Foreign Service officer as India’s fourth most powerful bureaucrat? BoI Power List 2013 is based on the opinion of about 100 people including politicians, bureaucrats and civil society activists who understand the nuances of corridors of power. And the reason why Rao has figured in the list is because of her immense…

Social Media Black-box for Indian Bureaucrats: How Nirupama Rao can help

ONE social media study of public diplomacy undertaken recently at George Washington University, placed India’s ambassador to US Nirupama Rao at the top of the chart among all diplomats and missions based out of Washington DC. As the research study itself says, Rao is “doing something right” to woo a huge number of followers. But, have the other Indian civil servants treated the technology associated with social media as a “black-box” and…

Corridors of Social Media: Bureaucrats toss power ideas, and get witty, seriously

Nirupama Rao with an Indian delegation

WHY are gardens not flourishing in Indian cities? In this age of social media, you do spot fascinating conversations among senior bureaucrats on a subject like this. Gone are the days when government officers reserved their comments only for file-notings, hesitating to air their personal opinions on subjects that might fall into the domains of other departments. Here is a Twitter conversation between Amitabh Kant, the IAS officer behind Incredible India and his senior colleague Nirupama Rao, a career diplomat and India’s ambassador to US:

Leaders must be passionate & passion is contagious, says Nirupama Rao

FORMER foreign secretary and current Indian ambassador to US Nirupama Rao has said that “we are all born leaders”. Referring to the Arab Spring, she said how ordinary young people with access to information inspire people’s movements and revolutions. “We are witnessing the true democratization of leadership. It is no longer exclusive or hierarchical…

Nirupama Rao's thoughts on women, gender blindness and her mathematician mother

Woman On Top: Rao with US secretary of state Clinton

INDIAN ambassador to US and 1973 batch retired IFS officer Nirupama Rao has called for more efforts to make science inclusive. Rao on Friday inaugurated the first Women Science Congress on the sidelines of the 99th Indian Science Congress (ISC) at Bhubaneshwar. Here are the excerpts of her speech on women in general, gender blindness in Indian science and her mother who solved difficult maths in her life.

Women In General

Women, as the popular saying goes, “hold up half the sky”. The Indian sky still needs many more skilled and qualified women to sustain it, and to disseminate the fruits of progress throughout the country…The image of the wise woman, the healer and nurturer who has access to the ocean of knowledge is common to many cultures.

Science Is Gender Neutral

Historical evidence and scientific research show that the pursuit of science is gender neutral. Yet, the contribution of women to technology is hidden from history. The moot point is why scientific streams remained largely male-dominated or why there are very few women members in various national science academies or in decision-making positions in scientific establishments. …We cannot afford to be charged with gender blindness in this crucial field that is so vital for India’s development.

Her Mathematician Mother

I was inspired to be an independent, professional woman by my mother who, in the year India won its independence, graduated from a college for girls in Mangalore with a first class degree in mathematics. I know 2012 is the Year of Mathematics. For me, as a little girl growing up in the fifties and sixties, mother was a fountain of knowledge and a go to person for all our math questions. And because math experts are also good at so much more, she was an expert on almost everything else. …She was the one who contextualized the story of Madame Curie for me when as a young nine year old, I read the Curie biography for the first time. Mother empowered us as a result of her own scientific temper and intellectual dimension. You educate a woman and she educates a family.

Is new Pakistan envoy to US Sherry Rehman a competition to India's Nirupama Rao?

Sherry Rehman: A competition to Nirupama Rao?

THEN Indian foreign secretary and 1973 batch IFS Nirupama Rao’s appointment as India’s ambassador to America a few months ago was a calibrated move, and not a routine post-retirement placement of an efficient and loyal officer as some sidetracked IFS babus would like to believe. The South Block wanted someone highly articulate, and the one who is close to Prime Minister and also in sync with New Delhi’s US agenda.

Pakistani top establishment may or may not have similar reasons while appointing Sherry Rehman as its new envoy to Washington after Husain Haqqani’s resignation over the ‘Memogate’ controversy, but on several counts, Rehman is likely to be a tough competitor to Nirupama Rao in high-voltage diplomatic networking in US. Both are well educated women executives, and more significantly both are outstanding while articulating their views. Rao, a career diplomat, first came into prominence when she was the spokeswoman of India’s foreign office. She knows what to say, and also what not to say. Rehman, a close aide of slain ex-Prime Minister of Pakistan Benazir Bhutto, is a prominent media personality and former editor of a reputed magazine. Rehman resigned as Pakistan’s information minister in March 2009, reportedly because of her differences with President Asif Ali Zardari on imposing restrictions on the media.

Many hardliners in Pakistan are however obsessed with Rehman’s personal life and controversies, and some even dismiss her brightness as she is a woman.

India sponsored 1846 officers to study abroad in 10 years

As many as1846 Indian officers were sent for higher education abroad under the Domestic Funding of Foreign Training (DFFT) Scheme beginning 2000. Out of this selected lot, 938 belong to All India Services like IAS, IPS and Indian Forest Service, and 359 are from other Group ‘A’ Services, according to minister of state in Primn Minister’s Office V Narayanasamy who gave a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday. There were 215 Central Secretariat Service officers among the selected lot.

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US struggles to find its ambassador to India; Indian bureaucrats race for an US posting

Ambassador Rao with Obama in White House

FOR an Indian diplomat or bureaucrat, a posting in Washington DC could be a dream come true, but US is struggling to get its ambassador to India after at least three candidates turned down the offer, reports originating from Washington suggested. The US is yet to find a suitable replacement after its ambassador Tim Roehmer left India in June this year.

Among those who refused to come to New Delhi as US ambassador include Strobe Talbott who had worked in State Department earlier, and John Hamre, president of US think tank, the Centre for Strategic and International Studies. Talbott who is head of US think tank, the Brookings Institute, reportedly has some health problems. The Obama administration has now begun the process all over again as not having the right person to head US embassy in New Delhi could be detrimental to US interests.

Meera Shankar with Hillary Clinton

Contrast this. Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officers weigh an US posting crucial for their career growth. Even after retirement, Indian diplomats and bureaucrats consider a posting in America highly rewarding. Nirupama Rao who had served as India’s foreign secretary chose to become India’s ambassador to US post retirement in place of her batch-mate Meera Shankar. No one doubts the calibre of Rao as a diplomat, but many in South Block feel a highly talented serving IFS officer could have been given the chance. In another posting, secretary to Prime Minister and 1972 batch retired IAS officer MN Prasad has joined as India’s new executive director in World Bank. He has replaced Pulok Chatterji who was called back even before his term got over. Chatterji has recently joined as principal secretary to PM in place of TKA Nair.

For the PMO, sending their trusted men and women to US is also a strategic move as much as they are rewards for being useful. Both Rao and Prasad worked very closely with Prime Minister.

Indian ambassador to France Ranjan Mathai turns top contender for next foreign secretary

INDIAN ambassador to France Ranjan Mathai, a 1974 batch IFS officer, is emerging as the top contender to clinch the coveted foreign secretary’s job in July end, 2011 when incumbent Nirupama Rao completes her two years tenure. Of late, Mathai’s chances have brightened after his batchmate and another strong contender Alok Prasad was sent to Tokyo as Indian ambassador to Japan earlier this month. Prasad who was the High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka before becoming the Deputy National Security Adviser was believed to be the front-runner, but his chances slipped after he was shifted out to Japan.

According to sources close to the development, the only other officer who could upset Mathai’s chances of becoming foreign secretary is another 1974-batch IFS officer Hardeep Puri, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN.

Born on May 24, 1952, Ranjan Mathai completed his post graduation in political science from the University of Poona before joining Indian Foreign Service in 1974. Earlier, he had served in Indian Embassies in Vienna, Colombo, Washington, Tehran and Brussels and worked as joint secretary in the ministry of external affairs between January 1995 to and February 1998. He was the Indian Ambassador to Israel, Indian Ambassador in Qatar, Deputy High Commissioner of India to the UK in London before becoming Ambassador of India to France.

Whatever be the final outcome, it’s certain that a 1974 batch IFS officer would become the country’s next foreign secretary. And if Pulok Chatterjee, known for his proximity to 10 Janpath, becomes the next cabinet secretary in June, 2011 as is widely speculated in corridors of power, both top posts of IAS and IFS would remain with 1974 batch officers for the next two years!

Action and Appointments

a) Government employees in Bihar including over 400 IAS and IPS officers have furnished their details of their assets ahead of the February 28 deadline. The state government had earlier announced that those who would fail to meet the deadline would find their salaries being withheld.

BoI Extraa…

Himachal Pradesh government has instructed bureaucrats to keep the phones on even after office hours. The state government is upset of the fact that officers prefer to keep their mobile phones off.

It’s Official: Foreign secretary Nirupama Rao gets extension till July 2011

INDIA’S foreign secretary Nirupama Rao, a 1973 batch IFS officer, who was to retire on December 6, 2010 is getting a seven months extension thanks to an amendment of existing government rules. The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the proposal to amend Fundamental Rule (FR) 56 (d) to provide extension in service to the foreign secretary “for such period or periods as may be considered necessary in public interest, subject to the condition that the total term as foreign secretary does not exceed two years.”

Already, cabinet secretary, home secretary and defence secretary have two-year tenures, and if the current instance of two-time extension of the cabinet secretary KM Chandrasekhar is anything to go by, the government can change rules to pave the way for a four-year term for other important secretaries with fixed term tenures.

Rao, who assumed charge as foreign secretary on August 1 last year, will remain in the post till July 31, 2011. The decision was taken as the government felt the assignment of foreign secretary has “increasingly acquired critical dimensions from national security and strategic perspective and the need to ensure continuity and swiftness in the decision-making process”, a government release said.

An MA in English Literature from Marathwada University and fellow at the Centre for International Affairs in Harvard University specializing Asia-Pacific security, Rao was India’s Ambassador to Peru, deputy chief of mission at the Embassy of India, Moscow, joint secretary (external publicity) and official spokesperson of the MEA and Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka and then Indian Ambassador to China.

Babusofindia.com has rated Rao as India’s 5^th Most Powerful Bureaucrats, 2010. While releasing the BoI list of 5 Most Powerful Indian Bureaucrats in September this year, Team BoI said, “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!”

(Picture: Rao during PM's recent visit to Tokyo)

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Army officials embroiled in illegal sale of arms

A case relating to sale on Non Standard Pattern (NSP) weapons by Army officers and a JCO has come to light. 41 officers, 1 JCO and 4 retired officers were found to have sold the NSP weapons without taking sanction of competent authority. Court of Inquiry held to investigate into the case has identified six arms dealers buying the illegal arms from the army personnel. Suitable remedial measures by way of amendment of SAO 1/S/96 and issue of a comprehensive Standard Operating Procedure have been taken by Army Headquarters. This information was given by defence minister AK Antony in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.

New telecom minister Kapil Sibal cleared IAS exam in 1973; would have been the batch-mate of Ashok Chawla and Nirupama Rao

HAD Indian minister Kapil Sibal chosen to accept the offer to join Indian Administrative Service (IAS) 37 years ago, he would have been batch-mate of finance secretary Ashok Chawla, President’s secretary Christy L Fernandez, foreign secretary Nirupama Rao, India’s ambassador to US Meera Shankar and her husband and former industry secretary Ajay Shankar, Chhattisgarh’s top cop Vishwa Ranjan and former telecommunication secretary Siddhartha Behura. Yes, all these super bureaucrats are of 1973 batch when Kapil Sibal, an MA in history from Delhi’s St. Stephens College and product of Harvard Law School, cleared the IAS, but declined the offer as he wanted to become an advocate.

This week, Prime Minister has given Sibal additional charge of ministries of science and technology, and telecommunications in addition to his current HRD portfolio. For the record, his handling of telecommunications ministry would be carefully watched as a number of major decisions are likely to be taken in the ministry in the wake of alleged 2G scam.

Sibal, an MP from Delhi’s Chandni Chowk constituency, would have retired if he had joined bureaucracy in 1973. But now in politics, Sibal is not considered old at all, and he seems to have a long innings before the Congress recommends him for a gubernatorial assignment.

Action and Appointments

a) Nawal Kishore Sharma, a 1988 batch Indian Defence Service of Engineers, has been selected for appointment as director in the ministry of road transport and highways for a period of five years from the date of taking over charge of the post or until further

orders.

Namaste Obama: Did foreign secretary Rao and Ambassador Shankar pre-decide to wear pink saris?

AS US president Barack Obama landed in Delhi airport on Sunday afternoon, two senior women diplomats in pink saris were among very few people alongside Prime Minister of India Manmohan Singh and his wife waiting to welcome the arguably the most powerful man in earth and his better half Michelle Obama. As the television cameras flashed the two ladies in pink saris, many viewers were forced to guess that foreign secretary Nirupama Rao and her batch-mate Meera Shankar, India’s ambassador to US, had probably pre-decided what to wear before reaching the airport to welcome Obama and his wife. Or are they believers of pink as auspicious colours before big occasions?

No wonder, in famous Bharti-Zain deal, both telecom honchos Sunil Bharti Mittal and Sheikh Nasser Al Kharafi, made it a point to wear the same Moreschi shoes whenever they met as they turned superstitious and believed that the deal would go through if both of them wore the same shoes every time they met. And yes, whopping USD 10.7 billion mega telecom deal was finally struck!

Rao and Shankar, both 1973 batch IFS officers, have been working overtime during the last few weeks to make this high-profile visit of US president a mega success. Both have acted as trouble-shooters and aired significant comments in the run-up to the visit. A few days before Obama reached Mumbai, Ambassador Shankar, for example, had talked about how India needs to watch the anti-outsourcing sentiment in “new political scenario” in the US. Foreign secretary Rao, on her part, stressed how the victory of Republicans would not impact the India-US relationship, which enjoys “bipartisan support” in that country.

After shaking hands with foreign secretary Rao in Delhi airport on Sunday (see picture), US president patted the next woman in pink sari, Ambassador Shankar, who in turn exchanged a few words with Obama. The President, who does not know many Indian ministers and officials welcoming him, was seen visibly pleased to find a known face, Ambassador Shankar. Ambassador’s husband and former industry secretary Ajay Shankar (second from right in top photo) was also present in the airport to welcome the US first couple. Shankar, a 1973 batch IAS, has been staying in US after he had retired 10 months ago.

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Four bureaucrats to assist PM during US president Obama’s visit to India

FOUR top Indian bureaucrats who have been assigned to help PM in formulating India’s standpoint during the three-day long visit of US president Barack Obama, are principal secretary to Prime Minister TKA Nair (1963 batch retired IAS), National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon (1972 batch retired IFS), foreign secretary Nirupama Rao (1973 batch IFS) and India’s Ambassador to USA Meera Shankar (1973 batch IFS).

In addition, there would be seven ministers and deputy chairman of Planning Commission who will also assist PM during Obama’s visit which begins on Saturday in Mumbai, only to conclude on Monday night in New Delhi. In a statement to media, India’s foreign secretary said, “Prime Minister will be assisted by Ministers of Finance, Agriculture, Defence, Home, External Affairs, Human Resource Development, Commerce and Industry, Deputy Chairman Planning Commission, Principal Secretary to Prime Minister, National Security Adviser, myself and our Ambassador to USA.”

Here is President Obama’s schedule in India:

November 6

1)      Will reach Mumbai in the forenoon of November 6.

2)      Will begin his program by paying homage to the victims of the terrorist attack in Mumbai.

3)      Visit Mani Bhavan to pay homage to Mahatma Gandhi

4)      Attend a business summit organized by the US India Business Council in association with FICCI and CII.

November 7

1) On November 7, he will address a ‘Town Hall’ meeting and associated events at the St Xavier’s College

2)      Celebrate Diwali at a Primary School.

3)      Will leave Mumbai and reach Delhi in the afternoon of November 7.

4)      Will have a brief visit to Humayun’s tomb.

5)      He will be the guest of honour at a dinner hosted by Prime Minister and Mrs Kaur.

November 8

1)      The ceremonial reception at Rashtrapati Bhavan

2)      Visit to Raj Ghat.

3)      President Obama and Prime Minister will meet in the forenoon and discuss bilateral, regional and global developments of mutual concern.

4)      They will preside over the meeting of the India-US CEO Forum.

5)      Two leaders will address a joint press conference.

6)      In the afternoon, Vice-President, Leader of Opposition and Chairperson UPA Ms Sonia Gandhi will call on President Obama.

7)      President Obama will address a joint session of both houses of our Parliament, in the Central Hall.

8)      His official program concludes with a meeting with President, and a State dinner for him and the First Lady at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

November 9

      1)      President Obama leaves Delhi in the forenoon of 9 November 2010 for Indonesia.

Action and Appointments

a) M Ramachandran assumed charge as Principal Registrar at the head quarters of the Central Administrative Tribunal at New Delhi on November 4. He had earlier served in various capacities in different departments of government of India and had worked as deputy registrar and joint registrar of the tribunal in Bombay Bench and as registrar for many years in the Ernakulam Bench of the tribunal. He holds masters degree in history, public administration and law.