PM expresses happiness about more women becoming IAS; but will corridors’ history forgive Singh for his 2009 “blunder”?

IAS probationers of 2013 batch

ONE of the highlights of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s speech to the IAS probationers on Friday is his special mention of women IAS, and how the new trend of more and more women becoming IAS officers has been a good sign for the nation’s progress. But, no woman officer has ever become a cabinet secretary, the highest post that an Indian bureaucrat can aspire for. And the history of bureaucracy in India will remind Singh that there was a lost opportunity in the summer of 2009 when none other than…

Dear Chief Minister, did you appreciate the Mekhela Chador worn by Sudha Pillai?

CALL it picture imperfect. This is a still from the National Development Council (NDC) meet held at Vigyan Bhawan at the heart of New Delhi on Saturday. The wait was for the Prime Minister to arrive at the function which was attended by state chief ministers. But Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi just passed by Planning Commission Member Secretary and 1972 batch IAS Sudha Pillai without probably realizing that Mrs Pillai was actually wearing Assam’s traditional attire Mekhela Chador, a two-piece cloth resembling a sari. Gogoi instead was extending a very warm welcome to Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, not seen in the photograph.

Sudha Pillai, a senior Central government official with the rank of a minister of state, is the wife of former home secretary GK Pillai, who has immense interests in North East India including Assam. The dress Mrs Pillai was wearing is made of golden silk called Muga which is a symbol of rich Assamese culture.

There are two main pieces of cloth that are draped around the body. As Wikipedia describes, the bottom portion, draped from the waist downwards is called mekhela. “It is in the form of a very wide cylinder that is folded into pleats to fit around the waist and tucked in. The top portion of a long length of cloth that has one end tucked into the upper portion of the Mekhela and the rest draped over and around the rest of the body,” Wiki describes an Assamese Mekhela Chador.

Significantly, American diplomat and former US ambassador to India Robert D Blackwill’s wife Anne Heiberg was so attracted by Assamese Mekhela Chador that she organized a private fashion show to showcase the highly attractive Assamese dress.

Action and Appointments

a) The extension of Central deputation tenure of Dr Bachittar Singh, a 1983 batch UP cadre IAS and joint secretary in the ministry of tribal affairs has been approved for

a period upto December 31, 2011.

Planning Commission bureaucrats watch Peepli Live before brainstorming 12th five-year plan

CALL it a reel plan. Two days ago, senior officials of the Planning Commission came out of their mundane life of preparing what is often perceived as “boring” plan documents to actually enjoy a movie inside the Yojana Bhawan that houses India’s official think tank. Top plan honchos including deputy chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Member Secretary Sudha Pillai, a 1972 batch retired IAS, Members such as Arun Maira and Sayeeda Hamid enjoyed Aamir Khan produced Bollywood film Peepli Live, a satire on farmers’ suicide and inefficiency of development programmes. It remains to be seen whether it would have nay impact on the plan panel bureaucrats who are formulating the draft Approach Paper of the 12th five year plan (20012-17).
After the special screening, Ahluwalia spoke with the reporters to say how important it was to watch a movie that talks about the perception of people on the development programmes. Sometime ago, Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh himself watched the movie and praised it during his interaction with newspaper editors.

It was the debut movie for TV journalist turned filmmaker Anusha Rizvi who went out of the way to depict the Great Indian Political and Bureaucratic Tamasha with her humour-laced script and earthy lingo. Will other ministries too initiate special screening of movies which have social relevance.

Disclaimer: The photograph used is imaginary, not real.

UPSC now encourages online applications

As part of its e-governance initiative, Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has introduced the system of online submission of applications for the competitive examinations it conducts. An increasingly good number of candidates have already started applying online for the UPSC examinations notified during 2010. Although this facility is in addition to the option of submitting paper applications already available, the prospective candidates are encouraged to prefer online mode of applying for the UPSC examinations using the link http://www.upsconline.nic.in, according to a government release.

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Why you should submit online submission of forms?

Change of Heart? Ahluwalia takes break from macro-economics to discover world of paintings

WHAT has happened to the man who spends time only on planning and macro economics to have a relaxed afternoon in appreciating traditional paintings? Yes, the photograph is of deputy Chairman, Planning Commission, Montek Singh Ahluwalia after inaugurating the exhibition-cum-sale of traditional paintings and home decor products, in New Delhi on August 25, 2010. Does Ahluwalia love painting, or is it his Member Secretary and retired IAS Sudha Pillai's influence on Yojana Bhawan? Ms Pillai is a quality painter for whom painting is a serious hobby. Ms Pillai, who is wife of home secretary GK Pillai, has made several ceramic murals, including a series on the Tree of Life and organised a number of painting exhibitions. No doubt, there is a little bit of art in everybody's life!

Who would be the first Additional Secretary in 1980 batch: An analysis by an anonymous Insider
An anonymous officer, who definitely understands the power dynamics well, has mailed the following analysis to babu blogger on who could be the first Additional Secretary in 1980 batch. It's worth reading.
"Upendra Tripathy (Karnataka) has moved from Minority Affairs Ministry to Cabinet Secretariat as JS in a lateral shift, to eventually take over from Dr Mrutunjay Sarangi (1977 Tamil Nadu) as and when he moves out as Secretary. Ashok Lavasa (Haryana) has also got a lateral move to Power Ministry to be the AS there when his turn comes, although there is a clear vacancy in Power Ministry after Anil Kumar moved to Planning Commission. Dr Satish B Agnihotri (Orissa) is in charge Director General of Shipping at Mumbai. He would take over as DG when his turn comes.
So these three officers have been slotted and would become AS when there turn comes as per seniority. Similarly Amitabh Kant (Kerala) CEO of Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor of Industry Ministry, Dr J S Mishra (UP) CEO Khadi Board at Mumbai and Jiji Thomson (Kerala) with Commonwealth Games would get promoted in their present posts by upgrading the posts.
At least four officers would be designated as Additional Secretaries in their present posts. Naini Jaiseelan (AGMUT) who is Advisor in Planning Commission (though Smt Omita Paul, Advisor to Pranab Mukherjee has made a request to bring her to Finance Ministry); Shakti Kantha Das (Tamil Nadu) who is JS (Budget) in Finance Ministry; Shankar Agrawala (UP) who is JS (E-Governance) in Department of Information Technology and Rajeev Kher (UP) who is JS (Trade Policy) in Commerce.
All eyes are on the top five officers of 1980 batch in the list of empanelment and who are posted in Delhi now. NK Sinha (Bihar) is in Human Resource Development. Kapil Sibal is happy with him and may request for in situ upgradation (as he did for two officers of 1979 batch Sunil Kumar and Anitha Kaul). Dr Arvind Prasad (Bihar) is JS in Social Justice and Empowerment and with a B Tech from IIT Kanpur and PhD from Yale is in high demand. Next is Naini Jaiseelan (Naini Dhillon before marriage) who may stay back in Planning Commission or go to Finance. Dr Anup K Pujari, part time Harvard professor is now in Finance looking after Fund-Bank work (which had such stalwarts as N K Singh (now MP Rajya Sabha from Bihar and V Govindarajan, from AP cadre now in National Manufacturing Commission, both of whom became Additional Secretary in the same desk), and then is Dr Shyam Agrawala (Rajasthan), now JS in Commerce.
Both Dr Pujari and Dr Agrawala have PhD from USA and both have been Additional DG Foreign Trade and hence are in demand to be the DGFT (vacated by R S Gujaral who moved as Secretary Road Transport). Dr Shyam Agrawala may also become AS and FA in place of Dr Sutanu Behuria (1976 HP).
Every one is hoping that an officer of 1980 batch is posted quickly as DGFT or as Establishment Officer (these are the ONLY two clear vacancies) so that other officers get in situ posting as Additional Secretary immediately. Present EO Pradip Mishra prefers Shankar Agrawala who is also from UP cadre like him (and has worked in DoPT earlier) or Dr Pujari who is from Delhi School of Economics like him, to come as EO. PMO has a preference for Dr Nandita Chatterjee (West Bengal) both to have a lady officer as EO and also being backed by a powerful JS in PMO. Dr Chatterjee is now Dy Director General with CAPART and has worked with WHO earlier."

NDC sidelights: Top bureaucrats gather in the calendar's biggest power event

MEMBER Secretary to Planning Commission Sudha Pillai, who was recently elevated to the rank of a minister of state, played a perfect host at National Development Council meet in New Delhi’s Vigyan Bhawan on Saturday. Wearing a light pink sari, this 1972 batch Kerala cadre retired IAS was welcoming high profile dignitaries of the NDC meet including Union ministers and state chief ministers before accompanying deputy chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia to welcome Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh at the venue.
Before PM’s arrival, Ms Pillai was seen exchanging a few words with minister of road transport and highways Kamal Nath who had recently created a controversy by calling the Planning Commission an “armchair adviser”. He husband and home secretary GK Pillai was also seen talking to fellow bureaucrats and saying “hello” to chief minister of Andhra Pradesh K Rosaiah among others. Later, he had a quick lunch before proceeding for the North Block for an important meet with Gorkha leaders.

Before the function began, master bureaucrat and principal adviser to Prime Minister TKA Nair was busy talking to a number of ministers. Another high profile bureaucrat, finance secretary Ashok Chawla, a 1973 batch Gujarat cadre IAS spent some time catching up with fellow bureaucrats and other dignitaries. He was seen talking to a number of officials from other ministries during the lunch too.

At the dining area, food processing secretary Ashok Sinha was called by his minister Subodh Kant Sahai to a corner to discuss about a ministry project when everyone else was enjoying the lunch with peeli dal, chicken curry and fired chicken!

Also Read

Is Ashok Sinha the most stylish bureaucrat? 

Sudha Pillai as one of the 3 most powerful women bureaucrats

CAT takes up sacked IAS officers’ cause

The IAS officers, 1983 batch Desh Deepak and 1987 batch Vijender Kumar, who were asked to leave, are now fighting their battle through Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), The CAT has now issued notices to Himachal Pradesh government and Central government to reply to the allegations made by these sacked officers. Desh Deepak, who hails from Delhi and is a doctor by profession before becoming an IAS, had a seven-year tenure left prior to the retirement. For Vijender Kumar, who is also from Himachal Pradesh cadre and originally belongs with UP, would have been retired only in February, 2017. Both the officers have now challenged the government’s order saying the decision as biased and unfair.

Bonanza for rural bank employees

Finance Minister Shri Pranab Mukherjee has announced a wage revision of the pay-scale and allowances of the employees of the RRBs corresponding to those of Nationalised Banks according to 9th Bipartite Settlement. The additional cost burden of the arrears on this account would be about Rs 791 crore. 

A panel of members in Planning Commission refuses to endorse package for Naxal areas terming it a bureaucratic exercise

A PANEL of three members of Planning Commission has refused to endorse a draft package for Naxal areas terming it a “bureaucratic exercise” with no views from local people being accommodated there, a media report in a national newspaper said. The members, Abhijit Sen, Mihir Shah and Narendra Jhadav, said that they can’t put a stamp on an action plan based on failed project delivery systems.

Member secretary Sudha Pillai, a 1972 batch IAS, has been passionately working out the details of the development package for Naxal areas, and there were reports in media how her approach to Naxal is different from that of her husband and home secretary GK Pillai whose ministry has been playing the key role in finding a military solution to the vexed issue.

Bringing Buddha to New Zealand bureaucrats

A delegation of monks and nuns has brought the teachings of Buddha to politicians and civil servants of New Zealand as they gifted Dhammapada – a book of teachings of saint Budhha to the country’s Parliament. The scripture comprising over 400 short sayings believed to be of Buddha and originally written in Pali language, was earlier presented to Australian politicians too. In New Zealand, there are a few Buddhist MPs, including Labour’s Darien Fenton.

Secretaries In Action

Information and Broadcasting secretary Raghu Menon, a 1974 batch Nagaland cadre IAS, said in Guwahati on Tuesday that the Community Radio as an outreach tool would be strengthened during the 12th five year Plan, and the ministry would consider the proposal of providing a seed capital for initiating such effective tools for the North-Eastern region. He along with his minister Ambika Soni were present in the North-Eastern city for attending the first Regional Conference of Media Units in the North-East.

Commonwealth Games could be an excuse for govt to give yet another extension to cabinet secretary Chandrasekhar

 THE government may find the Commonwealth Games preparation an excuse to give yet another extension to incumbent cabinet secretary KM Chandrasekhar, a 1970 batch Kerala cadre IAS and former revenue secretary in Government of India. Mr Chandrasekhar, who got an extension of one year in June 2009 only to dash hopes of then labour secretary and now Member Secretary in Planning Commission Sudha Pillai becoming the cabinet secretary, may now play a spoilsport to the bids of urban development secretary M Ramachandran of 1972 batch and finance secretary Ashok Chawla of 1973 batch becoming the country’s top bureaucrat. Mr Ramachandran is retiring next month and Mr Chawla will retire in January 2011.

According to highly placed sources, the need for a continued co-ordination with various ministries in the run-up to the Commonwealth Games could be assigned as a reason for the unusual second extension for the incumbent cabinet secretary.

What this extension may also mean is a possible homecoming for Pulok Chaterji, a 1974 batch UP cadre IAS, who had earlier served as a secretary in PMO dealing with all important issues including transfers and appointments.

Significantly, babusofindia.com (BoI) speculated such a situation in a post dated way back to March 2, 2010. It wrote, “…if Mr Chandrasekhar is given another extension, it could also pave the way for Pulok Chaterji, a 1974 batch UP cadre IAS and close confidante of UPA chairwoman Sonia Gandhi, to supersede a few officers to grab the top bureaucrat’s job. A secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) during UPA’s first innings, Mr Chaterji is now in Washington DC serving as the executive director of the World Bank…”

(In Picture: Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh congratulating Dr Shah Faisal, the Civil Services topper for 2010 from Jammu and Kashmir, in New Delhi on May 26, 2010.)

Action and Appointments

a) The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the appointment of Ms Nita Kapoor, a 1973 batch IDAS as secretary (defence finance) in place of Ms Indu Liberhan, a 1972 batch IDAS who is retiring on May 31, 2010.

b) The ACC has also approved the appointment of Manbir Singh, a 1976 batch IFS as secretary, at the headquarters of the ministry of external affairs (MEA) in place of Ms Parbati Sen Vyas, a 1975 batch IFS who is retiring on July 31, 2010.

c) Niten Chandra, a 1990 batch Orissa cadre IAS, presently working as director in the department of rural development has been appointed as joint secretary in that department.

BoI Extraa

Like to send your children for a theatre workshop to be held from June 15, 2010 to June 30, 2010, in New Delhi to be organised by Central Civil Services Cultural and Sports Board. Just follow THIS LINK 

IAS Toppers Day: Special dinner and receptions to welcome India’s new icons

THOSE who made into IAS and other elite Indian civil services across the country spent a busy Friday as they were flooded with congratulatory messages and requests for media interactions apart from their attending of special dinners and receptions.

For Shah Faesal, who turned out to be the first Kashmiri ever to top the civil services examination, it was a big day as village drummers from his native Sogam in Kupwara sang traditional songs and threw rose petals to welcome him. According to media reports, Governor NN Vohra invited the Valley’s new celebrity and his mother to the Raj Bhawan.

In Delhi, DoPT issued a congratulatory message from minister Prithviraj Chavan, “We in DoPT greet all of you on choosing a career in the prestigious civil services and hope that you will live up to the expectations and aspirations of the citizens of India”.

In Orissa, Rashmita Panda (13^th rank), a bank officer’s daughter, who did not accept a placement in an IT major to become an IAS officer, became the talk of the town. Also, the state celebrated the success of Sudhanshu Mohan Samal, a boy from an Oriya-medium school in Kendrapada’s Indupur village who secured the 18th position in over-all ranking.

Action and Appointments

a) Sudha Pillai, 1972 batch IAS who retired on April 30, took over as member secretary of the Planning Commission in the rank of minister of state (MoS). A gold medalist from Punjab university, she secured the second rank in the civil services exams.

Also Read

1972 batch bureaucrats continue to take the centre-stage

b) PJ Thomas, a 1973 batch Kerala cadre IAS and secretary in the department of telecommunications, will hold the additional charge of the post of secretary, department of information technology during the period of absence of leave of R Chandrasekhar, a 1975 batch AP cadre IAS from May 10 to May 25, 2010.

1972 batch bureaucrats continue to take the centre-stage of India’s power corridors

IN January this year, babusofindia.com (BoI) presented the rise of 1972 batch officers with a tagline of “Numerological Influence” after bureaucrats of that batch continuously scripted success stories in grabbing key government posts including national security adviser (NSA), RBI Governor, home and defence secretaries and Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) just to name a few.

Now, with Sudha Pillai (In Picture) of 1972 batch becoming Member Secretary of Planning Commission with a rank of a Minister of State post retirement, and urban development secretary and her batch-mate M Ramachandran emerging as the top contender for the cabinet secretary’s post that will be vacant next month, it may not just be numerological influence, but sheer indispensability of some bureaucrats for whom retirement age of 60 is strictly not applicable.

But the bigger question here is what makes some officers so indispensable in the government that Prime Minister and his spin doctors don’t want them to lose whereas hundreds of other bureaucrats simply retire and go into oblivion. Ms Pillai, who has already made a mark in social sectors, first as labour secretary and then as Planning Commission secretary, there is no surprise in the decision of the top brass of the government to keep her engaged even after retirement.

Or for that matter, RBI Governor and the topper of 1972 batch Duvvuri Subbarao is unlikely to be out of action even after his tenure in the central bank ends. If the earlier trends continue, GK Pillai who is now on a two-year fixed term as home secretary, could emerge as strong contenders for gubernatorial positions in any North-East state!

High Five

Wish to see a photograph of five young and stylish IAS officers of 1972 batch during their Army attachment period? Just click at this PUBLICLY AVAILABLE LINK, then scroll it down to the eighth black and white picture. One in the middle with spectacles and tight trouser is home secretary GK Pillai (husband of Sudha Pillai) who is flanked by former agriculture secretary T Nanda Kumar, urban development secretary M Ramachandran, and former Maharashtra chief secretary Johny Joseph. 

Women’s Bill In Raisina Hill: Indian politicians bank on power women of great Indian babudom

IF THE Indian government has its way, the “Monday, the March 8” won’t just be remembered just for routine celebration of international women’s day. In fact, India is on the verge of making history as the ruling party coupled with the main Opposition, the BJP, is determined to enact a new law that will ensure 33% reservation for women Parliamentarians in Lok Sabha.

Whereas more women politicians are likely to enter corridors of power in coming days, let’s do a reality check of the most powerful women bureaucrats in India and why they are so important in Raisina Hills.

In fact, the BoI (babusofindia) ranking of the country’s three most powerful women has remained unchanged during the last five months. Even now, foreign secretary Nirupama Rao, a 1973 batch IFS, India’s ambassador to US Meera Shankar, also a 1973 batch IFS and 1972 batch Kerala cadre IAS and Planning Commission secretary Sudha Pillai have remained the three most powerful women bureaucrats in the country.

(Click here to read: India’s 3 most powerful women bureaucrats)

But they are not alone. One out of four secretary level officers (at the Centre) happens to be a woman --- a marginally improved statistics than 13.7% serving IAS in the country being women officers.

Some of the power-women in New Delhi include expenditure secretary Sushama Nath, a 1974 batch MP cadre IAS, school education secretary Anshu Vaish, a 1975 batch MP cadre IAS, mining secretary Santha Sheela Nair, 1973 batch Tamil Nadu cadre IAS, health secretary Kanuru Sujatha Rao, 1974 batch Andhra Pradesh cadre IAS, higher education secretary Vibha Puri, 1976 batch Uttarakhand cadre, secretary in department of AYUSH S Jalaja, 1974 batch Bihar cadre IAS, land resources secretary Rita Sinha, a1973 batch UP cadre IAS, drinking water secretary Rajwant Sandhu, a 1975 batch HP cadre IAS, food secretary Alka Sirohi, a 1974 batch MP cadre IAS, textile secretary Rita Menon, a 1975 batch UP cadre IAS, sports secretary Sindhushree Khullar, 1975 batch UT cadre IAS, urban poverty alleviation secretary Kiran Dhingra, also a 1975 batch UT cadre IAS etc.

Also Read

Meera Shankar's party in Washington

Meera Shankar's letter on corrupt railway babus

Nirupama Rao's prescription for Indian diplomats

Sudha Pillai still a contender for cabinet secretary

Questions in Lok Sabha on changes in UPSC’s recruitment process

WATCH out for the official answer of some of the important questions that you have been guessing for far. The government will give a formal reply to a question admitted in Lok Sabha on possible changes in the recruitment process of Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). Though the changes in the methods of recruitment through UPSC have been indicated in various forums, it has not been made clear so far.

The list of unstarred questions that are being admitted in Lok Sabha for March 10, 2010, also includes amendment of RTI Act, CBI raid in government offices, reservation for Muslims, travel concessions for pensioners, OBC in Central government services, bureaucrats in vigilance cases, induction of state civil services to IAS, vacant posts in CBI, reservation to ex-servicemen etc. For the same day, there is a starred question on single recruitment examination too.

List of Lok Sabha questions for March 10, 2010

Countdown Begins: Who will be India’s next cabinet secretary?

THE race for the next cabinet secretary’s post may get intensified in the coming days as there are just three and half months left for a new IAS officer to clinch India’s top bureaucrat’s job. But if incumbent KM Chandrasekhar, a 1970 batch Kerala cadre IAS, gets an extension for six months, as was reported by a national daily on Monday, the present permutations and combinations may go topsy-turvy.

Situation 1: Advantage Ramachandran

First, let’s do a reality check of the Situation 1 in which Mr Chandrasekhar retires as scheduled on June 14, 2010 after serving as the cabinet secretary for long three years. In that case, the senior most bureaucrat of the 1972 batch and current urban development secretary M Ramachandran is a clear winner. He is non-controversial, a strong follower of rule books, hard-working and also a hot favourite of Prime Minister’s principal secretary and one of the most influential officials in the PMO, TKA Nair. Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh has interacted with him on a few occasions, and is believed to have a good opinion about him. The only other 1972 batch secretary level officer who will remain serving till then is tourism secretary Sujit Banerjee, but he is no way a contender for the post.

What further helps Mr Ramachandran over someone from 1973 or 1974 batch is the fact that both home secretary GK Pillai and defence secretary Pradeep Kumar who are on two-year-long fixed terms, happen to be his batch-mates and are unlikely to be subjected under a junior cabinet secretary.

Also Read

Numerological influence of 1972 batch IAS?

Situation 2: First woman cabinet secretary

Sometime back, there were gossips in Raisina Hill that incumbent cabinet secretary Mr Chandrasekhar who is already on an extension now, may be given a post equivalent to a minister of state earlier than scheduled, paving the way for Planning Commission secretary and the topper of the current merit cum seniority list of 1972 batch IAS now, Sudha Pillai to get the coveted post. But that can be possible only if the announcement is made one and half months earlier, as Ms Pillai who is also the wife of home secretary GK Pillai, retires on April 30, 2010. babu blogger made a mistake in an earlier post saying that Ms Pillai would retire on May 31, 2010.

Her strong social sector background may rather count as a positive factor, as the cabinet secretary’s mandate no longer requires prior experiences in home or defence, as the incumbent cabinet secretary himself is a former revenue secretary. Also, NSA Shiv Shankar Menon and home secretary GK Pillai, both happen to be from the same 1972 batch IFS and IAS respectively, are likely to take care of issues related to external and internal security respectively. For Ms Pillai, the biggest strength, however, comes from the fact that Dr Singh’s government may like to make a history by elevating two women officers as foreign secretary and cabinet secretary. For the record, 1973 batch IFS Nirupama Rao is already the top diplomat of the country.

Read

BoI Ranking: India's top 3 most powerful woman bureaucrats

Woman on Top: Nirupama Rao is now foreign secretary

Situation 3: Chawla Vs Chaterje

This is a newly developed situation of present cabinet secretary getting an extension for another six months in addition to his one-year extended term. Though the national daily which flashed this speculative story on Monday did not assign any major reason for his possible extension, many of his ongoing initiatives including assessment of ministries in a structured manner could be one of the reasons for the PM to vouch for continuity.

But a six months extension for Mr Chandrasekhar means current finance secretary Ashok Chawla, a 1973 batch Gujarat cadre IAS retiring only on January 31, 2011, emerging as the top contender for the coveted post. He is known to be well-connected in power circle and has served under two Congress heavyweights – finance minister Pranab Mukherjee and home minister P Chidambaram. Though a person close to the development says that his closeness to Pranab Mukherjee may rather be counter-productive, but few people know that he has some 10 Janpath connections too!

But even a fewer people have anticipated so far that if Mr Chandrasekhar is given another extension, it could also pave the way for Pulok Chaterji, a 1974 batch UP cadre IAS and close confidante of UPA chairwoman Sonia Gandhi, to supersede a few officers to grab the top bureaucrat’s job.

A secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) during UPA’s first innings, Mr Chaterji is now in Washington DC serving as the executive director of the World Bank. After all, he had served as district magistrate of Rae Bareli in early 1980s, a director in the PMO during Rajiv Gandhi’s time, a secretary (joint secretary equivalent) in Rajiv Gandhi Foundation in early 1990s, and then a private secretary to Sonia Gandhi when she was the leader of the Opposition. A quite a strong CV indeed to clinch India’s top bureaucrat’s job!

Also Read

BoI Ranking: Pulok Chaterji is India's most powerful bureaucrat

BoI Ranking: Chawla is fourth most powerful bureaucrat

PMO continues to retain key officers

BoI Ranking: India’s Top 3 Most Powerful Woman Bureaucrats are Nirupama Rao, Meera Shankar & Sudha Pillai

HAD current secretary to Planning Commission Sudha Pillai made it to the top as cabinet secretary, India’s top two bureaucrats today would have been women making history in India’s power corridors. Despite being at the top in the merit-cum-seniority list of IAS officers, Ms Pillai missed the bus as the incumbent K M Chandrasekhar was given one year’s extension after the new government was formed. Nevertheless, Nirupama Rao became the foreign secretary in July this year after another powerful IFS and Rao’s batch-mate Meera Shankar (See Picture with US Prez) was made India’s ambassador to US. After BoI’s (babus of india) selection of 5 most powerful bureaucrats, which incidentally had no woman contender, here is the list of top 3 most powerful woman bureaucrats based on feedback of politicians and senior bureaucrats who have an insight of the country’s power corridors. Interestingly, it’s a mere co-incidence that spouses of all three most powerful women bureaucrats who BoI has selected, happen to be senior IAS --- Sudhakar Rao, Ajay Shankar and G K Pillai respectively.

No 1: Nirupama Rao Being the number one Indian Foreign Service officer and only the second woman in the history to become India’s foreign secretary, Nirupama Rao is India’s most powerful bureaucrat today. An MA in English literature, this 1973 batch IFS from Kerala has held key diplomatic positions including minister for press affairs at the Indian Embassy in Washington, deputy chief of mission at the Embassy of India, Moscow, MEA’s official spokesperson and India’s ambassador to China, and yes, she proved her mettle in every important post. No wonder, she was a favourite officer of former external affairs minister Jaswant Singh, and was considered highly efficient during BJP’s regime too. Her biggest challenge today is not just to ensure meaningful diplomacy with Pakistan, but to keep China engaged in a continuous dialogue process. Read: Rao’s take on art of diplomacy (August 25, 2009) No 2: Meera Shankar India’s ambassador to US Meera Shankar who has recently become a newsmaker for writing a letter to Prime Minister’s principal secretary TKA Nair giving details about US companies bribing Indian government officers, is BoI’s choice to be the second most powerful woman bureaucrat today. Born on October 9, 1950, this 1973 batch IFS was earlier India’s ambassador to Germany, and had an earlier innings at Washington (1991-’95) when India liberalized its economy under Dr Manmohan Singh’s tenure as the country’s finance minister. Wife of India’s industry secretary Ajay Shankar, a 1973 batch UP cadre IAS, Mr Shankar’s biggest challenge today is to muster the country’s economic diplomacy and help India achieve a higher than expected growth rate. No 3: Sudha Pillai This 1972 batch Kerala cadre IAS is still considered to be an asset by Team Manmohan Singh, though many in power corridors strongly believe that it was intentional on the part of the government for not giving the highly-sensitive post of cabinet secretary to a woman officer who has better understanding of only social sectors. Her biggest challenger in the race for the post of cabinet secretary was her husband and batch-mate from the same cadre G K Pillai who too lost out after the incumbent Mr Chandrasekhar was given extension. Mr Pillai was then made home secretary with a two-year-term. There’s no doubt that Ms Pillai is still the most powerful women IAS officer today, and keeping in mind her grip on India’s social sector, she is tipped to become the member secretary in the Planning Commission with a rank of a minister! Read: Pati, Patni and Post: It’s Pillai Vs Pillai for next cabinet secretary (May 11, 2009) Read: India’s Top 5 Most Powerful Bureaucrats (August 24, 2009)

Will Dr Manmohan Singh prescribe 62 as retirement age for govt employees? If it happens, who gain & who lose…

IF Prime Minister of India Dr Manmohan Singh announces raising of Indian civil servants’ retirement age to 62 years in his Independence Day speech on August 15, as is speculated by a section of media, over one lakh government employees who would have retired during the next two years, will gain immediately. Whereas majority would stand to gain by this move, provided it materializes, the proposal would make a few babuz unhappy too. babu blogger here makes an attempt to analyze who among the top bureaucrats will gain whereas who will actually lose thanks to this decision. Why Govt May Announce It In a drought-hit year which will continue to witness impacts of continuing global economic meltdown, the government may like to lessen its financial burden by this innovative mechanism. Whereas government’s salary budget will go up, it may save more money by not paying the retirement benefits such as gratuity etc. Also, it may earn goodwill among the government employees. Who among top bureaucrats gain? Though every officer will gain out of the decision, it’s better for 90 IAS officers who would have retired between August 15 to December 31, 2009. They can now postpone their post-retirement plans by two years. According to babu blogger’s calculation, 509 IAS will be retiring in the next two years beginning August 15 this year, and this could be the happiest lot. For the record, there are 1,237 IAS officers in the age group of 56-60 years. Also, if retirement age is increased to 62, Kerala cadre IAS of 1972 batch and secretary in Planning Commission Sudha Pillai, will again be a contender for the cabinet secretary’s post once the present incumbent K M Chandrasekhar’s term ends next year. Read "Pati, Patni and Post: It's Sudha Pillai vs. G K Pillai for next cabinet secretary", published on May 11, 2009. Who among top bureaucrats lose? As many of the present secretaries will remain on their posts, if the retirement age is increased by two years, those in 1976 batch would have to contend with posts like special secretaries who don’t get a chance to manage a department or ministry independently. Also, 1979 batch IAS officers who would have been additional secretaries soon will have to wait longer to get vacant slots. Raise Of Retirement Age In The Past For the record, the age of superannuation was increased from 55 to 58 following the 1962 war with China during Jawaharlal Nehru’s time. It was then raised to 60 in 1998 by the NDA government.

WATERLOO: Civil servants may show their talent in a Water Polo event in Delhi

CALL it a freedom from boredom. Come August 29 and 30, civil servants in India may have some fun in water. The Central Civil Services Cultural & Sports Board is organizing an inter-ministerial aquatic meet in Delhi under which Water Polo competitions would take place provided there is enough number of government employees ready to participate the event. In addition to Water Polo matches, the government has planned to organize swimming events including free style, back stroke, breast stroke and butterfly both for male and female sarkari employees. The events are scheduled to be held at Pacific Sports Complex near LSR college in the national capital. However, the events may not take place at all if there are a less number of participants, a government circular said. The government employees from various ministries would have to register in a prescribed proforma with an entry fee of Rs 10 per head per event and Rs 50 for Water Polo and team events. The details can be obtained over phone from the office of Central Civil Services Cultural & Sports Board at 011-24624204. Many in the government feel that the proposed aquatic event in Delhi, which hosts Commonwealth Games next year, would encourage government babus to think beyond cricket.

Action & Appointments a) Sudha Pillai, a 1972 batch Kerla cadre IAS, and presently secretary in the ministry of labour and employment has been appointed as secretary of the Planning Commission in place of S C Pani, a 1972 batch Orissa cadre IAS who has retired. P C Chaturvedi, a 1975 batch UP cadre IAS and currently Director General, ESIC would be new labour secretary. Ms Pillai was a strong contender for the cabinet secretary’s post. Read "Pati, Patni and Post: It's Sudha Pillai vs. G K Pillai for next cabinet secretary" dated May 11, 2009. b) Rakesh Kumar Gupta, a J&K cadre IAS has been appointed to the newly created post of additional secretary (joint secretary level) in the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), in the pay band of Rs 37400-67000 (PB-4) plus grade pay of Rs 10000, for the balance period of his Central deputation tenure of five years upto February 15, 2011 or until further orders.

Yet another Pati, Patni & Post tale: Anjali Prasad to replace her husband as DIPP joint secretary

IN YET another tale of Pati, Patni and Post, a 1983 batch Uttaranchal cadre IAS Anjali Prasad may join the department of industrial policy and promotion (DIPP) under the ministry of commerce and industry as a joint secretary, the post which is lying vacant after her husband N N Prasad, a 1981 batch Uttaranchal cadre IAS got a foreign posting couple of months ago. This is, however, a case where the wife incidentally receives the same post held by her husband earlier, unlike BoI’s earlier tale of “Pati, Patni and Post” in which then commerce secretary and present home secretary G K Pillai was competing with his wife labour secretary Sudha Pillai to clinch the cabinet secretary’s post. But neither of those 1972 batch Kerala cadre IAS succeeded as the current incumbent K M Chandrasekhar got one year’s extension. Significantly, Ms Prasad, a product of Delhi School of Economics, who held various responsibilities at the state level in the field of industry, commerce and finance, also had diplomas on WTO dispute settlement and WIPO diploma in Intellectual Property Rights (IPR). Her husband Mr Prasad, who as a joint secretary in DIPP played a key role in sensitizing the IPR issues, joined as the Chef De Cabinet to the Director General of WIPO, Dr Francis Gurry in Geneva two months ago. The WIPO is the world intellectual property organization and one of the 16 specialised agencies under the United Nations. Ms Prasad is the daughter of former IAS, A N Verma who served as the principal secretary to Prime Minister during Narasimha Rao’s time.

Woman On Top: Nirupama Rao to be India’s next foreign secretary

NIRUPAMA Rao, a 1973 batch IFS and currently Ambassador to China, will be India’s next foreign secretary on the retirement of the present incumbent Shivshankar Menon on July 31, 2009. She is the second woman foreign secretary after Chokila Iyer. Had labour secretary Sudha Pillai clinched the cabinet secretary’s job, country’s top administrative and diplomatic posts would have for the first time been occupied by women officers. Ms Pillai, who was the senior most officer in the merit list, missed the bus as incumbent cabinet secretary K M Chandrasekhar was given one year’s extension. Another prominent foreign service post, India’s ambassador to US, recently went to Meera Shankar, another woman officer and batch-mate of Ms Rao. Incidentally, both the President of the nation and Lok Sabha speaker happen to be women. babu blogger in his post on June 3, 2009, said that “India’s ambassador to China Nirupama Rao’s ability to grab the crucial foreign secretary’s post would determine the degree of celebration for woman leadership in the country.” In fact, Vajpayee government appointed Chokila Iyre, a woman IFS officer, as foreign secretary in 2000, but it was a different story while filling up the top IAS post. An extension of former cabinet secretary B K Chaturvedi had stalled Reva Nayyar, an IAS from Haryana cadre, becoming the first woman cabinet secretary.

Know Your Babu: Nirupama Rao

Date of Birth: December 6, 1950 Educational Qualifications: MA in English Literature from Marathwada University. A Fellow at the Centre for International Affairs in Harvard University specializing on Asia-Pacific security. Postings January 1976 - October 1983: At Indian Missions in Vienna and Colombo, and as Desk Officer in the Southern Africa and Nepal Desks in the ministry of external affairs. 1984 to 1992: Worked in the East Asia division of the MEA, with special focus on India-China relations. October 1993 to October 1995: Minister for Press Affairs at the Indian Embassy in Washington. 1995-May 1998: India's Ambassador to Peru. June 1998 and August 1999: Deputy chief of mission at the Embassy of India, Moscow. June 2001 to October 2002: Joint Secretary (external publicity) and official spokesperson of the MEA, the first woman officer to hold this post in the ministry. Major assignments: Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka and then Indian Ambassador to China from September 2006 Prasad to continue in PMO Continuity seems to be the mantra for Dr Manmohan Singh’s second innings as many officers from the cabinet secretary downwards are holding on to same positions under the new government. M N Prasad, a 1972 batch IAS, will remain a secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), but on contract basis. Mr Prasad, who would have retired now, is continuing in the PMO on a contract basis but in the rank, pay and status of secretary to the government of India with effect from July 1, 2009, and until further orders, a release said.

Back to North Block: GK Pillai to take over as new home secretary

INDIA'S two most important bureaucrats, cabinet secretary and home secretary, may now be able to discuss security related matters in Malayalam. There is no prize for guessing who is India’s next home secretary! Present commerce secretary G K Pillai, a 1972 batch Kerala cadre IAS, will move to North Block as an OSD (Home) now, and will finally take over as home secretary on June 30, 2009 when current incumbent Madhukar Gupta, a 1970 batch IAS, retires. Mr Pillai, who was also a contender for the post of cabinet secretary along with his wife labour secretary Sudha Pillai, will have a now have a two-year-term in North Block. The government had earlier given one year extension to K M Chandrasekhar, Mr Pillai’s senior from Kerala cadre. Mr Pillai is quite familiar with the home ministry where he was the joint secretary in charge of North East from 1996-2001 before becoming the principal secretary to Kerala CM A K Antony, now defence minister in Manmohan Singh’s cabinet. This has led people in power corridors speculate that Mr Pillai could be selected for defence secretary after the incumbent Vijay Singh retires next month. Now, there have already been speculations over who would become the next defence secretary. Keep reading Babu Blogger’s posts. Delhiite Khullar appointed as commerce secretary THE government has also appointed disinvestment secretary Rahul Khullar of 1975 batch as the next commerce secretary. The man who is one of the few senior officers belonging to the capital city of Delhi, had earlier worked in commerce ministry in various capacities including as joint secretary, additional secretary and special secretary. A doctorate in economics, Mr Khullar also completed a course in economics from Boston University, US. Babus In Demand THE government has asked for nominations for newly instituted “Prime Minister’s Awards for Excellence in Public Administration” to acknowledge, recognize and reward the extraordinary and innovative work done by officers of Central and state governments. All officers of Central and state governments individually or as group or as organizations are eligible for consideration. The last date of receipt of nominations is August 17, 2009. For details, log onto http://darpg.nic.in/ or http://www.asci.org.in/ You can also pick up the phone to contact director (administrative reforms) in the department of administrative reforms and public grievances at 011-23362369

Women On Top: Jury is not out yet

SHE is back, but not yet on top. The 1973 batch IFS officer and India’s ambassador to China Nirupama Rao’s ability to grab the crucial foreign secretary’s post will determine the degree of celebration for woman leadership in the country. As India’s political leaders prepare themselves to install the first woman Speaker in Parliament, the news of extension of the current cabinet secretary played a spoilsport on a woman getting the key administrative post for the first time. In fact, labour secretary Sudha Pillai was the front-runner for the cabinet secretary’s post as she topped the merit-cum-seniority list. There were also some possibilities of both key bureaucratic posts -- cabinet secretary and foreign secretary – would this time be filled by women. Ms Rao is still the front-runner for the foreign secretary’s post when the present incumbent Shiv Shankar Menon retires in a few weeks time. In fact, Vajpayee government appointed Chokila Iyre, a woman IFS officer, as foreign secretary in 2000, but an extension of former cabinet secretary B K Chaturvedi had ealier stalled Reva Nayyar, an IAS from Haryana cadre, becoming the first woman cabinet secretary. Significantly, out of 4537 IAS officers in the country only 609, or 13%, are women officers.

Chandrasekhar gets extension; Ramachandran & Chawla to be key contenders for cabinet secretary’s post next year

WITH the government’s decision to give one year extension to current cabinet secretary K M Chandrasekhar from June 13, 2009, the hope of a woman officer getting the top administrative post in India is over. Had the extension been not given, labour secretary Sudha Pillai, who currently tops the merit-cum-seniority list of IAS officers of 1972 batch, would have clinched the cabinet secretary’s post, which would have been in sync with President of the nation being a woman, and Lok Sabha speaker is all set to be a woman. While writing the piece “Pati, Patni and Post: It’s Sudha Pillai vs. G K Pillai for next cabinet secretary” on May 11, 2009, BoI (Babus of India) mentioned, “Babu Blogger spoke to a number of IAS officers to come to a conclusion that no government can afford to be so gender bias to deprive Ms Pillai though some said in private that no woman would eventually be given that key post….” Significantly, with the current battle being over, urban development secretary M Ramachandran of 1972 batch and finance secretary Ashok Chawla of 1973 batch will be the key contenders for cabinet secretary’s post next year. Mr Ramachandran will qualify to be a contender as he retires just a few days after Mr Chandrasekhar’s one-year-term comes to an end. Once he is selected as the cabinet secretary, he will get a fixed two years term. Finance secretary Chawla, who is known to be politically well connected, is currently ranked at 15 in the merit-cum-seniority list of 1973 batch IAS list, but by mid-June next year, all those above him barring four officers, would be retiring. Even those four officers would not qualify to be contenders for the highest administrative post in the country as they are either in states or are now holding only secretary-equivalent posts. So who are you betting for the next turn --- Mr Ramachandran or Mr Chawla?

Barbora assumes charge as new vice chief of the Air staff Air Marshal Pranab Kumar Barbora assumed charge as the new vice chief of the Air staff at air headquarters on June 1, 2009. He was formerly the air officer commanding-in-chief of IAF’s western air command (WAC) and eastern air command (EAC), a defense ministry release said. Born on December 10, 1950 in Shillong, Mr Barbora was commissioned into the IAF as a fighter pilot on June 13, 1970. A highly experienced aviator with over 3500 hours to his credit, he took part in the 1971 war.

My Take: 30 days of writing on Indian civil servants

WHEN I began writing this blog on Indian civil servants exactly a month ago, a sense of silence prevailed in power corridors of Delhi as the political masters were fighting their electoral battles in various parts of the country. The files were moving in slower pace and babus spent more time guessing who would form the next government. In fact, I made my debut in blogging by posting a report on April 28, 2009, that DEA secretary Ashok Chawla, a 1973 batch IAS officer, was likely to be the next finance secretary of the country. When Mr Chawla was appointed as finance secretary 14 days later, one of my non-bureaucrat friends called me up to say Wah! Yes, he was excited by my postings on power corridors of Delhi, but he was not alone. In the next few days, the nation’s top babus got themselves excited over the unfolding of the Great Indian political saga. Even before the new government took charge, top bureaucrats began finalizing what should be the priority of the next government in the first 100 days of office. During the last one month, BoI (Babus of India) covered a range of topics from North Block officers’ poll prediction to railway officers’ anger towards Lalu Prasad. Yet, if you ask my favourite posting, I would say, it’s Pati, Patni and Post: Sudha Pillai Vs G K Pillai for the next cabinet secretary. Not because I got a number of emails reacting to the post, but I was happy to cover all aspects of the development including the possibility of the current incumbent K M Chandrasekhar getting a year’s extension thereby denying either of the husband and wife duo to reach the civil servant’s top slot. I must acknowledge here that a couple of very senior bureaucrats objected to the choice of the name as they feel the word babu is not an accepted term, and is mainly a creation of media. Yet, most civil servants that I know have said that the name does not matter so long as contents excite them or rather force them to open babusofindia.com in the first half hour of their working day itself. Yes, babu blogger is ready to make one simple promise. If you are a civil servant, or someone who likes to know what’s up in power corridors of India, BoI would not disappoint you. After all, the power of a simple info can sometime make your day…