By Harsh Vardhan: Adarsh Kishore has been an officer who climbed up the success ladder to become Secretary, Finance at Government of India and rubbed shoulders with P. Chidambaram, the then Finance Minister. He also served at International Monetary Fund as its Executive Director.
The man who was bold, known for taking timely and just decisions, also scripted a book, “The Global Economic Crisis through an Indian Looking Glass” which coincided with the recession in global economy at end of last decade.
A small town man who made big headlines
Born in Sikar town in arid zone of Rajasthan 74 years ago, no one ever knew that he would hit international headlines and assume a key seat for decision making by virtue of joining the Indian Administrative Service in 1969, Rajasthan cadre?
A top ranking position he always attained in education, post-graduating in political science from University of Rajasthan, he displayed flair for debating, discussions and excellent behaviour.
The first district collector of Alwar
Few would know that he happened to be the first district collector of Alwar to have translocated a village (Karna ka Bas) from Sariska in 1976, then not included in the Project Tiger scheme of administration. Harideo Joshi as Chief Minister, gave away land-papers to villagers. He had invited this writer to attend the event. The present day district collectors ought to derive strength from his record performance for sake of conservation. Any reason why most of them are found hiding behind curtains when call of wild is raised by forest officers before them. MK Ranjitsinhji happened to be the most outstanding district collector of Mandla district in Madhya Pradesh to have translocated villages in 1970 to let Kanha sanctuary enjoy more area. He continues to hit wild-headlines to this day.
Serving key posts under different CMs
Adarsh served at key posts under different Chief Ministers of Rajasthan: Harideo Joshi, Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, Shiv Charan Mathur, Joshi again, Shekhawat again and finally Ashok Gehlot.
Ironically, he faced two acrimonious mortality cases. One was suicide by Prince Pratap Singh of Alwar while he was Collector. The other was death of a prince in a village near Bharatpur while he was Secretary to Chief Minister. He emerged unscathed. A 1949 batch officer BN Malhan shared with me how he scripted the enquiry report on the Alwar Prince case.
He was bold and God fearing too
Such official encounters made him more bold. He was already known for timely and just decisions. He became a bit God fearing. A fast on Tuesday probably commenced for him, as a new lesson? He remained Secretary, Finance at Government of India and rubbed shoulders with P. Chidambaram, then the Finance Minister. Finally he served international Monetary Fund as its Executive Director. It led him to script a book, “The Global Economic Crisis through an Indian Looking Glass” which coincided with the recession in global economy at end of last decade.
The book, Sage publication, has traced out the origin of the great-recession: (i) genesis, (ii) impact on the world and India, (iii) the response, and (iv) the aftermath. He emphasised in it the gaps in the international financial architecture that allow the recurrence of crises with global ramifications and emphasized the importance of cooperation, coordination and collective action to secure and sustain macroeconomic and financial stability across the globe.
The gold-buying at international scale and depositing it in Britain to secure future economy of India? Let many decisions of Adarsh remain latent. Only the time shall open up the lid to surprise many. Can one take a lesson from his decisive ways? Being conveyed to all those decision-makers who raise collars but often cause chaotic competition in present day governance.
And the man of action breathed his last
Adarsh breathed his last during December 2020. Manjari Kishore, his equally brilliant, erudite and bold wife, Arush, son, and Trisha, grand-daughter, are now basking in loads of records he left behind. Living at the farm villa he had nursed as a green-sanctuary on outskirts of Jaipur. A cold silence had enveloped the front lawn as this writer sipped hot tea with them, listening to Hume’s Warbler calling in frontal shrubs as ducks honked and the two dogs licked table-corners. Good-bye Adarsh from this one time university mate, we shall next meet upstairs.
PS: The feature image caption should read as:
As India’s Finance Secretary, Dr. Adarsh Kishore addressing valedictory session of the Controllers’ conference in New Delhi
