Network Past Issues

Koffee with Kurien

A brilliant, verbatim account of a conversation with the Dairy King

In 2003, I was working with an institution called the Centre for Development Studies and Activities (CDSA), located in Pune. Affiliated to the University of Pune, CDSA offers a Master’s Programme in Development Planning and Administration.  I was teaching courses on Research Methodology, Statistics and also a Laboratory on Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA). Besides this, I was in the midst of registering an NGO called SPROUT – Society for Participatory Rural or Urban Governance. 

While speaking with the Executive Director, Prof. Aneeta Gokhale-Benninger (AGB) one morning, I mentioned my intention to set up an NGO.  AGB suggested that I should meet Dr Kurien and seek his support for this initiative.  I was apprehensive of this suggestion but when it was repeated a second time I realised it was sound.  I sent off a letter to Dr K, requesting an appointment and forgot about the matter. Within a week I received a letter informing me the date and time of the appointment.  That is when I got nervous.  It is one thing to meet Dr K in a group or a crowd and quite another to do it one-on-one.  I wasn’t sure if I wanted to do that.  I shared this sense of unease with AGB, who asked me to get in touch with someone who knew both me and Dr K. So, I got in touch with Prof M J Arul, to whom I was close.  Prof. Arul (who taught IGB at IRMA) asked me what my problem was. I told him of my sense of unease.  He asked me what my thoughts/views of Dr K. were.  I told him I was an admirer, a fan.  Prof. Arul told me that in that case there was nothing to worry about.  He asked me to go ahead without any hesitation.

It was the summer of 2003 and the summer vacations had started. I was unable to get a confirmed reservation for the date of my meeting but decided to proceed nonetheless.  Taking a rickshaw from the Anand Railway Station I reached the IRMA gates. I was visiting my alma mater after a gap of 15 years, having visited it last in 2008.  As I walked down the boulevard leading to the Institute buildings I felt goose-pimples all over. Myriad memories flashed through my mind about my stay there from 1984-86. Batch-mates, faculty, surprise quizzes, assignments, Field Work, MTS, the Mess, tea @ 4pm, volley-ball, the letter from the VC of the Gujarat Agricultural University (Anand Agricultural University was Gujarat Agricultural University then) complaining about the empty booze bottles being tossed over the wall by my batch-mates/seniors, friendships and heart-breaks, grades, TAU, the IRMA written test, the drowning of my batch-mate during a picnic, the interview which I cleared to get an admission to IRMA, the beautiful girls and the handsome young men who were my batch-mates and seniors……..

I opted to stay at the hostel, to connect with my past. The ETDC was not for me.  The appointment was scheduled for the next day at 4 pm.

I reached the Chairman’s Office at 3.50 pm, not wanting to be late.  In spite of all the counselling there were butterflies in my stomach.  I met Joseph (Dr K’s PA), who welcomed me and made me comfortable. I enquired about the tall structure that made music at periodic intervals and was told that it was a “carillon”. Carillons are found in Europe at institutions of excellence and their sound/music is heard far and wide. Dr K wanted one for IRMA and a special set of people had created it. The chimes were computer controlled and the lighting was done by Philips. Joseph also made a mention of the “fight/altercation” between Dr K and Amrita Patel.  It used to appear in the national newspapers occasionally.  Joseph asked me to knock the door at 4 exactly pm and enter Dr Kurien’s office.      

The following conversation took place between Meher Gadekar and Dr Kurien (VK) in the summer of 2003 (~April) at Chairman’s Office, IRMA.  

MG: Good afternoon Sir!

VK: Good afternoon, young man. Please take a seat.

MG: Thank you. I’m Meher Gadekar from PRM 5. I live and work in Pune.

VK: Umm. Pune is a beautiful city.

MG: It used to be more beautiful but with the current problems it faces, its beauty is diminishing rapidly.

VK: I’m sure you and the citizens of Pune will deal with the issues that you mention. So what brings you to Anand?

MG: I’ve come to meet you

VK: And what can I do for you?

MG: Sir, I’m in the process of setting up an NGO called SPROUT, short for Society for Participatory Rural or Urban Transformation.  I’ve come to seek your blessings and also to find out in what ways IRMA can support me in this venture. 

VK: Good. What do you plan to do?

MG: We propose to empower vulnerable, marginalised, and disadvantaged people in Rural and Urban areas through participatory capacity building processes.  This would lead to their socio-economic development over a period of time.  As a result there would be a transformation of the persistent/chronic pockets of poverty in the rural and urban areas. Once these last bastions of under-development are developed then India would be firmly on the road to inclusive all-round development.

VK: Sounds good. Are there any people supporting you in this venture?  

MG: Yes, I’ve been able to bring together a small but fairly good and competent group of people who have agreed to support this initiative.

VK: OK, so what do you want from me?

MG: I’d like IRMA to support such ventures through their early days. We have ideas and we have gathered a competent group of people who are willing to lend their time, expertise and energy. But we don’t have money. If we could have some financial assistance in the first few years we would be able to roll along comfortably thereafter.

VK: Ummm. You have good ideas. But why do you want to set up an NGO? Why not a Cooperative?

MG: I think it is the most appropriate form of organisation for the type of work that we wish to do.

VK: But that’s not true. Any NGO can be superseded by the Charity Commissioner. Besides, this form does not further the principles of democracy, ownership, equality and equity as well as a cooperative does.    

MG: I agree but most initiatives of the type that I want to undertake are registered as NGOs.  Besides, it is easier to attract financial support, when you’re registered as an NGO.

VK: I agree. But as a form of organisation an NGO do not match the strength, flexibility and robustness of a cooperative.

MG: True, I am aware of the advantages.  But we’ve decided to register SPROUT as an NGO.  I’ve got the necessary forms from the Charity Commissioner’s Office in Pune. I’ve also drafted the Trust Deed comprising of the Aims & Objectives, Memorandum of Association, etc.

VK: OK, but you know where my preference lies…..

MG: Yes, I do, Sir. Nevertheless, we’d like it to be an NGO.

VK: Good luck to you, Mr Gadekar.

MG: Sir, besides your good wishes, I also want your support.

VK: Let me see what I can do.  (presses the bell, and Joseph appears). Connect him to Bharat Nirman…. (I don’t remember the exact name). Joseph will help you to do so.

MG: Thank you Sir. That is very kind of you.

VK: Of course not. You are my Princes (and Princesses). You have a right to the best education and infrastructure in the world. And you have a right to meet me and seek my support, as long as you support the cause of farmers and the rural populace.  That is why IRMA was created.

MG: Sure Sir. I am aware of that.

VK: So what do you think is wrong with India?

MG: Economically we seem to be doing well in some sectors. But agriculture is suffering. The terms of trade are adverse. In Maharashtra, farmers are committing suicide.  Development is neither even, nor inclusive. Many groups like the SCs, STs, and minorities have not yet enjoyed the fruits of development in spite of over 50 years of Independence.

VK: Ummm. Who is responsible for this state of affairs?

MG: The government is not responsive to the people’s needs

VK: Who runs the government?

MG: The IAS

VK: And what do you think of the IAS?

MG: I consider them to be Brown Sahibs. They want to rule the people, the citizens, whereas they should be involved in developing them.

VK: But aren’t they Public Servants? Civil Servants?

MG: They are, but they behave like Masters, like Kings

VK: So what can be done?

MG: I don’t know, in specific terms

VK: I do. Disband the IAS (shocked silence)

MG: (taken aback) What? Then who will run the country?

VK: A different cadre which, besides being professionally trained, is also empathetic to the rural areas, to farmers.

MG: OK. But where do we find this cadre?

VK: (smiles) We are creating it. That’s why IRMA was created (looks triumphant).  You should be running and administering the country.  That is IRMA’s mandate.

MG: Umm. (feels proud and strong, but also uneasy. Disbanding the IAS and replacing it by Irmans is easier said than done).

VK: Who were your batch-mates?

MG: Bhanot, Manjul Bajaj, Daman Singh… (names the most famous)

VK: Oh yes, I know Daman (daughter of Dr Manmohan Singh). She comes from a good family.  There was never a problem when she was at IRMA. The family respected all our rules and regulations and did not ask for any concessions or special privileges

MG: I had the good fortune of doing Field Work with Daman in Bikaner.  Field Work was the best and most intense learning experience that I’ve had in my life. Especially considering that I had never visited a village in my life, prior to joining IRMA

VK: (smiles) That is what it was designed to be. And who are in your senior batch?

MG: Nitya Swaminathan, Sudhir Rao, Apoorva Oza….

VK: I know Nitya.  Her father (Dr. M S Swaminathan) is a very respected Agricultural Scientist of India.    

MG: (glances down at his watch, which shows that ~75 minutes have elapsed, since the meeting with Dr K started) Sir, I have taken a lot of your valuable time, and would like to take your leave.  You have been very kind to meet me.

VK: Not at all. All of you have access to me. Do feel free to get in touch whenever you wish to.

MG: Sir, I have brought some mangoes for you (puts a polythene bag of mangoes on the table)

VK: Are they Alphonso mangoes?

MG: I’m afraid not sir. I was not able to get a confirmed train reservation for the journey to Anand from Pune.  Hence I came in an un-reserved compartment.  I have got these mangoes from the local market at Anand.

VK: Thank you very much.  All my very best wishes to you in your endeavours

I depart from the room and join Joseph in his office. Joseph asks me how it went and I say that it went off well. A bell buzzes and Joseph is summoned by Dr K. He emerges after some time and gives me the contact details of the NGO mentioned by Dr K. Dr APJ Abdul Kalam is associated with this NGO. As we’re talking Dr K emerges and starts walking towards the elevator.  Since we’re through with our conversation Joseph nudges me towards it (the elevator).  I am reluctant, but with Joseph’s prodding, follow Dr K and enter the lift.  It carries us to the ground floor, where his car is waiting.  Dr K walks towards the setting sun, towards his waiting car. I look towards him as he departs and then walk towards the hostel, which has been my home since I arrived at IRMA last evening. Did I see a halo around His head, when he was walking towards His car?