New Delhi: In this latest autobiography, former union cabinet secretary K.M. Chandrasekhar, a man who has ‘seen and done it all’, presents a candid, straightforward view of politics, observed over his forty-year career in public service.
Jam-packed with political rumours, ‘As Good As My Word’ provides a ringside view on Indian bureaucracy and politics during the UPA period. In his book, Chandrasekhar provides a detailed account of the UPA government through one of its most trying times and discusses his own contribution in guiding India through numerous crises.
Published by HarperCollins India, ‘As Good As My Word’ will be released on 23 December on Softcover, ThePrint’s online venue to launch non-fiction books.
The author, a former IAS officer from the 1970 batch, held the position of Cabinet Secretary for India from 2007 to 2011. Working in a variety of fields over the course of his four-decade career, including district administration, public finance, taxation, national security, and international diplomacy, Chandrasekhar provides a unique insight into the Indian bureaucratic system. He served as the Union Revenue Secretary, the founding chairman of the Spices Board as well as the vice chairman of the Kerala State Planning Board and as Secretary for the Industries and Finance Ministries in the Kerala government.
In roughly 300 pages, the book explores a few of the many severe crises that challenged India during the UPA period, from the Great Recession of 2008, the oilmen’s strike in 2009, the 26/11 Mumbai attacks and scams to the 2G Spectrum case, and the 2010 Commonwealth Games corruption scandal. The author also discusses his own crucial role in guiding India through these crises. ‘As Good As My Word’ details Chandrasekhar’s trials in public administration, his early years in trade diplomacy, including his great working relationship with the then prime minister Manmohan Singh, his run-ins with certain important ministers at the time, and his thoughts on Indian democracy, economy, and defence as the Indian ambassador to the World Trade Organization.
Member of Parliament Shashi Tharoor said that the book was ‘a richly detailed memoir, recounting Chandrasekhar’s long and distinguished career as a civil servant and diplomat.’
Associate publisher at HarperCollins India, Swati Chopra, said, “His (Chandrasekhar’s) memoirs provide behind-the-scenes insights into the process of decision-making and what it takes to achieve significant results at the highest level of government, while conducting oneself with impeccable integrity.”
Former chairman & director of Business Standard, TN Ninan also praised the book, stating, “The author provides his candid comments on the eventful, indeed turbulent, years when he was at the helm of the civil service, and equally candid comments on some recent trends in India that are clearly a matter of concern to him. What the reader gets, therefore, are rich insights into the working of an administrator’s mind, from his early career to his post-retirement engagements. Some telling asides and anecdotes provide added flavour”.
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