DOWN THE MEMORY LANE

Dr. T.V. Swaminathan IAS (Rtd)
Former PWD Secretary to Government of Kerala

Of the countless persons encountered in the span of one’s life, it can be confidently and deservedly said of only very few “death, be not proud; for the eminent individual whose biological life you have sniffed out lies permanently in the memory of generations”. Sri T.K. Divakaran belongs to this microscopic minority for his commitment to the responsibilities fearlessly and faultlessly.

Traveling down memory lane, I had the privilege and pleasure of working with Sri T.K.D., under his inspiring leadership, for only about six months. Back from my deputation to Government of India as Chairman, Rubber Board and Cardamom Board (now renamed Spices Board) and after a year in Trichur as Special Officer, Command Area Development, I had landed in the Secretariat. A parking space was found for me as Special Secretary (Industries) which already had three IAS Officers, Sri K. Narayanan, Sri S. Krishnakumar and Smt. Sarala Gopalan. It was more like a musical chair occupied in a lemon and spoon race. Less than 6 or 8 weeks later, the then Chief Secretary, the late revered K.P.K. Menon, telephoned me one forenoon after a Cabinet meeting that I am getting posted as Secretary, Public Works Department. I received this news with both happiness and apprehension; happiness because I knew by repute that Sri T.K. Divakaran chooses carefully and then trusts liberally. That the choice zeroed in on me filled me with happiness. The apprehension was because I knew equally well that he was an uncompromising task-master who sought excellence in his team. He can applaud good work and can also express disapproval unequivocally for inadequacies and for delays. Never a harsh word; a smile or a frown made one realise the appraisal.

Dr. T.V. Swaminathan

His perceptions were precise and priorities well-defined. His incisive intelligence was a fine-tuned long range Radar which  pictured on the screen of his mind any issue with its possibilities  and problems. His mind was a fine-mesh filter which could reject the non-essentials. The modern Management Post-Graduate’s terminologies like key Research Areas, Management Information System, strength-weakness-opportunities analysis were all more than supplied by his unerring fingers on the pulse on the feld-needs of the people and areas. The gap between requirements and resources being wide there was a compelling necessity for a rational rationing of resources in a result-oriented manner rather than populist distribution on an average constituency-wise basis, like the learned Professor’s culation of the average depth of the river.

My official tenure under Shri T.K. Divakaran would have covered two Assembly Sessions, presentation of Plan Schemes in New Delhi, a meeting or two of M.Ps. representing Kerala and some discussions with central Works Ministry officials on national Highways. On all these occasions, he was anxious to ensure that home-work is done diligently and thoroughly, ensuring that every T is crossed and every I dotted. He would never like an Assembly question – be it even unstarred- to be passed with a reply “Details being collected”. On the rare occasions when such a non-informative reply had to be sent, he was constantly monitoring the collection of information and despatch to the Assembly Secretariat, treating every such reply as an assurance to be viewed with seriousness and solemnity. He insisted on a data-bank to be maintained and updated by the Secretariat and personal staff.

With reference to starred questions, all possible supplementaries to the principal question and its sub-sections should be imaginatively envisaged and replies given to him. He never liked being taken by surprise on the floor of the Assembly and look backward to the Officers area for the Secretary or the Chief Engineer to scribble hastily replies to be rushed to him through the Assembly messengers.

Secretary and Chief Engineers attending Plan Scheme discussions in New Delhi were painstakingly briefed on where no cut in allotment of funds was to be agreed to and where unavoidable cuts based on State’s mobilization of resources were to be suffered and acquiesced in.

His journey to Orissa – the Land of the Lord Jagannath of Puri whose juggernaut (Rathothsav) is an annual event attracting lakhs of pilgrims (“Juggernaut” has now found a place in Oxford English Dictionary) – made the Juggernaut of Sri T.K. D’s earthly existence roll towards its halting place. Intensive Cardiology-care units of Cuttack Medical College, of K.J. Hospital in Chennai, Medical College in Thiruvananthapuram failed to resuscitate the heart of this lovable meritorious dedicated human being. At the age of 55, when State Officials retire on superannuation, this dutiful public servant retired from the stage of life.

The last day of Sri T.K. D’s life presents a procession of painful pictures. A call in the wee hours of the morning rushed me to the Medical College. Sri N.P. Narayanan was already there; in fact it was he who sounded the alarm ringing me up. Chief Secretary joined minutes later. A panel of top physicians and cardiologists of the Medical College had assembled, monitoring his condition and discussing the line of treatment to be adopted. An emergency phone was installed in the area adjoining the V.I.P. room. Dr. Padmavathi, New Delhi and Dr. Reddy, Chennai eminent cardiologists were contacted. Those were the days of Avro flights and Trivandrum Airport had little facilities for night landing or take-offs. A chartered flight was arranged, Indian Airlines insisting on the return of the aircraft before dusk. Advance payment was made through the government of Tamil Nadu. Crisis management in Indian conditions is a task beset with problems often beyond reasonable foresight. A plane had to be located from the hanger; a not too willing pilot had to be cajoled out of his rest day. Transport had to be arranged for Dr. Reddy to reach the airport. If memory does not fail me, it was about 2:50pm when we were advised that the aircraft will take off in 15-20 minutes. The journey became needless as the beloved leader bade goodbye to a grieving Kerala by about that time. The march to the resting place in Quilon, piloted and escorted by many vehicles, witnessed sobbing and dazed crowds all along. The vehicle carrying the lifeless body of Sri T.K. Divakaran rolled over the Ithikkara Bridge which he was scheduled to declare open for traffic. The plaque on the sidewall of the bridge bears this inscription.

The story of a life marching a saga ended thus. “Dear to the sight, dearer still when the sight is denied” wrote Sri Jawaharlal Nehru about his daughter Indira Priyadarsini when he was in incarceration; of Sri T.K. Divakaran it can be truly said dear to meet, converse and work with; dearer still in indelible memories of this Leader whose vision was far beyond the boundaries of party politics. I can only think of another leader among men of this stature, Sri K. Kamaraj when one is a sad witness now-a-days to the dilution of probity and competence in public men in seats of power.