“Kaka: a Man for all Seasons” by Ajay Singha - Raconteur Indica

Kaka for most and Puri Sahab for some, the persona of Devender Rai Puri was truly multifaceted. Born in a well to do lawyer family of Sialkot, the Puris shifted to Simla and then to Delhi after partition. When asked to choose his career, the handsome Punjabi boy told his father that he would “Neither don a lawyer’s black gown or a doctor’s white coat.” He had obviously set his eyes on the “khaki vardi” of a Police Officer. Kaka started preparing for competitive exams with all earnestness while pursuing his post graduate and Law studies in Delhi University. He often joked that his best companions then were Keesings Archives and the Asian Recorder, formidable journals renowned for their general knowledge and current affairs content. Another side of his persona was a firebrand student leader who was out there agitating on issues impacting students and the suffering humanity. Leading from the front he often found himself confronting the establishment and exchanging heated words with a vociferous, head strong Professor who represented DU’s vice chancellor and whom he was destined to encounter later in life. Busy with studies, student agitations, preparing for the civil services, the strapping Punabi boy was surrounded by multiple activities.

Then all of a sudden Cupid released an arrow and Kaka found himself smitten by a pretty young lady from Miranda House. This young girl was Ramini, who was completely taken in by the young man’s killer looks and a devil may care attitude. Sparks flew, Cupid’s arrow had found its’ mark, they were destined to happily tie the knot some years later. A romantic of the old school, he loved Mushairas, Ghazal evenings and poetry renditions. Kaka was adept at sher-o-shayari and could recite relevant poetry befitting each occasion. Shortly before the Covid lockdowns, my wife and I visited Kaka, for what turned out to be our last evening with him. Kaka and my wife recited several couplets, shers and poetry over some good wine and hors d’oeuvres.

Kaka began his career in the IPS around 1956 and his first posting was Ajmer where he made friends with my parents, Mr. & Mrs JP Singha. My father being senior in service invited the newly-weds for dinner one evening. My parents and their staff were taken aback when the young ASP showed up for dinner on a bicycle accompanied by his newly-wed wife. He had not bothered to summon a Police jeep to take his wife out for the evening and shocked everyone further by asking his wife to sit on the front bar of the bicycle for their post-dinner ride home. When asked why he couldn’t make her at least sit on the luggage carrier at the back, he quipped, “Our cycle doesn’t have a bell, so she must sit in front and keep shouting tring-tring, we have to keep pedestrians and cyclists at bay.” This story became the talk of the town and was regaled within generations of Police officials in Rajasthan.

In 1964 he was posted to Kohima for counter insurgency operations and did an excellent job befriending the Nagas, helping them reopen peace dialogues. Sometimes he took his family along when interacting with the Nagas, who in turn returned the honour by inviting him on social occasions. During one such interaction, a Naga leader, out of courtesy offered betel nuts to Kaka, warning him that they were extremely intoxicating. Kaka took the advise lightly and on his way out popped a few nuts in his mouth to show respect to the hosts. Within an instant he was on the ground and just passed out, only to regain composure some half hour later. With genuine fondness for the Nagas he used to recall this incident saying “It taught me never to disregard a well intentioned advise and most importantly never to act over confident about one’s ability to imbibe intoxicants”. Rano, Kaka and Ramani’s daughter was four when they were posted in Kohima. Walking home for lunch one day Kaka spotted Rano and their house help, a young Naga girl happily sitting in the garden, eating something from a pot. To his horror he discovered that the two had collected, boiled and were busy eating garden snails. When admonished, the young Naga girl replied that snails were very tasty and indeed healthy for little children, all the while exchanging conspiratorial smiles with her little ward. Kaka was fond of horse riding but office work in Kota did not leave much time for equitation. He devised a way out by personally joining the late night city patrol on horse-back. Word got around and citizens were greatly comforted to learn that the new police chief was out there on horseback at midnight. While posted in Kota, he was confronted with a large student protest. Having been a student protestor in his university days, he reached out to them, explaining the self-inflicting loss of missing out on exams. Unfortunately their leadership was controlled by politicians who cared two hoots for the students’ future. He had no option but to use police force and ensured that the exams were conducted peacefully. Endearing him to the university staff and students, this act miffed the State’s political leadership to such an extent that he was transferred from Kota, post-haste.

Shortly before the Indo-Pak conflict Kaka was posted in Bikaner where my parents and I also visited them. Kaka took us all out on a shooting excursion as shikar was permitted during those days. He was a firm believer in never shooting anything beyond the number required for dinner. Once we reached the limit set by him he packed away the guns and told us to go and eat bers (small red berries) from wild bushes nearby. “Now the children will eat bers and adults will enjoy beer” was his standard refrain whenever we went out for picnics and partridge shooting. A light eater himself, he enjoyed well cooked non-vegetarian food but made his disapproval known for any kind of indiscriminate shooting of wildlife. Kaka served in many districts of Rajasthan and had truly eventful postings throughout his career. In the mid 70s he joined the BSF and shifted base to Delhi for some years. Once he was invited to speak at a seminar on Student Protests and the role of the Police force. He was naturally speaking for the force and was taken aback to see his old bête noir from university days, the Professor whom he had rashly confronted many a time, was in fact holding forth on behalf of students. Life had taken a full circle, their roles were reversed, a profound respect and regard arose in Kaka’s heart for the old and retired Professor who continued to have only affection and patience for his students. For Kaka it was his “epiphany moment”, he quietly went up to the learned old Professor, touched his feet, sought his blessings and only then commenced his presentation.

They finally returned to Jaipur and he later became as Chairman of the Rajasthan Roadways. They lived in their beautiful home in Khatipura where he regularly met and regaled friends with stories from a rich and eventful life. Kaka and Ramani had a wide circle of friends which ranged from the highest echelons of society to the lowest. The tremendous “Joe de vivre” of recounting such a fascinating life could easily fill the pages of a voluminous book. To quote his neighbour and colleague, Shri Harnek Singh IPS “Kakaji had one great officer like quality. He was not just affable amongst his juniors but was equally popular with his seniors, both within the service and outside” Kaka had friends with the high and mighty but he was particularly kind to the underdog and lived up to Thomas Carlyle’s maxim that “A great man shows his greatness by the way he treats little men”.

In addition to being a neighbour, Kaka was the Uncle-in Law of Mr.Ved Ahuja who says “There are only two things I am afraid of, God in heaven and Kaka Puri on earth.” When Vedbhai made his new house Kaka conducted the entire Grah-Pravesh puja ceremonies, recited slokas and performed all the rituals. From the very inception he got actively involved with the setting up of the SOS Children’s Village in Jaipur. Raja Atal and later Ajay Atal kept him busy with the SOS, an institution to which he devoted most of his retirement years. A true karamyogi, Kaka was a doer, this aspect of his personality can be summed up in Oscar Wilde’s words “The smallest Act of Kindness is worth more than the greatest intentions.” He had a deeply spiritual side which stood him in good stead when a series of personal tragedies descended on him. The untimely death of his wife and son had left him helpless, lonely and immersed in grief. An unwavering faith in the almighty and his reservoir of spiritual strength saw him surmount and overcome these difficult periods. Kaka passed away on Monday 7th December at Jaipur leaving behind a grieving set of friends and family, especially his daughter, daughter-in-law and four loving grandchildren.

The Gig Economy by Ajay Singha - Raconteur Indica

Popularized during the last global financial crisis, the “Gig Economy” has been around since mankind commenced economic activity. Before Europe’s industrialisation in the 19th century, ordinary people worked in multiple jobs to earn a living. Very often they travelled from the outskirts to city centres in horse drawn gigs and perhaps the term stuck on from there. Some attribute the nomenclature to the fact that workers had to literally whirl like a top (which was then called a gig) from one task to the other. Etymologists remain undecided about the word’s ancestry but for sure people were constantly on the move, undertaking several part-time assignments to add to their incomes.

Today, the gig economy encompasses a wide spectrum of people. Highly paid management consultants, IT service providers and stock market players constitute the top end. On the other end are utility workers comprising electricians, plumbers, mechanics and innovative solution providers. Aspiring middle classes drive this phenomenon as people constantly seek additional incomes to be able to spend more. Contrary to popular belief the gig economy is not about a race to the bottom for cheaper deals and low pricing of services and products. It may undermine the traditional economy and shift focus from corporations to the individual but it requires lifetime skill development and generates income in non-traditional and innovative ways. More than ever, employers are now unwilling to hire full-time workers yet require someone to complete their tasks. A renewed interest in the gig is a natural response to the economic upheaval accelerated by the recent global pandemic. Facing unprecedented unemployment, this unique system of income generation is fast becoming “de rigueur” across continents.

Organizations now outsource their work to external partners creating two winning propositions: Top quality talent and limited financial burden. Talent is now paid for when used, and ensures measurability. The elusive link between wages and deliverables has become more apparent in this new work culture. The CEO of Intuit Inc. Brad Smith rightly predicted: “The gig economy in USA is now estimated to be about 34% of the workforce and expected to be 43% by the year 2020.” Research by Oxford Institute and IIIT Bangalore claims that one in four of the global gig worker is an Indian, serving local, national or international markets primarily through platforms. Based on select criteria Dr. Leonard Bertain, founder of the Consortium of Problem Solvers, claims that by 2025 about 50% of the workforce will comprise of gig workers in the US economy. The work scenario across continents is undergoing monumental change and the rules of the game are changing. It is high time that each one of us also adapts to the altered socio-economic environment. If you decide to become a gig worker your activity and action must clearly connect to your stated area of work and objectives. Focus on one segment does not prevent the gigger from undertaking other types of jobs. Operating in silos and compartments with exclusive work profile with separate work descriptions is the key. Financial planning of cash-flows is very different for gig workers. As a one man band all aspects of work like billing, payments and receipts have to be done individually. These challenges have resulted in the creation of IT enabled platforms which take of all these logistics for the gig worker.

Tips for building a winning proposition: Become your work: President John F Kennedy said, “Success has many fathers but failure is an orphan”. You must learn to accept that success as well as failure in your work defines who you are to yourself. Feedback from clients, both after success and failure, leads to self improvement, change in tactics and strategy. Identify your unique position: Find out what you are good at and keep getting better at it. It is okay if your chosen position is narrow or niche; what matters is that you build expertise and uniqueness in your chosen area. Stay on the Bleeding edge: To do well as a gig worker you must retain cutting edge knowledge levels in your work area. Create intellectual advantage: Invest in the cycle of “learning-doing-learning”. Learning from best-in-class benchmarks and enhancing yourself during every project is a learning process. Your knowledge and know-how has to be superior to employees in larger corporations engaged in similar work. Build a personal brand: Be known for your capabilities and make your presence known by offering unique solutions. Networking on dedicated portals or displaying your work on established IT enabled platforms is another way for attracting attention and publicity. Always remember that you are the product. Develop a sustainable business: Sustaining productivity is a constant struggle both for procuring business and executing tasks. Distress and distractions erode focus and lead to bouts of self-doubt and self pity. A sustainable business model is your only option of staying afloat and available in the market. Inculcate a spiritual sense of purpose: Infuse a ritual or spiritual element at the beginning of each day to ensure that positivity and a sense of purpose is added. After a good night’s rest commence your work with the most challenging tasks first. Ensure that meditation, nutrition, exercise and personal care are part of the daily routine. Socialising and peer group networking: Gig workers run the risk of social isolation as they work independently and this may impede growth in business. Socialising and networking with select business multipliers is critical for sustaining business. Search for “Thought Leaders” and follow them: The best way to uncover latest global trends and future predictions in your line of work. You will have to think global even if you act local in the face of globalised competition. Curate your contacts and support base: Time is limited and must be invested in creating meaningful relationships to support your economic and social well being. While business contacts are critical the supportive collaborators include family and friends who help in challenging times. Ensure you do not lose connect with familial ties. Build a financial safety net: Easier said than done but this is an essential feature. The gig worker will always have fluctuating incomes and security nets must be in place as and when you hit a dry patch. Today the gig worker depends on a corporate controlled IT enabled platform. Platforms ruthlessly compete for market share and “Platform Capitalism” is the new bully on the block. Platforms are notorious for exploiting gig workers and a system of rating has been developed by the Oxford Institute and IIIT Bangalore. The “Fairwork Score” analyses the quality and fairness associated with work conditions, contracts, management and representation of workers in each platform and gives ratings.

Work is more than just about money, it is about social status, individual fulfilment and personal satisfaction. A study by the Harvard Business Review reveals that gig workers experienced personal, social, and economic anxieties in the absence of a traditional employer. On the positive side, the independence of a gig worker is a choice they love in the long run. They lead much richer lives than their corporate counterparts. Working long hours, modest financial returns, no social benefits and challenging work conditions are the downside. In the brave new world of the gig economy there is no mentor, no HR or kind colleagues to help climb the ladder of success. In today’s reality nobody will get a chance to say “I never saw it coming” when they are eased out of their jobs. As people get swept under the tide of change, it is imperative that we understand and embrace the gig economy voluntarily. To quote Paul Oyer of Stanford Business School: “Giggers collect 15% higher amounts than people in traditional jobs doing the same work.” It is therefore a myth that working free lance is not economically viable. It is time to disrupt our thinking and look for new avenues to bring out the business entrepreneur in each one of us. As we enter unchartered waters, it may benefit to follow the advice of French novelist Gustav Flaubert: “Be regular and orderly in your life…so that you may be aggressive and original in your work.” The old order changes, yielding place to the new but we can rest assured that in the post-pandemic world, the gig economy is here to stay!

Classic Guns of the Raj by Ajay Singha - Raconteur Indica

After he was appointed the heir presumptive to the British throne, the grandson of Queen Victoria, frequently visited Her Majesty’s domains on hunting and shooting excursions. He infused a fair amount of style, fashion, etiquette and fervour in these activities. The related brouhaha reached its’ zenith when he was declared King of England in 1910 and was fondly known as George Pancham (George V) to the people of the Indian sub-continent. Maharajas, Nawabs and the titled gentry of the Raj in India left no stone unturned to emulate his style and related paraphernalia. Shooting sports emerged as the favourite hobby of the high and mighty in the days of the Raj as it bore the stamp of imperial approval. In fact it constituted the very epitome of what the empire stood for and keenly perpetuated amongst the ruling classes of India.

For the ruling elite of the Indian sub-continent, importing high quality bespoke firearms from Great Britain gained popularity by 1900s. Never to miss an opportunity, British gunsmiths created fine pieces of sporting guns for sale at exorbitant prices to rich individuals, maharajas and the nobility. Custom made, individually crafted and highly decorated guns with personal names engraved were sought after. The ruling class during the days of the Raj were an adventurous lot, spending considerable time outdoors. They had to govern and rule over vast tracts of land and in the process had a good time, albeit at the cost of others. Shooting “game” had become ideally suited for people whose persona comprised of some western education, political and social influence and a good amount of money to spare.  To go on “Shikar” and own high quality, made to order firearms became inextricably interwoven with the lifestyle of the power elite. Much like possessing a Rolls Royce, owning bespoke firearms and related accoutrements was now a distinguishing feature between the privileged, who hunted for pleasure and those who poached wild life for sustenance.

British manufacturers of bespoke firearms who supplied sporting guns for India’s elite in the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries were James Purdy & Sons, Holland & Holland, Westley Richards, EJ Churchill, Boss & Co, John Rigby and WJ Jeffery. For big game hunting in India, British gun makers also developed exclusive calibres for India. Starting with black powder 500/450 Express in the initial years, followed by 375H&H, 416 Rigby, 275Jefferys, 30Super and the famous 577 Rewa named after a then incumbent Princely State.  For small game and bird shooting which was plentiful across India, the popular choice was 12, 16 or 20 bore shotguns. All game birds were sought after but only on the wing. Shooting a sitting bird was now considered unsporting, frowned upon and seriously discouraged. 

Sand grouse, teal, duck, partridge, quail were found in large numbers then and presented challenging targets on the wing. Thus arose the need to order a pair of guns so that precious time was not lost in reloading and gun bearers were trained to quickly hand over loaded guns to ensure uninterrupted shooting. Records of Imperial Sand Grouse shoots at Gajner in Bikaner and duck shooting in Bharatpur bear testimony to immensely large bags, as several VIP guns blazed in organised shoots. This was followed by elaborate al fresco lunches and photo sessions featuring the high and mighty of the Indian sub-continent. Very often the days’ bag comprised various species of game birds and hence the term “Mixed bag” became popular in the English language. In addition to pairs, those who could afford, used triplets of the same gun make. The Viceroy of India in 1880, Lord Ripon was recognised as the finest shot in the British Empire and the last word in shooting on the wing. He had an enviable record of shooting 556,500 game birds in his lifetime.

In big game shooting, to shoot a running animal during the course of a beat was considered fine sport, much like shooting only flying birds in small game. Beats or “haakas” were organised for this type of serious Shikar in Princely States of the Raj. A large group of villagers were ordered to walk through the forest beating drums and trumpets in an organised manner to move out the big game towards a pre-determined forest clearing. As the animals crossed a forest clearing bereft of trees and undergrowth at break neck speed they provided a sporting chance of a few seconds to big game enthusiasts. The shooter had to be a good shot with a rifle and very quick on the uptake or forego the chance till the next beat commenced.  This unique feature gave rise to the manufacture of high quality double rifles which looked like shotguns but were in fact breech loading double barrelled rifles. Later bolt action rifles were added to the collections of discerning big game shooters. Tiger, Leopard, Bear, Stag, Wild boar and various antelopes were felled by these made to order rifles. 

Each of these unique made to order guns of the Raj had a serial number and to this date the original owners of these priceless pieces can be traced. With heavy engravings, carvings, year of manufacture, name and title of the owner was prominently mentioned on the gun. Very often the metal engraver, himself an artist of repute, left his initials on the insides of the engraved side plates. A large part of the global business of these British gunsmiths was for the Indian ruling elite. Made from the finest gun metals available at that point in time, the guns were test fired and proofed by specialists who stamped each weapon individually. Safety and quality was paramount and therefore assured for the most discerning clientele. In the Princely States of Rajputana it appears that Bikaner had a liking for Holland & Holland (H&H) and was responsible for developing a hybrid called the “Paradox”. This was a 12 bore shotgun but could fire slugs for big game and bird shot when required. The last six inches on the fore end of the barrel had rifled grooves much like in a conventional rifle. The H&H Paradox were used for big game shooting by the Bikaner Royals and became a favourite topic of discussion at post Shikar celebrations across the Raj. A Paradox now owned by a friend, was kindly allowed to be used by me to get a taste from a bygone era when sporting guns, like clothes, were tailor made to fit individuals. The Maharaja of Alwar focussed mainly on Rifles from Westley Richards as big game was plenty in the State. Bharatpur was another aficionado for shotguns and the Maharaja had organised a duck shoot as late as 1961 for Prince Philip where a 20 bore pair made by James Purdy was used by my father who also attended the shoot. Much later, accompanying my father, we visited the Maharaja. He was kind enough to show us the same pair of 20 bore shot guns and allowed me to fire a few shots. The Maharaja of Kishangarh in addition to importing, also procured some of these fine guns from Bikaner State. There was hardly a Princely State with a gun salute or a famous person featuring in the Who’s Who of India 1942 (Imperial Publishing) who did not possess a bespoke firearm. The Maharaja of Jodhpur had a huge collection across all makes, brands and calibres as they were fond of both small and big game shooting. 

Some of the owners developed a strong emotional bonding with a favourite weapon, an emotion which can be appreciated by present day gun aficionados. In 1948 when Pakistani tribesmen closed in on Srinagar, the Maharaja of Kashmir was advised to vacate his palace without much notice. Understandably only precious items and jewellery would be carried in such a situation but the Maharaja added his favourite pair of Purdy shotguns before commencing his journey.

People of our generation had the chance to experience the tail end of this unique phenomenon of the Raj which dominated the lives of the social and economic elite. The larger than life stories around hunting excursions, the great outdoors and the fine quality guns used, find some audience even today. I recall one such story recounted by an erstwhile noble. Villagers requested him to eliminate a leopard which frequently attacked their livestock. The young Prince ventured out to shoot the Leopard and selected his grandfather’s hammered 500 H&H for the task. He had never used it but had heard many a Shikar stories featuring this weapon. In the late evening when they were sitting near a goat-kill and were about to confront their quarry he tried loading the rifle only to realise that the cartridges he had brought along were marginally sleeker than the Chamber of the Rifle in hand. It struck him then that the cartridges belonged to his 375 H&H double rifle. Realising they were now unarmed and a dangerous quarry was lurking, he looked at his tribal hunting assistant who was armed with a catapult. The fellow was a great shot with his catapult and wasted no time in loading a round lead ball in his catapult. In a few moments the leopard approached, the assistant took careful aim and pulling the catapult to its’ full length, released the projectile to hit the leopard on his forehead. The leopard was stunned and was speared before it could regain consciousness. Later when they examined the skull of the leopard it was found that the metal projectile had cracked the skull and was lodged firmly in the brain. For several years the leopard skin and the projectile were proudly displayed in the palace and formed the topic of excited conversation over drinks. What the mighty Holland & Holland could not achieve was performed by a lowly catapult. I heard this story around 1970 on one such evening when accompanying my father for dinner to the Prince’s palace.

From the beginning of the 20^th century till Indian independence this great interest in made to order, high quality rifles and shotguns flourished. As the sun finally set on the Raj, the proverbial cat had vanished but the smile remained, at least for a while. Classic hobbies, interests and past times including sporting guns continued among the social elite for some more decades. The death knell for these and related interest was finally sounded by the unceremonious removal of the privy purses of the Indian Princes in 1971. The famed British manufacturers of these exclusive weapons started visiting India to buy back most of these exclusive guns. They were purchased for meagre amounts of money, reconditioned in England and marketed, like a piece of Indian history, to rich buyers in the Middle East, USA and Europe.  Subsequent enactments of laws and rules by the Indian government ensured that this last vestige of the Raj was completely obliterated for all times to come and another fine and glorious Indian heritage was consigned to the dustbin of history.

HH Dholpur duck shooting with a pair of Westley Richards

Maharani Gayatri Devi  possibly with a 30SuperH&H Double Rifle (accompanied by HH Jaipur)

Maharani Tara Devi of Kashmir used a Classic Double Rifle to bag this magnificent stag

HH Bikaner used a Classic Double Rifle or a Paradox H&H on this Tiger

 

Bespoke Shotgun of HH Maharaj Rana of Dholpur. Note crocodile gun case

A Post-Covid World

A Post-Covid World
by Ajay Singha-Raconteur Indica.

As we inch closer to the imminent removal of lock down restrictions, the question on everybody’s mind is: Will it be business as usual?

It is widely believed that “Clues to the future lie in the past”. Social scientists and historians will testify that human nature has not changed much over the past few millennia. Great wars and plagues are known to have reignited economic forces and reinforced the individual’s will to impose human dominance and control over nature. Pacifists and liberals may predict the opposite but the unchanged human nature, with its insatiable and unbridled desires continues to stride ahead. A period of intense economic activity and severe social struggle will ensure that the future will be a difficult, challenging yet most exciting time to live and work in. This paradoxical environment will witness young people across socio-economic segments working and living primarily for the present. We have already entered a period of uncertain geo-political and unpredictable economic realities.

These conditions will most certainly lead to a short term approach towards business decision making and personal planning. The gig economy will grow in the foreseeable future, which implies that in the business world co-operation with new partners and strategic tie-ups even with competitors will become the new normal. Outsourcing contracts, task jobs and freelance work is what the Indian economy thrives on and will see exponential growth. Experience, both from overseas and India leads us to believe that artificial intelligence, big data, and internet of things will make business more resilient to future uncertainties or any “black swan” eventualities.

At an individual level this change will mean that each person must become a life-long learner, who appreciates and understands the key drivers of the industrial revolution 4.0. This would further translate into work from home: companies will hire and engage people who can keep the digital business running, make it more efficient and less prone to breakdowns. Employees will therefore need re-skilling, training with new modules and SOPs that will make working from home more effective. The changed environment will demand new systems and approach creating a vacuum of immense opportunities for new business across borders. Nature abhors vacuum, India and Indians will greatly benefit and prosper if this void is filled in, adopting a positive and dynamic approach.

During the quarantine period there was ample time to introspect and sort out existential issues facing one’s reality. This exercise will lead to reassessment of individual world views, altered lifestyles, new approach to socialising and resultant attitudinal changes amongst people. Indian society will now encounter a fresh set of challenges which emanate from India’s diverse and multi-polar construct. A newfound tolerance for restrictions has become acceptable amongst the relatively evolved and educated segment of society. This phenomenon has not permeated to the less privileged and functionally literate masses. Friction between the compliant and non-compliant segments of society is imminent and likely to spark social, economic and subsequently political disturbances across the continents like the recent protests in USA.  This adds to the prevailing levels of uncertainty, fuels the high risk economic environment and results in short term perspectives for all decision making.

We must never forget that history is witness to periods of stability followed by chaos and mayhem sometimes for such extended periods that they were termed, “the dark ages”. Across the world there is a move away from globalisation and towards nationalism. The widening gap between the rich and the poor, religious extremism, volatile markets, shifting tides of migrants make the world an unstable platform. The world requires social and economic stability at a collective and individual level, poignantly phrased by Aldous Huxley in the Brave New World: “No Social Stability without Individual Stability”. Political leadership will play a key role in ushering this environment. We should therefore expect a period of immense social change, relative political stability and sustainable economic growth.

On the eve of 2020 as the world was bringing in the new-year, a deadly virus had been discovered and within 100 days spread across 184 countries. Human kind was locked in a battle against an unseen enemy who refused to distinguish between nations, religions and social classes. Olympics have been postponed, schools closed and a lasting scar etched on the human psyche. In the past the world experienced several diseases for which no medical cures exist till date. Yet society lives with them by adjusting lifestyles and incorporating effective preventive care. Indians young and old must learn to celebrate the human spirit and trust mankind’s ability to repeatedly surmount impossible odds stacked against the historically suffering humanity. 

Public Policy in India - American perspectives

“Public Policy in India - American perspectives”
Lecture delivered on February 15^th 2020 for the Executive Program on Public Policy and International Relations at the Centre for Advanced Learning,
St. Stephen’s College, Delhi by Ajay Singha,
former ED of American Chamber of Commerce in India (AmCham)
and Deputy DG Indo-German Chamber of Commerce, New Delhi
email:  ajaypsingha@gmail.com
 

SLIDE 1
Almost all sectors of economic and social relevance between India and the United States of America enjoy a certain level of co-operation and partnership. Consequently there is robust policy engagement in multiple industry segments and sectors related to the economy.
 
Public policy happens when governance and the multiple players in a vibrant society interface. Public policy is a subject which indeed concerns senior management of all corporations and anyone aspiring to be in that group must become well versed in this. Joint initiatives between India and the US witness a high level of policy making and results in several levels of executive action - that being the immediate objective of policy making. To that extent the contents of this lecture are based on the experiences of the lecturer / author and are subjective in nature.

NEXT SLIDE 2
There are three broad areas of Public policy in the US-India context namely:
Developmental projects in India with US assistance.
Economic and Commercial relations. 
The Strategic embrace across multiple aspects of the bilateral engagement.

NEXT SLIDE 3
The best Public Policy is made when you are listening to people, who will be impacted” Elizabeth Dole – Author, Senator, Served three US Presidents.

John Kenneth Galbraith - Economist, Author and former US Ambassador to India. “The great dialectic in our time is not..................., between capital and labor..... it is between economic enterprise and the state.”

NEST SLIDE 4
The genesis of US- India Public policy relations may be examined in the backdrop of two great movements in India which had a strong US component namely the Green Revolution and the IT Revolution. However, before we do that let us get slightly deeper into the subject of Public policy, policy advocacy and Lobbying in the US.

Advocacy and Lobbying in USA takes place at various levels in Government: Federal / State / County / Municipal or Local.
Federal Agencies in the US cover major areas of concern where the country engages with other nations.
This includes areas of bilateral interest which form the subject matter for policy dialogue and subsequent policy construct. Finance, Aviation, Defence, Healthcare, Energy, Food, Telecom are select examples.

It is estimated that there are twelve thousand public policy, advocacy and lobbying firms in USA. Most of the substantive work is handled by about 300 firms.

According to one estimate the industry has an annual turnover of $9 billion.

NEXT SLIDE 5
What is the legal basis for Policy Advocacy and Lobbying in the US?
It is derived from the First Amendment to the US Constitution which allows the people to petition the government to redress their grievances.
The following US laws also impact Advocacy and Lobbying:
Lobbying Disclosure Act
Honest Leadership and Open Govt Act
IRS disclosure requirements

NEXT SLIDE 6
In 1961 India was on the brink of a mass famine. Norman Borlaug (later Nobel Laureate) an American Agronomist was deputed by President Kennedy to visit India. The Ford Foundation and the Indian Ministry of Agriculture received personal support of the Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and then Agriculture Minister Subramaniam. Based on US advise India adopted various policies to resolve the impending food crisis which resulted in import of high yielding seeds for extensive wheat and maize production.

Shortly after Indian independence President S Radhakrishnan set the ball rolling for establishing Agricultural Universities on the US “Land grant model”. Delegations travelled back and forth between India and the US, policies were proposed, put in place and several US universities were roped into this gargantuan effort.

The State Government of Uttar Pradesh promulgated Act XI of 1958 - for establishing an agricultural university. Mentored by the US University of Illinois, the GB Pant University was established in Pantnagar UP. It produced a new breed of Indian agriculture scientists and paved the way for setting up more than 50 other agriculture universities across India. University of Illinois, Washington State, Michigan State Universities had tie-ups with Punjab and later Haryana Agriculture universities. Florida Agriculture and Mechanical University tied up with Anand in Gujarat. Ford foundation and US AID gave massive financial assistance to Allahabad agriculture university.   

At that point several policies had to be developed in order to cover issues like: Import of agriculture inputs and produce / import of agricultural technologies / establishing institutions of higher education / Teaching program curriculum / training and employment manuals and several related subjects.

Needless to say these policies were deeply influenced by the institutional partners and collaborators operational during that period mainly and namely USA. Seeing the notable US involvement other countries also brought in know-how and financial resources.

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In 1974 TCS India co-operated with Burroughs of USA and sent Indian programmers to work for IT projects in the US
In 1984 PM Rajiv Gandhi announced an IT policy which amongst other things reduced import tariffs on IT hardware. Sam Pitroda a telecom expert from USA was brought in and he set up C-DOT to kick start the Telecom revolution.
In 1988 Government of India formed a National Task Force on IT and Software Development to formulate policies for exports and attracting investors.

Major policies were formulated to impact:
Opening of Internet Gateway access
Private sector Software Technology Parks (STPs)
Restructuring customs and excise duty on software
Exemption of income tax to software and services exports
Setting up of venture capital funds
Allowing US Dollar linked stock options to employees of Indian companies
Schemes for students for buying computers, etc.

In 1999 Ministry of Information Technology (MIT) was set up.

US based business and US educated individuals had both short and long term influence on policies in India which brought all these factors into play. As several American high tech companies moved call centres and software development operations to India, their influence on policies grew.

Needless to say a significant number of software developers were US trained and understood both the Indian and US markets better than their competitors.
In more recent times CEOs of Indian origin have led US IT companies like Adobe, 3D Systems, Cognizant, Master Card, Sandisk, NetApp, Oracle, IBM, Google, Microsoft.  Today US accounts for two thirds of India’s IT services exports.

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Operational perspectives of US India Policy making. 

Democratic institutions lie at the core and provide the backdrop for drafting all public policy both in India and the United States of America. Stakeholder consultation is emphasised!

Both countries increasingly share and exchange information actively interfacing at various levels of government and policy making. The interaction is at the political and executive level and more importantly at the operational level.

Policy making is never a top down phenomena but a two way process where the federal agencies in the US and officials of various Central government departments in India play a key role.
Some of the key federal agencies in the US engaged actively with India include:
Department of Defence / Energy / Treasury / Health / Agriculture / Homeland Security / Commerce / Education / NASA / Food & Drugs Adm. / Internal Revenue Service / Federal Trade Commission / USAID / Aviation Commission etc.  Each one of these is a mammoth institution requiring individual attention and deep bilateral engagement.

Of late most of these US agencies work closely with their Indian counterpart ministries and departments. This is a relatively recent phenomena and has resulted in a vast exchange of information. Best operating practices of the US have found their way to Indian agencies. Suspicions of the past have been replaced by a high level of confidence and trust between the two governments.

Genesis of policy making in the US India context: Typically a delegation from one of these US agencies visits India and asks for a meeting with their Indian counterparts. The US side insists on stakeholder engagement from day one and gives a heads up to US institutions, Chambers, foundations etc for inputs and consultations. The Indian side shows subdued enthusiasm in sharing information or consultations and invites a select few private players at a very short notice. For the Indian side this may have resulted in unfavourable positions and a disadvantage in stakeholder engagement for Indian companies in policy formation. The situation quickly changed and in the last few years apex institutions like CII and FICCI brought all seriousness to stakeholder engagement. The inefficiencies in stakeholder engagement were effectively addressed and replaced with the existing improved best practices.

Whatever goes on in these bilateral meetings and discussions impacts policy making in India. The deliberations between various US and Indian agencies greatly influences and gives critical inputs to policy making processes in India.
Indian Central Government agencies and other institutions meanwhile also enter into serious consultative process with other European counterparts. This is done in order to obtain global perspectives on each policy subject. Due to language similarities and the managerial bandwidth of US agencies the intensity of interaction is most high in the US-India bilateral context.

Central Government departments in India and Federal agencies in the US are in fact the bedrock of public policy making in India and the US respectively.

To illustrate the policy process in USA one major occurrence needs highlighting. The US sub-prime mortgage crisis in 2010 led to a collapse and a global financial crisis. This impacted the economies of most of the developed nations. There were many causes which led to this crisis but certainly housing finance policies of the then US administration was the most obvious. The intentions of these policies and related decisions were undoubtedly most noble but the opposite impact was achieved. 

This was also experienced in the recent past in India (currency devaluation / GST). In the Indian context too, the policies were positive, aimed at removal of inequality, corruption, poverty alleviation and development of social and economic infrastructure etc. Some of these policies led to a high level of economic and social stress in recent times in the country.

Observers of US India relations draw some simplistic yet noteworthy lessons from the US experience – namely that too severe a policy intervention in the prevailing market situation backfires on the entire economy.  Both in India and the US marginalised segments of the population suffered the consequences of these policies.

Suffice is say that aggressive or forced intervention through frequent and far reaching policy announcements may also lead to unintended consequences and dismal results.

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Checks and balance in the US-India context:
Public Policy is the over arching subject being studied by this group and it is  therefore imperative that we also appreciate the difference in policy intervention, policy advocacy and lobbying. A policy professional in India or elsewhere will reach individual conclusions regarding these terms and much of it will depend on the sector of business being engaged in, the level of individual exposure to policy matters and the depth of understanding of these terms. These activities and terms remain crucial to the work experience in US MNCs engaged in bilateral policy review and active engagement.

A practitioner must always ensure that policy advocacy does not become company specific advocacy. Policy advocacy through institutions ensures that one particular company is not the beneficiary of a policy intervention or stands to directly gain by announcement of new policies.

The most natural way to put checks and balance in place is to ensure competing interests and competitive organisations sit on the same table.

The role of US Chambers, Amcham, USIBC, USISPF and Commercial Departments of the US Embassy comes in – they ensure neutrality.

Means for policy change should always be fully transparent, compliant and above board. The end must always be praiseworthy

Competitors who share a common policy strategy include:
Pepsi and Coke on issues on water management and CSR
Boeing and Lockheed on defence procurement procedures
IBM and CISCO on smart city opportunities and procurement guidelines
Citi and BankAm on Financial services and banking policies
Deloitte, PWC, EnY, KPMG – across the board multiple segments.

What factors decide the American ownership of a company? Any business set up registered in the US may qualify but may not necessarily receive US government’s policy support. Often a company is owned by not very easily identifiable group of investors - located someplace in the world. Manufacturing operations of such a company may be in China, exports to Asia but in most cases the patents, copyrights, trade-marks, database rights and related IPRs are owned in the US. This is one of the key factors which helps determine the US ownership of a company. Whether US Government and US controlled organisations will put their weight behind a “policy push” this one factor is the most critical in addition to the obvious US ownership of a company.

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USMNCs and Indian MNCs – Comparison in approach to Policy advocacy:
Senior management’s understanding of policy challenges.
Financial resources allocation for policy related matters.
Difference in understanding the landscape and eco-system.
Adopting sustainable best practices as opposed to short term solutions.
Appreciate and understand core and peripheral beliefs of policy makers.
Levels of transparent, non-secretive stakeholder policy engagement.
Educating and sensitising stakeholders on implications of FCPA / UKBA
Information share with in-company mid and junior management.
Engagement with relatively powerless groups – A must for developing any sustainable policy.
Building, nurturing and advocating for sustainable policy
Managing the limelight of success and the fruits of change-the first mover advantage.
Study of Public Policy is akin to any other subject like Law, Medicine and Economics. It must reach a point where practice replaces theory and the practitioner is confronted with implementing at least some aspects of what they have learnt.
Some of the phrases associated with Public policy include “trade off, compromise, give and take” and other expressions which suggest the middle path leading towards working solutions in policy matters and deliberations.

Some key approaches to impacting policy matters in India:
Information gathering and deep study to develop an evidence based case
Coordinating the change seekers – Roundtable discussions
Interacting with stakeholders – seminars and conferences
Correspond with decision makers – through Chambers and Associations
Co-ordinate appeal with interest groups – individual meetings and outreach
Media outreach and social media efforts
Develop a cohesive and persuasive message
From the mundane to the most high sounding issues processes remain somewhat similar
US and India regularly exchange delegations of decision makers, senior management of companies and government officials
Round tables and Consultative Group meetings are held regularly

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From the Green Revolution to the Strategic partnership between India and the US. This journey requires your deeper understanding and a wide interaction with people across sectors.

Following are some questions which should be asked and the policy professional must apply their mind to seek answers to these.

Why and how did linkages between India and the US develop?

Why was India suddenly more receptive and active in the international arena?

What geo-political compulsions led to US-India strategic partnership?

When do industry bodies step in to take up economic policy concerns?

How does the Indian government perceive US policy advocacy?

Specially the interaction with State Governments and State level leaders!

What is the global reference point for Indian policy makers?

Who sets the agenda for all the bilateral policy discussions?
 
Who and what impacts the decision making and policy advocacy process?

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US-India “Strategic Partnership”:

US India relations were upgraded to the highest level by the US administration. This meant exchange of delegations between the two countries in all major sectors important and critical to them.

Delegations across industry sectors exchanged. Policy engagement at multiple levels specially Executive and Legislative.

Extensive inputs collected from US companies and examined by India based knowledge partners.

Example: Presentations given to US officials and Indian and US policy stakeholders before visit of Indian PM to Washington.

Example: Presentations given before visit of each important dignitary whether Indian or American visiting either country. Policy engagement at all levels of executive and poitical leadership. “Policy Asks” Story developed by US business interests in India: many examples available (Deloitte Amcham document).

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Major policy initiatives by US MNCs operating in India – Case study through the Deloitte Amcham document:
Defence: Address the curbs on US Export Controls for American Defence technology. Discuss to develop transparent and sustainable procurement policies for the Indian MOD. Roundtables with Government and Companies. Security: Counter terrorism co-operation between US Department of Homeland Security and Indian Ministry of Home Affairs. US state of the art surveillance systems. Sharing critical information on counter terrorism operations. Cyber security and high technology. Roundtable with Government and Companies.
Aviation: Deep policy engagement between USMNCs and Miistry of Civil Aviation. Full stakeholder engagement. Roundtable with Government and Companies.
Energy: Clean energy – delegations exchanged – solar policy developed – major commercial sales - Roundtable with Government and Companies.
Agriculture: Evergreen revolution – built on the green revolution but now expanding of market access for US and Indian agricultural produce in addition to developmental goals. Benefits of policy improvement have accrued to other countries as well.  
Healthcare and Medical devices: Roundtable with Government and Companies. IPR TRIPS  Trade related aspects of Intellectual Property. These impact all industries and cover aspects relating to enforcement / remedies / dispute resolution and related procedures. Results in several work areas for policy advocacy practitioners.
Developing countries have not adequately incorporated TRIPS flexibilities (compulsory licensing, parallel importation, limits on data protection, use of broad research and other exceptions to patentability, etc.) into their legislation to the extent authorized under Doha. Roundtable with Government and Companies

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US –India relations in the context of a rising China . The term “Indo-Pacific” replaces Asia-Pacific a legacy of the Cold War.

India gets a seat on the high table – “Indo-Pacific” / “The Quad” is a new watermark in the present US India embrace.

With the term “Indo-Pacific” a message goes to other nations in addition to your own leadership and officials – these are serious players and require your highest level of attention specially across the board of economic co-operation.  

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Becoming an effective advocate on Policy matters –
There are NO short cuts.
Regularly read latest reports by think tanks and foundations.
Peruse Industry focussed reports to complete the picture.
Read policy papers in other countries on subject matter background.
Examine Case studies of Policy formulation / intervention / change .
Enter into and continue a formal Dialogue with stakeholders.
Understand the opposition’s viewpoint.
Prepare your agenda and line of argument.
Active Policy intervention through PR and media outreach.
Work with knowledge partners, think tanks, Chambers.
Provide policy alternatives to government. 
Active engagement with policy makers is necessary.

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Policy is increasingly drafted outside Government by other players.
Policy is increasingly drafted outside the Legislative process.
There is notable engagement of NGOs in stakeholder engagement.
State governments engage with all levels of stakeholders for developing policy. USMNCs strategise to defeat unfavourable policy.   
Competitor MNCs work together on issues of common interest.
Knowledge share on best global policies through seminars and workshops.
Major policy advocacy initiatives of US companies in India: Deloitte Amcham document as an example).

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The Consultative process-Hallmark of a free democratic society:

“The best Public Policy is made when you are listening to people who will be impacted” Elizabeth Dole – Author , Senator, Served three US Presidents

Government of India Order of 2014 – specifically directs departments to engage in policy consultation.

Consultations were taking place pre-2014 too. US government regularly emphasised the need for open consultations before policy rethink.

Reform by stealth has been replaced by a transparent and consultative approach for taking everyone along.

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Concept of Door knock - CEOs of US MNCs in India travel to Washington DC to collectively sensitise US Congresswomen and Senators on key issues faced by American companies operating in India.

Share a background document with US legislators and prepare them for a more meaningful interaction with their Indian counterparts.

Meet the Chiefs of staff and Legislative Assistants to improve their understanding on bilateral issues of economic and commercial import.

US legislators take great pride in being of assistance to US industry. Why not in India?

Door knock is seen as improving the foothold of US industry in India.

Additionally the delegation calls on key individuals in Think tanks, Foundations, Federal agencies and Federal Departments.

Difference in perspectives between India and the US – between US MNCs and Indian MNCs! This is an annual exercise by Amchams in all countries. An annual pilgrimage to Washington DC is undertaken by CEOs of US companies operating in each of the major world economies. In a dynamic and changing business environment the documentation which will be presented to policy makers in the US must be impeccable and able to withstand scrutiny – Role of big four in preparing such documentation!

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US Policy Advocacy bodies and Indian business:
US Chamber of Commerce
National Association of Manufacturers
AdvaMed Advanced Medical Technology Association
Federal agencies
Other US Policy and Advocacy organisations with limited Indian interests

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Indian counterparts of US organisations for Economy and Business Policies:
AmCham India -member US Chamber of Commerce
USIBC also headed by a former Asst Secretary of State
USISPF (US-India Strategic Partnership forum)
Other bodies

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Credibility of Policy organisations- a subjective approach:
Philanthropic organisations
Think Tanks
NGOs
Chambers of Commerce
Business and Trade associations
Advocacy Groups / Lobbyists

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Comments on Policy Advocacy in India:
Legacy of failed past policies and resultant delay in new policy making
One size does not fit all
Unlike China India is neither homogenous nor mono cultural
Policies cannot be universal but tailor made for regions and States
Levels of nepotism in implementing policy
Concerned and impacted parties not sufficiently identified
Stakeholders not sensitized adequately
Pre-legislative consultation is a recent phenomena (2014)
Dichotomy in Post Policy Executive decisions
Antithetical attitudes of Centre and State on particular policies
Opaque procedures developed not following international best practices
No clarity in Developmental v/s Protectionist v/s Ambitious approach
Are the new policies implementable?
Have policy interventions and policy amendments been thought through?
Are proposed policies part of a larger policy change? or piecemeal
Cost-benefit analysis of welfare policies
 

NOTE
Policy must always precede not follow Executive decisions
Policy making is done by a small number of players
Public opinion is shifting and capable of change

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Benefits of studying Public Policy from an individual perspective
The practicing professional develops an ability to:
Look at the big picture - US-India as well as global scenario
Analyse the fundamental and underlying issues impacting policy change
Spot red herrings in the policy landscape and prevent project derailment
AWACS – Advance warning – brace team for incoming changes  
Impact and influence positive change in sustainable policy making
Interface with senior management and cross sector networking

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Question and Answers session

Thank You!