A typical Math lecture was in progress, marked by an uneasy calm pervading the classroom with front benchers in rapt attention, middle rows soaked in fearful wonderment, and back benchers lost in wilful oblivion. The teacher was meticulously explaining the formidable fundamentals of Partial Differential Equations (of perplexing orders and skyrocketing complexities) when her eyes fell on a student who was unabashedly relishing the quaint life outside the window, a mischievous expression writ large on his beaming face. Very close to losing her temper, she summoned the student to the blackboard and sarcastically exclaimed, “You seem to have mastered the concept already. Here, solve this problem. The stage is all yours!”
Much to the dismay of the teacher and the rest of the class, the student immediately picked the chalk and, after a few minutes of quiet contemplation, nonchalantly scribbled something on the blackboard. Staring at the answer and the student in disbelief, the teacher was rendered speechless. When she regained her composure, she gracefully asked the whole class to give the student a standing ovation.
This non-conformist student is today well known as G. S. Naveen Kumar, IAS, and Special Secretary, Health, Govt. of Andhra Pradesh and such bewildering situations defined most of his school and college years where he was often pulled up for being too casual about things, for missing key solution steps, for his handwriting which was far from legible, and for his supreme confidence which was often mistaken for arrogance and disdain.
A gifted mathematics student with a flair for the English language, he was academically brilliant but never studious. In a conservative education system where conventions weigh more than solutions, his feats and accomplishments often fetched him stern words of admonishment along with rather restrained accolades. It may seem ironic that such a maverick should make his career in civil services where Protocol is God but going by his prolific strides as a key catalyst of transformation across states, one can sense a ring of destiny in his career choice.
It was indeed sweet coincidence that the seeds of my short yet stimulating telephonic interaction with this busy bee bureaucrat were inadvertently sown in his birthplace Madurai, en route my visit to Rameswaram to spend quality time at the memorial of Dr. Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam, towering man of science, social development, secularism, and spirituality, and one of Naveen's mentors and role models. It was a foregone conclusion that this tete-a-tete with Naveen should begin with a tribute to Dr Kalam.
Meeting a towering man you have always revered must be an experience beyond words…
Undoubtedly! I first met the legend much before I joined the IAS. This was to get his book autographed and seek his blessings. I was not happy with the way I looked in the snap I clicked with him, so it was my earnest desire to get a better photograph with him. As luck would have it, I got to spend a whole day with him eight years later, all the way from his Rajaji Marg residence in Delhi to Kannauj, UP where he inaugurated 250KW solar projects for two electricity-deprived villages. Not only did I get to click a selfie with this selfless man, I also soaked in the actionable wit and wisdom of his astounding insights into life and work. He fondly spoke about a chapter in his book, which was then in the making, incorporating an amusing conversation between a buffalo, UAV and Uranium aimed at highlighting India’s core competencies in each of these areas.
On our way back in an IAF helicopter, we encountered heavy rains which made the ride visibly turbulent but he was splendidly unperturbed. I still remember him asking his assistant (who was frantically chanting the Hanuman Chalisa) to raise his voice to help him decipher the spiritual meaning of the Tulsidas hymns.
How were your formative years?
My parents were quick to notice that I was a gifted child, and so I was kind of pampered a bit and generally allowed to have my way. I was very good at Math, a trait which comes from my mom, but thanks to my terrible handwriting and a habit of skipping key solution steps, I was often at the receiving end of my teachers’ ire. I still remember how once my father came to school and argued with the teacher when he failed me in the Math paper for skipping steps, although I had solved every question correctly. I was also good at chess, and my ability to checkmate the opponent in three moves was part of folklore. Naturally, there was an air of audacity about me which people invariably mistook for arrogance.
Did you always aspire to become a bureaucrat?
I always wanted to join the armed forces. So, I was terribly disappointed when I failed to clear the Rastriya Military School examination. I felt like it was all over for me, when my father counselled me and mentioned civil services as a viable option. Engineering was always my back up option and I am glad I pursued a degree in electronics and communication as it helps me immensely in my civil services avatar, so does my ability in Mathematics.
What do you reckon are among the biggest challenges facing a civil servant in modern India?
In civil services, there are many jobs that don’t call for extraordinary skills. You only need to do the most appropriate thing at the most appropriate time. You need to be a team player, you must not get entangled in the vicious loop of one-upmanship; in fact, there are times when you need to rope in people who are better than you at doing certain things; you need to smartly coordinate with them to get the best possible results. If your options are not working anymore, you must be ready to change them, and for that, you need to be ready to change yourself, which many are averse to. Lakhs of people read the same books for knowledge acquisition, but what separates the winners from the rest is the attitude.
If you don’t believe in yourself, you can’t move ahead and make a lasting difference to society. Aptitude comes way down the line, although it is also key. There are people who are naturally competent and there are people who can develop their aptitude over time with the right effort, but no one can really teach you the right attitude. Attitude is invariably linked to a negative connotation of arrogance or audacity. Yes, attitude is about having a steely resolve but it is never about stamping your authority with little or no responsibility.
How should a budding civil servant cultivate the aptitude and attitude to excel at his or her job?
I believe empathy is the most important quality of a bureaucrat. One should have a clear understanding of the purpose of doing certain things in a certain way. There is no point in mechanically doing things, it does not yield any meaningful and lasting results.
Decision making skills are most important. You need to decide on the spur and stand by what you deem is right or wrong, or the need of the hour I would say. Once in a while, you may make a bad decision but that should not deter you from making decisions. This is elementary for making bureaucracy serve its ultimate purpose, its larger goals.
How do you look at the highs and lows of your work?
There have been many highs and lows in my career. As the great Kalam sir said, you need to be ready to pack your bags anytime. You should never be too high and too low. Celebrate your highs and keep walking during lows but don’t cling to your emotions of either ecstasy or despondency. I would not like to cite specific instances of successes and failures; my life being in the public domain is an open book anyways. There have been times when I was told whatever I had in mind would never work; and when I made it possible, I definitely felt happy about it, and that ammunition helped me in times when things were not going my way.
I have always been a development person. I remember when we were doing the water restoration project in Allahabad, we did about 3000 ponds at one go. Coming from Chennai, I knew the value and worth of water, one of the most precious elements known to humankind.
Eventually I moved to IT where I worked on a digital system to ensure that the citizen is able to avail of door-step services. I was part of the team which did 5 crore plantations in UP. I grew up reading Guinness book of records so it feels very satisfying that this marquee plantation project has etched a place of pride in it. I was also very happy to secure a Twitter account for Taj Mahal, with the proactive help from Raheel Khursheed, then the top Twitter executive liasoning with the government. Taj mahal welcoming the Eiffel Tower on Twitter was one of our tweets that became a rage on the microblogging platform.
What do you reckon as the defining moment of your career till date?
Cancer care has clearly been one of my biggest work domains and a very fulfilling pursuit all the same. Building a mega team, spreading social awareness and impact, working closely with my medical team into preventive care, it has been a backbreaking but a very satisfying journey. As I told before, here too, I made it a point to work with people who know more about the subject matter. I have cherished my interactions with stalwarts like Dr. Vishal Rao, Dr. Norie Dattatraya, Dr. B S Ajaikumar, Dr. Umesh Mahantshetty, and Dr. Darez Ahamed. On my part, I have tried my best to make the most of their actionable insights within the framework of an administrative setup. I like when my ideas bear fruit, when the ideation yields results. Small or big, the impact counts; it stays close to my heart and keeps me motivated to keep the momentum going.
How do you envision India’s socio-economic progression in the coming years?
I have no doubt India would be a superpower in the time to come. I don’t have an iota of doubt in this regard. However, I feel we also need to cherish our history and heritage and not become a lopsided superpower like the US, devoid of roots and heritage. We should make good room to cultivate an interesting society rooted in our awe-inspiring diversity.
Looking back, is there something you would have done differently in your education and career if you were to start all over again?
I have done electronics and communication engineering by choice, so I wouldn’t have done anything else if given another chance. I love every aspect of technology including coding and development. It has been a smooth journey so far so I have never looked back in time really to make sense of it holistically. I would prefer to chug along the path destiny has chosen for me. I am a strong believer of destiny. My favorite warrior character is ‘Uhtred’ from the series 'The Last Kingdom’. He keeps telling “destiny is all”. I love his matter-of-fact approach. He is like the vital missing link of a lost kingdom and a strong believer in destiny.
What keeps you going apart from work? What are your passion areas?
Reading is one of my top passions in life. I mostly read non-fiction. I read 66 books in one particular year, although my per year average is about 30. However, it is not about the number of books you read; one needs discipline to be a good reader.
I am particularly fond of history books. The published Indian history is more about North India, but every state of this great nation has a rich history to be cherished. I think we should accept history as it is, and not color it with our convenient notions and perceptions. We should absorb facts, not react to them. We should never run agendas over history. History was always driven by an agenda, like it or not. Why run agenda on agenda? It doesn’t make sense.
A recent book I read was the ‘Lords of the Deccan’ by Anirudh Kanisetti. He is an engineer who ventured into writing about history. I am an engineer who loves reading about history. That’s the connect maybe. It is about many startling facts of a largely overlooked region.
.jpeg)
You are an avid traveler…
Yes. Also a compulsive foodie. I believe traveling is ‘education in motion’ but one should have an eye for quiet observation and an appetite for learning new things, relishing new cuisine, and meeting new people. There is an art and science to travel which one must be attentive to. With clear focus, one can easily broad base one’s mind and vision. There are people who are proud globe trotters but their approach is very ‘touristy’ which doesn’t go beyond clicking snaps and posting on their social walls. Travel should ideally broaden your perspective to help expand horizons, such that we cherish a sense of being and belongingness without pride and prejudice.
Any invigorating trips that come to mind instinctively?
I remember my visit to Thailand where I was delighted to see the similarities and commonalities with Indian culture and heritage, and even terrain. I was overjoyed to note the shared history. Some of the Manipur kings were also monarchs in Thailand.
Our social structures were so similar, so how could they overcome their social constraints while we could not. These are questions no one asks, but we must probe deeper into them through a look back in time. You will laugh at this; but I visited all the museums in Bangkok, given my insatiable appetite for knowing more about world history and heritage, even in a place which is popular for other reasons.
My trip to Punjab has also been an eye opener. I got great insights into the greatness of Guru Nanak; I feel this towering man of spirituality was a genius ahead of his time; he was able to think through problems most intuitively and incisively, similar to how Lord Buddha and Mahaveer and many saints across India did during their time.
Mention the term bureaucracy and we find tons of sarcasm poking fun at the evils of red tape and other ills of establishment. There is generally very little though spared for the selfless mavericks of this field who are out there to make a lasting contribution to make our governed lives simpler and hassle-free. They are like the vanguards Abhijit Naskar talks about in his seminal work titled When Humans Unite: Making A World Without Borders
“I give a call today to the civil servants around the world - yours is to serve, not the government, not the politicians, not even the constitution, but the people. You are the first servants of the society. On your shoulders, lies the responsibility of humanity's present and future. If the armed forces are our last line of defense in any corner of the world, then you are our first line of defense in every corner of the world. Injustice must ask your permission before entering the lives of the people. You, civil servants are the first vanguards of the society.”
G S Naveen Kumar is one such vanguard bureaucrat: a respectful civil servant and a masterful change architect. Wishing him and others like him every success in the selfless and largely thankless mission-critical endeavor to help India claim an enduring Dhruv-like place of pride on the global map.
G S Naveen Kumar: Awards and Accolades
Vertical Warrior Award, DATAQUEST MAGAZINE: For improving access to G2C services 2017
Best Conducive Start-up Policy for Digital Startups, BW DIGITAL INDIA SUMMIT 2017
Planning Team Member, GUINNESS BOOK OF WORLD RECORDS: 50M trees in 24 hours 2016
Top Performer, Team Digital India, SKOCH GROUP 2016
National E-India Award, ELETS MAGAZINE: Promoting digital literacy & entrepreneurship 2014
Aarogyamanthan
Best Performing state for Highest Health records linked to ABHA.
Best Performing state for Maximum saturation in Public Health Facility Registry
Best Government Health Records Integrator
Best Performing District for Highest Health Records Linked to ABHA First 3 places Bapatla, Alluri seetharamaraju, and Manyam districts
ET Government Digitech Conclave 2022
National Leader in Digital Health.
Global Digital Health Summit
Best Performing State in Creating Highest Number of Digital Health Records
Best Digital Initiative “Consistent Rhythms”
Universal Health Coverage Day 2022
Best Performing award for Achievement of target for Operationalization