Initiatives of Change - MUNICIPAL OFFICERS CHALLENGED TO GIVE A LEADERSHIP OF HUMANITY AND CONSCIENCE

Contrary to most upbeat forecasts for India's future, former Chief Justice M N Venkatachaliah told a workshop of municipal officers in Kanartaka that this country has three years to address the 'anger of the socially disadvantaged' before 'extremist reactions' fracture the sub-continent.

He was inaugurating the first of a series of workshops on 'Ethics in Public Governance', in the IT-hub city of Bangalore, which have been initiated by B P Kaniram, Director of Municipal Administration in the state government of Karnataka. Last November, Kaniram was among the senior bureaucrats of the Indian Administrative Service who had participated in a five-day seminar on 'Ethical Leadership' at Asia Plateau, the IofC conference centre at Panchgani, in western India.

Returning to Bangalore, Kaniram requested the IofC team to adapt their programme to weekend workshops to train municipal officers from all the 240 administrative conclaves under his jurisdiction across the State. He expressed the hope that such a program would directly influence his key officers in the quality of their work, particularly in delivery of services to the public. This first workshop, from 26-28 April, assembled an 'eclectic mix' of 30 commissioners, project officers and IAS probationers, according to one his departmental officers.

'We are in desperate condition as far as our social conditions are concerned,' warned Justice Venkatachaliah. 'You are the agents of change. The delivery mechanism is in your hand... Ethical leaders should be concerned with humanity and should act decisively. They need to develop a trained intuition... Conscience is not the monopoly of anybody... If you don’t love mankind, don’t pretend to be a leader.'

Including Justice Venkatachaliah, the workshop faculty had a diverse mix of company executives, management trainers, a dental surgeon and a Christian priest – all part of IofC's network in Bangalore. Luis Gomes, director of the Asia Plateau Centre, joined them.

The workshop inspired and motivated the participants through meditation, sharing examples and sessions on themes such as 'Which way India?’, 'Creative leadership' and a 'New model of leadership'. Al Gore’s Oscar-winning documentary on global warming, 'An Inconvenient Truth', was screened.

When asked what they would do differently henceforth, participants gave a range of answers, including:

We will look after the problems that confront us in real life with patience and respect, take decisions with justice. In case we are forced to take any decision that is not just, we will not undertake such issues.

We are committed to keep our surroundings clean.

To be a better human being to serve society.

This program inspired me to develop courtesy, forgiveness and generosity. It showed me the power of silence... and helped me to become a wholesome person.

Transparency at work that allows economically needy people to get a benefit from governance.

I would be more responsive to the people (in my work) and in my personal life.

I will shed some of the luxuries in my life which I no longer consider important, (in order) to help save environment and to lead a simpler life.

I will stop being short tempered and start to forgive people, and to apologize if I do wrong.

Report Suresh Mathew, with Madhuram Sharma and Mike Brown

www.in.iofc.org

Charles Fernandes