In an intimate and inspiring account of the life of a middle-class Indian living in a joint family, An Uncivil Servant vividly recounts the life of a refugee’s son, from the streets of Allahabad to the corridors of bureaucracy.
It delves into the private and the public life of Ravi Mohan Sethi of the IAS to provide an insider’s account of the various trappings of the government.
His grandfather’s motto was ‘chakki, charkha, te sarfa’ (hard work, self-reliance and thrift) and it taught Ravi Mohan Sethi, while he was still a child, virtues and lessons that would stand him in good stead as he grew up to deal with players in the political arena.
Intertwined with the personal struggles and triumphs of Ravi Mohan Sethi, are aspects of Indian culture, tradition and mannerisms, preserved for posterity and offering a glimpse into life as it was just after partition.
Simply written, vivid and lucid, An Uncivil Servant captures an extraordinary man as well as the essence of the Indian way of life.
About The Author:
Ravi Mohan Sethi was born on 27 July 1947. He joined the Indian Administrative Service in 1970. He held various important posts throughout his career but sought premature retirement from the IAS in November 1995. Events would lead him into a lucrative business career. He set up the Stellar Group which comprises Stellar Ventures Pvt. Ltd, Stellar Parks, and Stella Informatics. He is also the chairman of the Citizen Cooperative Bank, Noida.
Ashok Lavasa joined the Indian Administrative Services in 1980. He has a master’s degree in English literature from Delhi University, as well as in business administration from Southern Cross University in Australia. Prior to joining the civil services, he taught literature and worked briefly with the State Bank of India. He is an eminent photographer and has, along with his photographer wife, a number of exhibitions to his credit.
