ARUN SHOURIE ******************************** image.png Preparing For Death by Arun Shourie ; Published by Penguin Viking ; Pages 516; Price ₹799. ************************************************************* Arun Shourie is a prolific writer but quite comprehensible. His learning is as eclectic and wide like that of Bertrand Russell and Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan. Lord Tennyson wrote " In the Spring a young man’s fancy turns to thoughts of love". In old age our thoughts turn to "Intimations of Mortality”--on “Death”. Shourie , 78, has worn several hats — editor, economist, politician and author — with consummate ease for his thorough grasp of many subjects and is respected for his grasp of an impressive gamut of issues. He was hospitalised on December 1, last year after he suffered a head injury while out on a walk near his home in Lavasa, Maharashtra.This book could be a result of that fall. The book under review is chockful of insights, novel interpretations, practical suggestions and methods to achieve “peaceful dissolution of our minds” when we are about to depart. According to Shourie, “Every chapter contains practical lessons. I have also summarised some of the teachings on meditation which I have found useful, which, in fact, helped me when I was in ICU a few months ago,” Shourie’s book is at once a meditation on death and a handbook on dying both theoretical and practical. The first part is basically narrative. It has fascinating photographs of the five persons from history whose deaths Shourie analyses with deep perspectives and unknown cameos — Gautama Buddha, Ramakrishna Paramahansa, Ramana Maharshi, Gandhi and Vinoba Bhave. The second half of the book is reflective where the reader is treated to a discipline of logic and absolute speculation. He lays bare the secret enveloping death and displays utter stoicism . We are introduced to 14th Dalai Lama — Tenzin Gyatso. The Dalai Lama has lots of things to declare that is both wise and witty . Vali, the king of Kishkindha, on being pierced through his heart by an arrow sent by Rama from behind a tree, asks the Prince of Ayodhya: ‘Why have you done this to me? What was my crime? I did you no harm...’ Vali’s question in one form or another haunts every ‘ordinary’ mortal, with the ‘you’ in it being Death itself, the entity that comes sans notice, mostly ill-timed, quite ruthless and therefore absolutely unjustly. Resistance may exist but at the very end of that end, there is a kind of courage. The kind that may be seen in any person being executed. Stoicism becomes the norm. The memorable deaths of history are basically deaths of human beings with organs that feel pain, limbs that turn helpless, minds that confess to experiencing of agony. There is, in other words, a Vali in every Valiant and the ‘arrow’ is in comprehension of the whys and wherefores of life. Be the end ever so gracefully, even willingly, accepted, an understanding of death is not part of the hero’s heroic moment. Arun Shourie relates a conversation with a friend of his own ‘seniority’ at a memorial service. “Yaar, Arun,” the friend says to him, “Have you noticed one thing? We now know more people on that side of the LoC than on this?” Who controls and why, that Line which we must all cross, is the question that makes this book an instruction for the mind and a balm for the heart. Shourie has offered impressive stories from ancient Hindu and Buddhist scriptures as well as from current times.He commences with the Buddhist maxim that death is a certain thing but the time and place thereof are uncertain.Then he focuses on death and dying and speculates as to how to make it easier to endure. Except when it is sudden and accidental, death follows the failure of the body and the weakening of the mind, leading to helplessness, which helps to prepare you for the inevitable. Shourie’s real interest is in Buddhism and Advaita as the book is replete with anecdotes of the Buddha and those connected with Advaita. The book is made lively by haikus from Basho and other Japanese masters or little passages from the Upanishads or poems from Urdu and Punjabi sources. Shourie talks of the last days of the great men and points out how even they persons suffered at the very end. He analyses the techniques used by them and how their deaths were eased by mind over matter.From their lives, he infers that “even the noblest have to suffer the afflictions that strike us ordinary folk, the broken arm of Sri Ramakrishna, the broken collarbone of Sri Ramana, the duodenal ulcer that plagued Vinoba, the cancers that ultimately consumed both Sri Ramakrishna and Sri Ramana. The difference is that they didn’t wallow in self-pity. They strove on and reached unimaginable heights in spite of the afflictions”. Shourie comments impassively about his own family and his own illness to demonstrate the fragility and uncertainty of life and also emphasises on the need to provide security to your family after your death by making a will or by setting up a personal trust. Arun Shourie takes cue from major religions, philosophy, and spiritual train of thought to help people face their end with equanimity. The training of the mind is regarded as a prerequisite to get over the frailty and the suffering of the body. The question this mesmerising account raises — actually explicitly though it shies away from an answer — is did Arun’s father, Hari Dev Shourie, the founder of Common Cause, commit euthanasia? By making convincing forensic use of the letter his father left, Arun presents a compelling case that drives one to the conclusion that his father committed euthanasia. Shourie adds that Buddha maintained that attachments are not just for survival — we tend to think that those are the things which determine a person's happiness. Shourie threw some light , at a Lit-Fest---on how most of the primary figures in his book endorsed and practised euthanasia in different forms. The only person who hesitated at the time of death is Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. He was childlike and had a certain kind of innocence to him. That is quite the description of a true mystic — they behave like children on occasion.But they would certainly think that when the time comes, you should lose. And in a sense, Vinoba did that — fasted to death. Gandhiji took that decision in Kasturba's case. In that sense they were all practitioners of euthanasia by going through with the act of 'dissolving' oneself." This is a book that makes one think and be prepared for the Final Journey. P.P.Ramachandran. 27/12/2020. 16

SHASHI THAROOR ***************************** image.png The New World Disorder And the Indian Imperative by Shashi Tharoor and Samir Saran; Published by Aleph ; Pages: 292; Price Rs 799/- ******************************** The book under review by Shashi Tharoor and Samir Saran is absolutely timely and acts as a guide to Indian leaders in choosing the policies they ought to embrace as we enter the third decade of the 21st century. The two authors sponsor a vigorous foreign policy that will enshrine and uphold a world-wide union of democratic processes. All of us are aware that we are plagued by tough problems like global warming, terrorism, communal and ethnic tensions. What ought to be India’s role in this dreadful drama? Three outstanding issues face us and these are the upsurge of China, the stepping behind by the Western world under American leadership(or lack of it) and the burgeoning hold of populism and strong leaders. An interesting prologue of events given by the authors are Donald Trump’s withdrawal from the Climate Change agreement and the Trans-Pacific Partnership; China’s Belt and Road Initiative; the election across Europe of far-right Euro-sceptics and the vote for Brexit . These events have ineluctably resulted in the New World Disorder—which must be squarely faced by India and responded to meaningfully and forcefully. As a former United Nations official for decades, who once even ran the election to lead the organisation, Tharoor, a Member of Parliament, with his U N experience is richly endowed to analyse the deficiencies of the UN and the causes. The co-author Saran,is an authority on climate change, global governance and digital technology. He directs a well known think-tank and organises the government’s flagship conference Raisina Dialogue each year. He is ,thus,competent to analyse India’s claims and aspirations to contribute to the next version of the “New World Order” when it is born out of the disorder enveloping us today. New centres of power, new alliances and new rivalries are emerging, putting pressure on institutions governing global trade and security. As power is shifting and dispersing, domains for geopolitical rivalry or participation get extended. The central aim of the book is to describe and understand this phenomenon of disorder and provide a solution to it. An important chapter in the book is concerned with what a “New World Order” would constitute, and how our country must assume the mantle of leadership. “India may well be the only country with the credentials and capability to script an equitable ethic for a new international order,” write the authors, which may be an overblown hope-- taking into account the current situation, rising populism and protectionism, a right-wing government itself accused of authoritarianism, and the threat of religious majoritarianism. The authors hope that India as a “relatively wealthy, democratic, multicultural state with an instinct that privileges multilateralism and rules-based order” is welcome in the New World Order. The New World Order that Tharoor and Saran refer to has several dimensions. H.G. Wells, in his book The New World Order, spoke of a global idea to reconstruct human society through a common belief in the “Rights of Man”. Curiously several persons believed that a “New World Order” was the creation of a secret group with the avowed aim of forming “authoritarian world government” . Approaching the global disorder from an institutional perspective, the authors concentrate on global governance. Institutions based on American liberal values, including the United Nations , World Trade Organization , World Bank and International Monetary Fund , have been the foundation of international order, and the systems of alliances and multilateral institutions that have upheld this order have been the safeguard of international stability. The authors highlight four essential aspects of global governance buttressed by events or case studies: history ; forces of convergence and disruptions ; the emergence of institutions and processes ; and universal norms . They enumerate the five crises that characterise global governance today: the crisis of legitimacy, representation, the collective, identity and sovereignty, supported by case studies. The authors strongly espouse need for ‘Re-forming’, rather than reforming of this governance structure, so that it accommodates the diverse cross-section of interests. The global governance of peace and security faces mounting challenges. The UN as the leading guarantor of peace and security failed to tackle issues and is criticised for its inaction, for example, during the South China Sea dispute, violence in Iran, Libya and Syria , the humanitarian crisis in South Sudan, Rohingya crisis in Myanmar, the civil war in Yemen and so forth. The UN’s response to humanitarian crises has been selective, and this issue has remained contentious in international politics. Selective intervention by the UN has damaged the legitimacy of the international order. Interventionist policies of the UN depend on factors such as the level of human suffering, the level of spillover effects of the crisis; the military strength of the target state and the extent to which the UN has previously engaged in a crisis. The underlying fact remains, “the governance structures of today still reflect the realities of 1945 and not 2020” . Questioning the legitimacy (or inadequacy) of the UN, the authors believe that the UN is neither indispensable nor irrelevant. It is ‘intransigent’ , stuck in a moment in history. The Global North refuses to take into account its historic role in afflicting climate change and alleges the Third World countries are responsible for degrading the environment, due to poverty and increased population and the costs and liability of mitigation and adaptation have to be borne collectively . The Global South asserts that the rich nations must bear the basic burden of financial mitigation, consume less of the world’s resources and reduce their contribution to global warming. To ensure climate change and development, the book distinctly mentions three elements: technology, finance and knowledge . Climate change negotiations and sustainable development discourse carried over various conventions have been unsuccessful in fully addressing climate governance. The authors have thoroughly covered the governance of cyberspace. They discuss the birth of the internet, inextricably linked to America’s unipolar prominence, framed in democratic and market-centric terms, in line with the American vision of international liberal order. Emerging technologies are becoming the centre of a global contest for leadership and dominance. Following the Snowden episode, China rallied against America’s perceived domination of the internet by demanding the return of the state and the expansion of ‘cyberspace sovereignty’. Undeniably, China has a ‘de facto control over the internet’ , with its two sole objectives being information censorship and eliminating the use of foreign technology companies to ramp up its own technology companies. The concluding chapter recapitulates the liberal international order and the norms that set up the international institutions, including the UN and its agencies . India has taken several initiatives, globally and regionally, to hedge the adverse consequences of the changes underway. India has made efforts for creating an enabling environment for digital innovation, peacekeeping, or forging cooperation and mutual support in multilateral fora. Five major attributes are given on an ‘Indian Imperative’. India seems to take on this leadership role, first, given its democratic credentials which are non-western in nature and based on a free market ; the second component is India’s strategic geographical expanse ; the third feature is India’s unique cultural ethos followed by India’s role in global governance and development; and lastly, India’s affirmative position to greater international equity . Amid unalloyed geopolitical and technological turmoil, this work is a crucial combination of the most important transformation of our time, as the centre of gravity shifts towards emerging multipolar world order, especially in Asia. The option left for India in an unpredictable world is to retain a “truly global vision” and robustly offer its competence in the area of technology, cyberspace and outer space as a tangible evidence of its potential as a leader. P.P.Ramachandran. 20/12/2020.

KONSAM HIMALAY SINGH ********************************* image.png Making of a General by Lt.Gen.Konsam Himalay Singh: Published by Konark Publishers ; Pages 230; Price Rs 800/- ************************************************************** The Occident teems with books on military affairs, including autobiographies and biographies of Generals. We all grew up reading the memoirs of Eisenhower,Patton, Montgomery, De Gaulle, Rommel,General Slim and Wavell. However there has been only a handful of books of this genre in Asia. In India we have books of Brigadier Dalvi ,Gens.J.J.Singh,J.N.Chaudhuri. In view of this absence of authoritative books, we welcome the book “The Making of a General” by Konsam Himalay Singh. Konsam Singh is the first officer from northeast India to become Lieutenant General in the Indian Army and the first military officer from Manipur to reach the ranks of Brigadier and Major General. He was the Chairman of Manipur Public Service Commission and is presently a member of the Consultative Committee of Manipur Government on Naga Peace Talks. He is also a visiting faculty member of Manipur University. Singh was born in Charangpat village in Manipur. He joined the National Defence Academy in Poona. He holds a Post Graduate degree in Defence Studies, and an M Phil in Strategic Studies. He has completed a postgraduate degree in management studies and earned his PhD from the Jammu University. Singh was commissioned into the 2nd battalion, Rajput Regiment in 1978. He commanded the 27th battalion, Rajput Regiment between 1998 and 2000 on the Siachen Glacier and commanded his battalion during the battle of Point 5770 in the Kargil War in 1999, for which he was awarded the Yudh Seva Medal . Singh has been awarded the Chief of Army Staff's commendation card three times during his career. Singh is also a graduate of the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, and the National Defence College, New Delhi. He was awarded the Param Vishist Seva Medal, Uttam Seva Medal and Ati Vishist Seva Medal. He has vast operational experience in counter-insurgency operations in Jammu and Kashmir , where he served five tenures within 35 years. His experience included counter-insurgency operations along the Line of Control and HAA (High Altitude Area) environments. He was the commandant of the Infantry School, Mhow after becoming the General Officer Commanding . Singh is married to a physician working with the Central Government Health Service, Delhi, as a Chief Medical Officer. The couple have two daughters. Singh hailing from Manipur has crucial and critical comments on his State based on his experience. He writes, “Looking back now, I regret to remark that our leaders failed the future generations by their omission to address the ethnic tensions that were building up over a period of time soon after the merger of Manipur with the Indian Union. The 20 year transition period from the time of grant of statehood in 1972 to the 1990s has been a rather tragic period. The management of change in the society had not only failed, but a regressive culture in many spheres was noticeable.” Bitter words but true.More on similar lines. “ I found that our world in Manipur and in the region was in constant struggle between modernity and antiquity, between the haves and have-nots, between newly evolving democratic values and the values of the past. Not to mention between Pride and Prejudice !.The way forward appeared to me was to stress on more and more education, cater to spiritual and emotional needs of the people and of course the governance of the day.” What Singh writes on Kargil assumes great importance in view the significant part he played in the Kargil conflict. He explains ‘Operation Meghdoot’--the race to occupy the Saltero Ridge.The attack on Point 5770 is analysed at considerable length. It was a major victory for 27 Rajput.This was one attack in the entire Kargil war where no artillery guns were used and no casualties to own troops occurred inspite of the most unfavourable terrain and challenges of nature besides the vantage position of the enemy. In the words of Maj.Gen Ahok Verma,the capture of the Point 5770 by 27 Rajput under Singh’s command was “perhaps the most incredible action of the Kargil War”. Singh was an intrepid mountaineer and Kanchenjunga called him. We have a thrilling narration of the expedition led by Maj.Gen P.L.Kukrety. What inspired him?. “For me I climb mountains because it makes me feel the nothingness of life. I also wanted to prove to myself that I could do it.”. Singh was in the jaws of death, when he slipped inside a yawning crevasse on Zemu Glacier. The height was 16,000 feet .He was dangling about 20 feet inside the crevasse with the possibility of the ice pitons giving way due to melting ice. Three mountaineer colleagues rescued him from the mouth of the bottomless yawning crevasse .A second birth, indeed. Writes the author “The half hour struggle for life inside the crevasse taught me of the ‘Nothingness of Life’. An item of significance is the unseemly controversy that erupted over the age of the then Indian Army chief, General V.K. Singh, with the Supreme Court having to finally settle the matter by refusing to let him reduce this by a year so that his tenure could continue till May 2013 instead of ending in May 2012. The author declared that he had held back information as this "might have further complicated the relationship" between the then army chief, General Deepak Kapoor, and Lt. Gen. Singh, who at that time headed the Kolkata-based Eastern Command. I felt it right to withhold some documents which might have further complicated the relationship between the two." Lt-Gen. Konsam Singh writes : But it is painful that many in the country still harbour a wrong impression that Gen.V.K. Singh tried to manipulate his age to extend his tenure as the COAS. The only document with the Army Headquarters held against him was where he had possibly entered his date of dirth (sic) wrongly at the time of filling up the documents for his entry into the National Defence Academy in 1966. That this semi-legal document which he had signed over 40 years ago as a school boy had primacy over all other legal documents appears unjust," When the was author was asked what exactly was the information withheld and did this not amount to insubordination, he said-- "The concept of insubordination is about whether one disobeyed a 'Lawful Command'. There are, in every officer's journey, many a situation where one has to judge for himself about his own actions and be prepared to face the consequences." This is an extremely interesting book on the journey of a village boy who served his country in a distinguished manner especially during the Kargil War. Compulsory reading for all students of Indian politics, history and members of the military force. P.P.Ramachandran. 13/12/2020.

VISWANATHAN ANAND **************************************************** image.png Mind Master: Winning Lessons from a Champion’s Life by Viswanathan Anand with Susan Ninan; Published by Hachette; Pages 274;Price Rs 599/- ********************************* Anand dedicates his book to his mother by mentioning her at the beginning of the book-For my mother, who told me to always write down my thoughts, good or bad. She said, 'One day you will read them and realize how beautiful they are.' A few decades ago, a young Viswanathan Anand was asked by an elderly gentleman what he did for a living while on a train journey to Kerala. Anand, having just turned pro, replied that he played chess. "But that's not a secure career choice," the gentleman muttered before pausing and adding, "Unless you're Viswanathan Anand." The book under review Mind Master: Winning Lessons from a Champion’s Life (with Susan Ninan) is not a simple autobiography. It is a compendium of life lessons based on his own experiences of becoming a chess player and, thereafter, a world beater who will forever be known as one of the greatest to have played the game. The book lists lessons learnt while playing sport at the highest level and how the mind-body synergy is key to becoming the world’s best chess player. Mind Master documents the trials and tribulations in the course of Anand’s journey. “It is biographical but in a slightly different format. Instead of documenting my life story chronologically I have tried to document the lessons I found most important, the learnings from them and what impact they had on me. That’s how the book flows....I have mentioned that my growth in chess has been very natural, very spontaneous without the kind of template a trainer would have for an aspiring player. And when I look back at my own story and my early growth as a chess player till the time I became a grandmaster, I see that it isn’t a conventional story in any sense. I wasn’t coming out of a tradition and that’s why I could experiment the way I did. I also talk about how spontaneity and the whole experience of enjoying chess helped me absorb a lot of useful lessons. Of course there are chapters on disappointments like New York and joy when I beat Kramnik playing the best I ever have.” The book will appeal to chess aficionados and sports fans. Anand’s emphasis on physical stamina is fascinating. According to him, “The most important thing is stamina. You want to be able to handle 6 hours of focussed attention and need your brain not to get tired. When you get tired you tend to forget things and that’s when blunders happen. It is no use playing 5 good hours and then losing out. So during all my matches, in the morning, my team and I would meet up, I go for a run, climbing or whatever it is that could really raise the heart rate. This is good because chess builds up tension, you are constantly lost in your thoughts. You get a lot of positive and negative emotions sitting inside and they are knocking around in your mind. I have often wondered if the physical training you do is to get rid of tension or build your ability to sustain pain. I feel that the one hour spent by myself, running or lifting weights, is the one hour you are not thinking about chess and that’s the main value.” Anand sparked a chess revolution in India by taking it from a hobby to a mainstream sport. Moreover, doing it by himself, at a time when the sport was the domain of Soviet Union-backed chess players like Anatoly Karpov and Vladimir Kramnik The book reveals how he prepared for the world championship match against Russian Vladimir Kramnik and how he felt at one point that the match was being thrust upon him by Kramnik and his team. That it was all done to suit Kramnik may have prodded Anand to reserve his best for this contest. The other thing that helped was Kramnik’s comment saying Anand had no strategy, and that’s what cost him the title. “It did play in my mind. There is no debate Kramnik is a very good player and we had played each other long enough to know of each others’ games. That’s why I needed to be different. Try something I have never tried. For a year we planned it and must say the execution went perfectly to plan.” Anand explains why he lost to Garry Kasparov in 1995 and is forthright in saying he continues to play chess because he enjoys it. It isn’t only about winning tournaments or matches and proving to the world that one is still the player one once was. Vishy Anand is sans doubt one of the greatest Indian sportsmen and the book is a true picture of the Champ. From the time he learnt to move pieces on a chessboard as a six-year-old, Anand has bagged several awards. He was the first World Chess Champion from Asia; he became World No. 1, annexed five World Championship titles. He is a man for all seasons in the world of chess and his is a respected names . These are just some of the nuggets Anand touches upon with characteristic wit, easy wisdom and disarming candour in Mind Master – a delightful and invaluable exploration into the self that will thrill, inspire and motivate readers as few books have done before. The book has nuggets about Anand's quirks ― such as his habit of signing only a particular square should a fan ask for his autograph on a chessboard, or his habit of letting his mind wander to scenes fromYes Minister or Monty Python and the Holy Grail when he's caught in a troubling position. The book is a collection of moments that stand out from the career of Anand. Anand whose profession sees him remember thousands of intricate patterns and lines on the chessboard, but also one could have such poor memory that he once forgot his own wedding anniversary and admittedly needs to flip through Facebook profiles of his friends before school reunions to remember their faces and names. The book also wonderfully captures the drama and intrigue that can surround chess, especially when it comes to the World Chess Championship. Kasparov flits from being a rival in 1995 to ally during the 2010 World Championship tie in Sofia against Topalov (where he would help Anand via Skype) to being a rival again by the time Anand faced Boris Gelfand for the World title in 2012. Kramnik also helped Kasparov out against Anand during their PCA World Championship match in 1995, but almost became a second for the Indian during his 2010 World's title bid. Anand's recollections about the 2010 Sofia game are the highlight of the book simply for the surreal nature of the chain of events. There was a volcanic eruption that shut down flights, and a consequent 2,000-km roadtrip traversing Germany, Austria, Hungary, Romania to get to Bulgaria. To pass the time, Anand and his team of seconds watched the popular TV show House and Lord of the Rings. Incredulously, at the end of the 40-hour road-trip and with a World Championship clash looming, Anand and his team took two rounds of their hotel in their car just so they could finish off the LoTR trilogy. While Carlsen, Kramnik, Kasparov switch roles from friend to foe, the one constant aide Anand had by his side was his wife Aruna. The book offers a glimpse into the growing presence of Aruna, who when they got married couldn't tell if Anand had won or lost a game, but would later go on to negotiate terms with Kramnik's team ahead of the 2008 World Championship and have the brainwave of using a 'force majeure' clause to force a postponement in the 2010 World Chess Championship game with FIDE. The book offers glimpses into the mind and ― more importantly ― the heart of Anand. The agony of losing to Kramnik, the self-awareness that his career is on a downward spiral by the time the World Championship clash with Carlsen in Chennai came about, and the mild pangs of regret at not having been more confrontational throughout his career. Anand also uses the book to address his perception as a 'bland nice guy', to the point where rivals thought of him as a pushover. His career is proof that he wasn't. He's been dismissed as a coffee house player by Soviet Union players. The chess community was dismissive of his World title at Tehran in 2000. Karpov deliberately arrived 40 minutes late for a game against him in 1997 to get under his skin. Kasparov tried to rattle him ahead of the World Chess Championship tie by banging his pieces on the board and slamming the door as he left the room after a move. Topalov tried to unnerve Anand during the 2010 World Chess Championship by employing 'Sofia Rules', where he would not talk to Anand at all, even if he were to offer a draw during a game. All through it, Anand kept his composure and grace . Along the way, he changed the perception of the sport back home and collected five World Chess titles. Anand is an astronomy buff, and an avid reader on maths, economics and current affairs. He loves to travel, particularly on wildlife safaris. He supports many charitable causes, chief among them being that of children with cerebral palsy and other neurological disabilities. Susan Ninan is a sports writer with ESPN and is based in Bengaluru. She has previously worked with the Times of India and has covered major sporting events like the Commonwealth Games and the World Chess Championships. If you want to know the journey of 'The Lightning Kid' becoming 'The Madras Tiger' then you have to read his book. P.P.Ramachandran.

Rethinking Good Governance by Vinod Rai ; Published by Rupa ; Pages 278 ;Price Rs 595/- ************************** It is an internationally accepted norm that Critics are not exactly admirable; in fact they are more reviled the more exalted their station in life is. We deal with one such Critic in the book under review. He is Vinod Rai who needs no introduction. An IAS officer from the 1972 batch, he held several significant positions all through his illustrious career. He started with the post of Comptroller and Auditor General of India followed by the chairperson for Banks Board Bureau ; presently he is the Chairman of the Committee of Administrators of the BCCI appointed by the Supreme Court . Rai was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2016 . He has written two books, one where he shares ideas and reflections looking back at seventy years of freedom and second where he reveals his diary, as the nation’s conscience keeper---as a symbol of the anti-corruption movement in the country. In 2010, when the CAG came up with the startling revelation about the loss of Rs 1.76 lakh crore in the 2G spectrum auction, it sealed the fate of the UPA government, already besieged by a series of scandals, including the one surrounding the Commonwealth Games in Delhi. However, nine years down the line, the charges around the 2G scam seem to have diluted, especially after the CBI trial court acquitted A. Raja and M. Kanimozhi, along with 15 others accused in the case. However Rai, who was CAG at that time declared . “Considering the fact that the 2G auction documents have not changed, and basing on those records, we would reach the same conclusions even today.” He blames the investigative agency--- the CBI, for not doing enough to prove the charges. “In his order, the trial court judge had expressed his dismay that he kept waiting for the CBI to bring evidence and witnesses, but that never happened… The judge also questioned the quality of the investigation.” A new book by the former CAG ought to turn a floodlight on public institutions in the country and how they should support good governance to ensure the welfare of the citizen. Written with the razor-sharp insights of a conscientious civil servant, this illuminating book offers a thorough analysis of the country's key accountability agencies -- from the parliament to temple administrations -- whose functions impinge on all aspects of our daily life in India. According to Rai, these public institutions are the pillars on which rests a "robust and vibrant democracy".He highlights the strength of each of these pillars. They are like the guardians of the country, the very pillars on which it stands proudly. He analyses thoroughly the circumstances that led to their weakening, resulting in the foundation of our democratic fabric being somewhat shaken. The book reveals the working of public institutions. Rai lucidly explains what he means by ‘Holding to Account’ and according to him the most vital bond between people and government is “Trust” . It is these “accountability institutions” that engender and help maintain that trust. The transparency and openness seen in any society, the readiness with which it can indulge in creating disruption, and the ease with which the rule of law is permitted to prevail are important indicators of an able administration. Rai explains clearly the functionalities and the impact on the society of the Parliament, the Supreme Court, the Election Commission, the Reserve Bank of India, the Comptroller and Auditor General, the Central Bureau of Investigation, the Civil Services and the Central Vigilance Commission. Specially emphasised is the necessity of the Central Bureau of Investigation maintaining an ‘arm’s length’ relationship with the government of the day. “The CBI seems to be becoming a ‘handmaiden’ to investigate, if not intimidate. The onus is now squarely on the government to cut its losses, and, wielding the hammer, set about ensuring that it is not held guilty of allowing the credibility of these institutions to hit rock-bottom during its tenure.” . Rai also has desired that the Parliamentary Action Committee (PAC) should hold frequent meetings which would be highly effective to rein in the government under constant scrutiny and bring it to book when there are ‘signs of laxity, wastage or malfeasance’. The book stresses the importance of institutions like CBI, PAC, CAG amongst others and the role they serve as the pillars supporting the foundation of democracy. Also crucial is the “Right to Information” along with the sports and temple administration. Rai also wrote that the role of prosecutors in the probe agency requires an overhauling because the track record of high profile cases proves that the role of the prosecutor is not very encouraging. “Often, the director of prosecution plays a secondary role and gets swamped by the same political allegiances that bedevil the director of the organisation, especially when the director gets the appointment after lobbying and hence ab initio starts with an ‘I owe you’ tag” . According to Rai, accountability institutions that form the foundational pillars of any democracy seem to be losing their structural strength. “That is probably the reason an otherwise decisive government did not see or, if it saw, did not act on early warning signs.” Rethinking Good Governance is an important book as it shows us the strengths and weaknesses of these institutions and that too from an expert’s perspective. An interesting Epilogue emphasises our sterling attainment — democracy and how we should all strive to keep it intact while working in tandem with the government to make our country a successful one. The book helps the readers who seek to comprehend India and its functioning at its best.Rai offers insights into efforts for tackling crisis made by these institutions and deals with prospective amendments. The book which has the precision of a textbook is highly informative and analyses the many corrective steps and accomplishments of accountability institutions. P.P.Ramachandran. 29/11/2020.