The View from Kollam

GETTING IT RIGHT IN KOLLAMIn his debut book, On a Clear Day You Can See India, C. Balagopal gave an anecdotal account of his early years as a young IAS officer in Manipur. While the stories were about ordinary people, often amusing and sometimes sombre, they also dealt with the underlying issues of identity in the North East.In The View from Kollam, Balagopal continues to regale us with his skills as a raconteur, with his ability to see a story even in the most mundane occurrences in a small district office. He recounts stories that dwell on the events that defined his work as a district official in Kollam, Kerala, in the early 1980s. Amid the rough and tumble of daily work, there are engrossing tales that illustrate the skill, dexterity and sincerity that a district official needs to overcome hurdles and keep the administration moving.What shines through in this worm’s-eye view of administration is Balagopal’s earnest belief that given the space for original thought and action, it is the district that holds the key to improving governance in a large and diverse country like India.