Case
Study: D.J. Pandian
Mr. Dharmakkan Jagatheesa Pandian is a Senior IAS Officer belonging to the Indian
Administrative Service, having more than 30 years of experience in Public
Policy & Administration. He is currently the Principal Secretary to
Government of Gujarat in Energy & Petrochemicals Department. Prior to the
current assignment, Mr. Pandian served as the Chief Executive Officer of
Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation (GSPC) and its group companies for 8 years.
During his tenure, he converted the minuscule GSPC into a giant oil and gas
company with presence in the entire Value Chain of Hydro Carbon Sector.He
developed extensive gas grid networks for transmission and distribution of natural
gas throughout Gujarat. Through his visionary policies and program
implementation skills, he also developed city gas distribution systems in most
of the districts of Gujarat with active public and private participation.He was
also instrumental in setting up a modern university, Pandit Deendayal Petroleum
University, to provide highly skilled technical manpower to the industries in
the petroleum sector.
In his current assignment he is
instrumental in setting up the biggest Solar Park in Asia. Mr. Pandian has also
worked as Deputy Secretary in C M D of Ministry of Finance, Government of
India, New Delhi. He was instrumental in liberalizing government policies for
foreign capital inflow. His successful stint in the Ministry of Finance,
Government of India enabled him for a special assignment with World Bank in
Washington DC during 1998-2001. Thus, Mr Pandian has brought path breaking
developments throughout his career path in the various organizations he worked
with.
Dharmakkan Jegadeesa Pandian (
D. J. Pandian ) hails from the village “Kannirajapuram” located in the coastal
area of Ramanathapuram district, Tamilnadu. His father, Shri. Dharmakkan ( 1908
- 2005 ) was a freedom fighter ( Thiagi ) and was a close associate of Shri. K.
Kamaraj, former Chief Minister of Tamilnadu. DJP’s parents, born and brought up
in the same village, served as teachers in the Government Elementary School,
Kannirajapuram. The village was inhabited by palmyrah climbers and many of them
were toddy tappers. The village economy depended primarily on palm labour and
rearing of cattle and poultry. Fishing existed in a very small scale. Most of
the villagers were illiterates and very poor.
Thiagi. Dharmakkan, right from
his school days was involved in the freedom movement. He was punished by his
head master for meeting Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru in the year 1930; was forced to
resign his teaching job by an education officer of British origin; participated
in the Satyagraha Movement of Gandhiji and was remanded and imprisoned for 18 months;
was imprisoned for 6 months for printing and distributing anti – government
literature (1942); and was arrested and beaten up by police for anti – government
activities (1945). Also, he served as the organiser of Ramnad District Palm
Labourers’ Association (1987).
His services to the village include
1. fighting for abolition of the then prevailing licencing system for palmyrah
climbing, 2. formation of a women’s co- operative society for the manufacturing
and marketing of palm products, 3. liasoning with the government for the upgradation
of the government middle school, Kannirajapuram to a high school, that being the
first high school (1956) in the taluk, 4. liasoned with the government for,
laying metal road to connect his village with nearby towns, supply of
electricity and supply of protected drinking water to the village, and 5. arranging
bank loans for buying milch cows.
Thiagi. Dharmakkan devoted his
life for the upliftment of the poor and the downtrodden of the village and its surrounding
hamlets. His services were focused at the needs of the deprived and the
unfortunate at the gross root level. Unmindful of his polio – affected legs and
the risk of acquiring illness, he took even cholera affected sick persons to
hospitals. The villagers consider him as a Good Samaritan. He was the role
model for all his children and was well – liked by his grandchildren too.
DJP was the fifth issue to his
parents and has three brothers and three sisters. His mother, Shrimathi. Amirtham
Ammal, had to struggle hard to bring up the children. The villagers say that
all the children of Thiagi’s family are well placed, by God’s grace because,
Thiagi helped people to grow without caring his own family. Of the seven
children, one is in NGO, one served in a nationalized bank, two are in
government, and the three girl children are / were teachers in schools.
DJP was good at his studies in
the Government High School, Kannirajapuram and he stood first right from his
first standard to his eleventh standard. He participated in oratorical
competitions and won many prizes. He was frugal in eating and looked puny. He
enjoyed good care of his parents along with other children. The family lived in
a thatched roof until 1984 when it was replaced by a concrete roofed house. DJP
has been very affectionate with his parents, brothers and sisters. He, unlike
other children in the village, moved very freely with children of the deprived
communities and fishing folks and brought them home and shared food with them.
Buying groceries, vegetables
and other household requirements in the nearby town was entrusted to DJP as he
was considered very prudent in spending. He took much time on bargaining and
always went for the “best buy“ with the money spared for the purpose. The
family had a hand - to - mouth living since his father rarely had any home
taking pay due to his regular leave on loss of pay for attending social work.
DJP readily entered into
arguments with his fellow playmates and elders even, when he felt any one trying
to drift away from norms and justice. Being a bright student, he never hesitated
to share what he learnt in the class with his fellow students. DJP worked in a
private firm for one year after his bachelor’s degree and joined MBA in PSG
College of Technology, Coimbatore, a college affiliated to Madras University. As
a student of MBA, he was known as one of the best students in academics. His
participation in seminars and workshops drew the attention of audience and his
well - thought - out views on various issues discussed reflected his strong
sense of social justice and equity. His outlook was encompassing matters of
national concern. He was prompt, punctual and well - accepted by all his class
mates. After his MBA with distinction in several subjects, he served as a
teacher in an arts and science college for two years and joined Indian
Administrative Service in (1981 batch) in Gujarat Cadre. He got married in 1984
and has a son.
DJP acquired a high need for
affiliation from his mother and great patriotism from his father. His love for
his family and for social justice has been very strong and consistent. He is sincere,
honest, a man of clean habits, god fearing, cheerful, energetic, bold,
emotionally sensitive, positive, hardworking, enterprising, and humble. A
simple attempt to map his personality applying David Mc. Clleland’s theory
would result in the following score; Need for Achievement – 90, Need for Power
- 25, Need for Affiliation - 80 and Need for Extension – 90.
DJP’s thirst for social
service did not stop with discharging his duties as an IAS officer. He inspired
his eldest brother Shri. D. Jagaveerapandian, to establish a charitable society
“Navajeevan Educational and Welfare Society” in the year 1989 and “ Navajeevan
Educational and Awareness Trust“ in the year 2000; both in Thiruthangal, Virudhunagar
district. The objects of the society and the trust include 1. service to the
poor 2. education 3. medical relief 4. public utilities and 5. creating
scientific awareness.
The objectives of the
institutions are realized through various routine activities and special
projects. The society has established and running a child development centre in
Madurai (1998); a high school in Madurai (1998); and, a teacher training institute (2007), a
college for education (2009), and an arts and sciences college (2012); all in Kannirajapuram
village. All are service oriented, poor – friendly not - for - profit
organisations in the real sense.
No comments:
Post a Comment