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The Rediff Special/N Vittal

Man for all reasons

The post is mired in controversy. Urban Development Minister Ram Jethmalani, currently in Israel, says his ministry's views were not considered. Others point out that the Supreme Court's recommendations were bypassed. There is talk of a petition, of ensuring the law is different from the ordinance, of this and that. But what does come across is that the man in the eye of the storm, N Vittal, is himself, like Caesar's wife, way above suspicion.

The post is the Chief Vigilance Commissioner, which now is a statutory body. This means that Vittal has a degree of freedom in dealing with corruption cases that his predecessor, S V Giri, simply did not have. Also, as per the ordinance which recreated the post, the Central Bureau of Investigation, investigating a slew of cases involving top level politicians, will now come under the CVC's purview.

Vittal, better known to Rediff readers as the columnist who writes on such heady stuff such as information technology, electronics and getting wired, is an honours graduate in chemistry! He joined the IAS in 1960, ranking 13 in the merit list, one of a rare few to get in right after graduation. And has over the years acquired a reputation for many things. But foremost among them is his reputation for honesty, a statement that drew no dissent from any quarter.

"He is the epitome of transparency," says Vinay Dharmadhikari, joint secretary in the Department of Electronics and who has known Vittal for seven years. "He is the right person in the right place, and most important, at the right time."

A statement seconded by A K Jhingan, Vittal's assistant in his previous posting as chairman of the Public Sector Enterprises Board. "The CVC post needs a person with a clean image. I am sure there are many such persons, but Vittal's reputation stands out above the others," he said.

P Murari, a former bureaucrat and now with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, and who considers Vittal one of his best friends, having known him for over 30 years, is very happy with the selection. "Vittal's greatest strength is that he is of unimpeachable integrity," he says, "and because of this integrity, he will not succumb to any pressure whatsoever."

"He will never compromise on his principles, but will also not make a show of it," says Professor Abid Hussain, the former ambassador to the United States who has known Vittal for two decades. "I was surprised to hear about his selection, but realised that he clearly outshines any other contender for the post."

Those who know Vittal say that in many respects, he is most unlike the run-of-the-mill bureaucrat. That he would rather quit than succumb to a minister's whim. The example cited is when Vittal was secretary in the ministry of communications, with Sukh Ram as minister.

"Vittal preferred to quit than continue," says Murari. "He used to insist that the entire process of tenders for telecommunications must be transparent rather than a case-by-case selection."

Recalls a government official: "Once, in front of the prime minister, Vittal corrected Sukh Ram when the latter tried to favour a particular party. Vittal forcefully intervened to point out that Sukh Ram was wrong, making the minister extremely furious. Vittal was immediately transferred, but he stuck to his guns."

"I think that was the only time in all the years that I have known him to get upset. Even then, he kept great equanimity, and none of us really knew the pressures he was facing. He soldiered on bravely," recalls Dharmadhikari.

Vittal's friends and colleagues say that he soaks up knowledge in any subject that he is interested. "His interest in electronics, computers, information technology and related matters is purely one of choice," says Dharmadhikari. "But what distinguishes him is that having liked the subject, he studied it so thoroughly as to become a master and an expert at it. Few bureaucrats can match him in this regard."

"It is wrong to consider him a technocrat. He is actually a generalist with a well-developed sense of the applications of technology. He is more a champion of technological progress and use," says Pronab Sen of the Planning Commission, who was economic advisor to Vittal at the ministry of telecommunications.

Yet, Vittal was better known as the technology man, and which is why his new posting did come as a surprise to many. Vittal himself was unaware that he was being considered for the post until just before he was selected.

Says the official, "Unlike many others, Vittal never lobbied for the post of CVC while many others did. Perhaps that is why he was surprised at his selection."

Vittal is also quite pleased. "When I called him up to congratulate him, he told me how he planned to promote a corruption free environment, to sift the mala fide from the bona fide corruption cases," says M A Hakeem, secretary-general, Standing Conference of Public Enterprises, who has interacted with Vittal on many occasions.

But wiping out corruption is by all counts a Himalayan task, perhaps impossible. Vittal is undoubtedly honest, but the very system he works in is not. And an example is how the ordinance clearly states that any investigation by the CBI against any officer of the level of joint secretary or above will need clearance by the higher authority, from now on the CVC. So while Vittal will be scrupulously honest, what about the next guy?

"It is for this reason that I am pleased at Vittal's selection because he will set precedents for his successors to follow," says Dharmadhikari.

But the job is still awesome, to put it mildly. "As a friend, I do worry, at him having to clean the Augean stables," says Murari, "especially with the present nexus among politicians, bureaucrats, and business. The only good thing is that because it is a statutory post now, he is at liberty to take actions wherever necessary."

Pronab Sen raises a sufficient doubt. "A career bureaucrat in such a post is clearly not the best choice, because very so often you have to deal with your ex-colleagues or people you know. Therefore, except for someone like Vittal, a bureaucrat is at a disadvantage in a job like this."

For Hakeem, the best aspect about Vittal's appointment is that the CVC has a background in the corporate world. "Vittal, who is from the Gujarat cadre, has been in charge of public sector units such as the Gujarat Narmada Fertiliser Company (which, incidentally, he turned into a profit-making unit) and therefore understands the difficulties under which businessmen and corporations work. This will give him a wider view of situations," he states.

"Expectations must also be tempered with reality," says Murari. "Even Vittal realises that he is not some kind of a Sir Galahad, a knight in shining armour, out to kill the demons of corruption. He realises his limitations and will work within them."

The advantage is that Vittal is considered a dynamic person, and a practical one, who revels in taking in suggestions from others. "No matter how crazy an idea or suggestion, Vittal will never dismiss it until he is sure it won't work," says Dharmadhikari, who has often raised queries and made suggestions that other bureaucrats have simply refused to entertain.

Besides information technology, Vittal is also an out-and-out management buff. "He is thoroughly up-to-date on the latest management techniques and theories. And unlike others, he will try hard to apply them to real life situations," says Murari.

"He is like a one-stop shop on the latest books on management and IT," adds Dharmadhikari. "When he was in charge of GNFC or the Kandla Port, he applied the lessons he had learnt to make them more efficient."

Hakeem says Vittal is an innovative person who will not hesitate to alter structure to achieve better and faster results. "This is another example of how he differs from other bureaucrats who are often bound by the rules and regulations. Not Vittal," he insists.

Now it is easier to comprehend why Vittal was the choice for the CVC. "Not only is Vittal above controversy," says Professor Hussain, "but in spite of his phenomenal successes over the years, there are very few persons who are jealous of him. Perhaps it is because he has never been in the rat-race for promotions or better postings."

Any weaknesses? "None, unless you consider verbal diarrhoea a weakness," laughs Dharmadhikari, who says that Vittal will often talk at length on subjects that worry or interest him. "Yet, it is always knowledgeable and insightful."

Pronab Sen feels there is one. "Vittal has implicit trust in his fellow humans, his colleagues, and once he gives them a task, will never question them about it. This is a source of strength, but it can also be a weakness if his colleagues and subordinates are not up to the mark," worries Sen. "In the CVC he will have to keep a close check on what his subordinates are up to."

When the prime minister recently announced his intention of making India an IT superpower, he was really only stating what Vittal been saying was possible, and necessary, for years, and pressing the government to take action on it. In that sense, A B Vajayee's announcement was a victory for Vittal. There is every reason to hope that if his vision of an IT superpower can be accepted as a challenge, then his efforts to rid the country of corruption will also be some day soon.

Vittal, incidentally, is one of the Marathi-speaking denizens of Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, settlers who migrated south during Shivaji's reign (Vittal being a corruption of Vithal). While his Tamil is fluent, his Marathi is extremely broken. Vittal also speaks fluent Gujarati and Kannada, besides English and Hindi. He is a Carnatic music buff, does puja daily, and takes long walks in the wee hours of the morning after his puja. Vittal will turn 60 on January 31, has authored three books, besides, of course, the scores of articles for publication, print and the Net.

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