A Bureaucrat Fights Back: The Complete Story of Indian Reforms

IAS officers in India are the cream of the Society. They sacrifice their entire life to serve their Country. Pradip is an exceptional individual. Bright ,honest and has a creative mind To see his reputation dragged into the dirt by the end of his brilliantly accomplished career by politicians is extremely sad. I just do not know when the corruption is going to stop in India and they start honouring the contributions of our civilian intellectuals. To this author, who fought back, I say Pradip....my hats off. A great job, well done and God bless you and your family. My country is obligated to you for what you have done for ordinary people in India. You will be respected for ever.i

A good read that shares the harrowing experience of an Indian bureaucrat trying to make positive changes for the Indian people and economy. The book is a tell-all and sheds light on the extent of rampant corruption. A very brave endeavor by the author given that those who tried to vilify or implicate him for their crimes are still sadly in positions of power in India.

Honesty pays in the long run and the Truth shall always prevail.• This book is a first hand account and story of an Indian Bureaucrat , who defied the instructions and directions of his Ministers and refused to cooperate with them. .Consequently , he had to bear the Brunt .Reforms are necessary tools for the growth of a developing Country. In the earlier Chapters of the book , the author has dealt with various reforms in India post 1991, in Power , Disinvestment and Telecom Sectors . He says that as a Bureaucrat , if you do not persue the reforms , you are damned and if you implement the reforms , then also you are damned. You are implicated in fraudulent enquiries . The author , being an honest and straight forward Bureaucrat , worked for the reforms in various sectors , specially Telecom sector in the interest and for the benefit of a common man. With the result , every Indian Citizen today has a cheap source of communication through cell phones. This was not likened by many in the Government , Private Sector and political opponents on account of their vested interests. The reward he got for this was to face CBI enquiries . Although Baijal emerged clean out of the CBI enquiries , but at what cost ?? The mental agony he suffered for years . Can anyone restore the loss of reputation he had ? However Pradip Baijals name will be remembered as a great Indian Bureaucrat responsible for the Revolution in Telecom Sector in India post independence era. We must not forget that Honesty pays in the long run and truth shall always prevail. This book will be found interesting to every educated Indian Citizen and NRI abroad. them

This book is a thriller. It honestly reveals the greed and malaise of politicians to anyhow remain in control of the government glossing over the enormity of losses the country would have had to bear had the bureaucrat not put his foot down. The politicians just did not want to listen and heed to the sound arguments put forward by him. The book further elaborates how Mr. Baijal was spitefully embarrassed and hounded by govt. agencies having displeased politicians at the highest level. I would hate and fear to go through the horror and sleepless nights which Baijal's family and he would have been through.The book is an eye opener for young minds and needs to be a part of libraries in colleges and institutions.

I have known Pradip Baijal for more than 55 years. People don't change and it is true for Baijal. He has always done what he thought was right and continues to do so. Honest, upright, upfront and courageous I credit him for having touched the lives of the largest number of people in India, perhaps more than Modi.His book tells the story of how he managed to do what he believed was right and still survived. Apparently there are people who would still like to ambush him because Baijal is good for the country but not for them.This book must not be missed !Brij Vaish

Honesty pays in the long run and the Truth shall always prevail. This book is a first hand account and story of an Indian Bureaucrat , who defied the instructions and directions of his Ministers and refused to cooperate with them. .Consequently , he had to bear the Brunt .Reforms are necessary tools for the growth of a developing Country. In the earlier Chapters of the book , the author has dealt with various reforms in India post 1991, in Power , Disinvestment and Telecom Sectors . He says that as a Bureaucrat , if you do not persue the reforms , you are damned and if you implement the reforms , then also you are damned. You are implicated in fraudulent enquiries . The author , being an honest and straight forward Bureaucrat , worked for the reforms in various sectors , specially Telecom sector in the interest and for the benefit of a common man. With the result , every Indian Citizen today has a cheap source of communication through cell phones. This was not likened by many in the Government , Private Sector and political opponents on account of their vested interests. The reward he got for this was to face CBI enquiries . Although Baijal emerged clean out of the CBI enquiries , but at what cost ?? The mental agony he suffered for years . Can anyone restore the loss of reputation he had ? However Pradip Baijal's name will be remembered as a great Indian Bureaucrat responsible for the Revolution in Telecom Sector in India , post Independence Era. We must not forget that Honesty pays in the long run and truth shall always prevail. This book will be found interesting to every educated Indian Citizen and NRI abroad.

Baijal played a key role in India's post liberalisation policy reforms. His seminal contribution as Chairman of TRAI has earned well deserved accolades not only in India but also in several other countries. While Telecom policy reforms occupy the centre stage of this gripping account, his contribution in myriad fields starting as a junior IAS officer in remote districts of (then) M.P. and encompassing fields as diverse as Cooperatives, Agriculture, Finance and Disinvestments is noteworthy.The Telecom revolution so admirably conceived and executed in his time despite the almost insurmountable obstacles repeatedly encountered has gone much beyond the 'phone or cellphone' - it has had a far reaching impact by empowering the poor and deprived sections of society.The book is a combination of a novel, an in depth analytical review of critical events and snippets of a biography. Baijal has not allowed the negative impact of his hounding and persecution to cloud his judgement and the book remains analytical and factual.One slight shortcoming - Baijal blames mostly polity for all the ills and negative actions while mentioning business rivals and bureaucrats only in passing. Businessmen, bureaucrats and politicians should share the blame almost equally.An 'unputdownable' for all those who want a ringside view of the momentous events that affected India and will continue to do so in future!

This book contains facts that no one can dispute.It comes from a man who has always done what he thought was right.Perhaps the only man who touched the lives of almost every Indian by taking steps which brought down the prices of making calls to less than a rupee per minute.Baijal should be put to good use by the Modi Government !Brij Vaish

If elected members governing a country cleverly mis-guide and mis- appropriate the resources of the country for their own vested interests, where is the corrective force to awaken an ignorant public and stall the plunder?---to some extent!Read Pradip Baijal's "A Bureaucrat Fights"The book is a revelation how the public is cheated and fooledIt should be a hand book for all caring administrative officers- who have brilliance and guts to choose the 'harder right to the softer wrong '-- how to deal with disruptive forces without disruption! 'Satyamev Jayate' -----That is the message.

A must read for those interested in good governance .very courageous on the part of the writer to expose the wrong doings and cover ups indulged in at the highest levels in Government. Review by S.K. Misra, former Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister