Four Decades through Thick & Thin: Musings of a Diplomat Part 4 – A Lone Tree in Gujarat

By N Sreenivasan

This eBook is the fourth volume in the series entitled “Four Decades Through Thick and Thin – Musings of a Diplomat”. The series is an autobiography of portions of the author's forty years of service with the Indian Foreign Service and its predecessor - the British Indian Foreign Service. While the earlier volumes dwell on the author's postings abroad, this particular volume is based in India – in Ahmedabad in the state of Gujarat, where the author was on special deputation from the Government of India. The author's sole India posting takes on a special significance as it has to do with fighting against corruption and thoughts on the importance of people in public office being selfless and committed in their service to the common man. .

• Language: English
• Publisher: N Sreenivasan
• Release date: Jan 12, 2017
• ISBN: 9781370315222

N Sreenivasan

Mr. N. Sreenivasan was born in Kumbhakonam, Tamil Nadu, India as the eldest son of Sri S. Narayanaswamy Iyer and Smt. Rajammal. His father was an educationist and philanthropist in the town of Nagapattinam. In 1944, Mr. Sreenivasan joined the Persian Gulf cadre of the Government of then, British India. He continued as an Indian career diplomat after Indian Independence, serving in Iran, Germany, the USSR, the USA, Bulgaria, Egypt and Finland. Since retirement in 1986, Mr. Sreenivasan lives in Chennai, India. He is an avid raconteur with an elephantine memory, who brings back to life memories of a diplomatic career, with vividness and humour.In the early morning of 28th June 2017, 3 weeks before his 91st birthday, Mr. Sreenivasan departed for his heavenly abode.

Book preview

Four Decades – Through Thick and Thin

Four Decades through Thick & Thin – Musings of a Diplomat

Part 4 – A Lone Tree in Gujarat

By Narayanaswamy Sreenivasan

Copyright 2016 Narayanaswamy Sreenivasan

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***

Dedicated to the memory of my respected and revered father,

S. N.

(S. Narayanaswamy Iyer)

2.July.1899 - 1.July.1966

Principal, S. N. Tutorial Home (1943 - 1966)

Nagapattinam, Tamil Nadu, India

and

Architect and moving spirit behind the National High School, Nagapattinam

***

Table of Contents

Foreword

Passage to Gujarat

Retirement Anniversary Reflections

RPO in Ahmedabad

Passport Office - Chennai

Photograph Section

About the Author

FOREWORD

October 2011, Chennai, India

Four Decades - Through Thick and Thin, is the result of repeated suggestions by Dr. N. M. Samuel, W.H.O.’s former Director for Asia, who became our family doctor from 1985. He hails from a family of ardent patriots, his father was a sworn Congressman. The good doctor used to engage me in conversation pertaining to my service experiences (often keeping other patients waiting). He wished that I recorded those experiences for the benefit of both present and coming generations.

Professor Dr. S. Vaithianathan, former Head of Cardiology in the Madras Medical College and Civil Surgeon in the Government General Hospital, took charge of us after Dr. Samuel closed down his Canon Baboo Medical Centre in Chennai. Dr. Vaithianathan, after retirement, was only attending to two patients in the morning and two in the evening in his private clinic. A most amiable, kind and considerate person, he would head straight to the root cause of