Sunday, October 20, 2013
Soul and Structure of Governance in India is a path-breaking work of a profound thinker who has the practical experience of having served the nation as Lt. Governor for about ten years, Member of Parliament for about fourteen years and Union Cabinet Minister for about five and a half years.
The book build up, against the backdrop of history and contemporary events, both national and internal, a case for an ethical state and ethical governance machinery which rest upon three main foundational planks – a rekindled mind, a reawakened soul and a set of redesigned and revitalized institutions. It underlines that such a state and such a governance machinery alone can enable India to attain its full potential , and if it falls to do so it could soon find itself writing another grammar of anarchy, adding another inglorious chapter to its history of about one thousand years of darkness.
The author underlines: “The task of implementing the blue print is a formidable one. It would call for courage, commitment, insight, historical perspective and creative and construction powers of the highest order – the order to which post – 1947 leadership has so far come nowhere near. Today,a truly historic challenge stares us in the place.”
Jagmohan concludes by making an impassioned plea “ Let history not condemn us. Let us not be written about us unworthy people who did not have the perception to see the challenge, or having seen it, did not know how to tackle it. Let it not be said that we were hollow men and women, who were made of poor clay, who nursed shallowness like a treasure, who made only pompous declarations, who betrayed a great heritage, who invariably opted for soft options and left dangerous infections in the roots unattended. Let it, on the other hand, be recorded that we were aware of our potential and strained every nerve to use it to the full. The worst verdict of history could be that we did not even attempt to set our fundamentals right and solve problems of far reaching consequences for our future”.
Shri Jagmohan is certainly one of the topmost Civil Servants cum Statesman that the country has produced in the post – Independence period. He is the only person who has held the office of Lt. Governor of Delhi twice, of Governor of Jammu and Kashmir twice and was nationally honored twice by the award of Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan. He has also been a distinguished Member of Parliament for fourteen years and a Union Cabinet Minister for five and a half years, holding charge of such significant portfolios as Communication, Urban Development, Poverty Alleviation, Culture and Tourism. Throughout his long career, he has been a model of clean public life and efficient and effective governance.
A profound scholar and thinker, Shri Jagmohan has published over 300 articles in leading newspaper and journals and four books: Rebuilding Shahjahanabad: The Walled City of Delhi: Island of Truth: The Challenge of our Cities: and My Frozen Turbulence in Kashmir. The book on Shanjahanbad bought him a cultural award from the Australian government: The Challenge of our Cities became a classic of India’s urban life: and My Frozen Turbulence in Kashmir has remained on the best selling list for a long time. It has already seen eight editions in English. It has also been translated in many regional languages of India. Shri Jagmohan was conferred the degree of Doctorate of Philosophy by Guru Nanak University, Amritsar, as well as by Kurukshetra University. A household name in India, he formulated and carried out the historic reforms of the Mata Vaisno Devi Shrine.
Book: Soul and Structure of Governance In India
Author: Jagmohan
ISBN: 81-8424-210-7
Language: English
Price: INR 475 (Shipping/Courier Charges Extra)
For order contact - Utpal Kaul (Please SMS - +91-9818447636)
Email: utpalpublications@gmail.com
