Intriguing abbreviation
On June 25, 1973, I wrote a Letter to the Editor titled “IAS or I Am Sorry,” which was published in the Hindustan Times. Recently, I found the original letter, prompting reflections on both the IAS (Indian Administrative Service) and my enduring passion for writing. While my writing skills have improved since then, the preservation of that letter, though not an antique, serves as a reminder of my unwavering appetite and determination to fight for my rights when unduly tampered with. I believe that writing a complaint, concern, and/ or suggestion certainly makes a positive difference.
In 1973, fresh from earning my Ph.D. in Physics, I was eager to pursue further research in Israel. A well-known scientist in my research field invited me. Unaware that regular passports were not valid for travel to Israel due to the lack of diplomatic relations, I applied for a special passport in February 1973. This required approval from the Ministry of External Affairs, where I encountered an IAS officer named RCS, a man of slow action who repeatedly responded with, “I am sorry.”
What was an intriguing abbreviation of IAS based on my personal experience, it has attracted the attention of some IASs. For example, there is a 2005 book titled, I am Sorry (IAS): Indian Bureaucracy at Crossroads by IAS (Dr. P. K. Agrawal); a video clip that the full form of IAS should be I Am Sorry by IAS Radhey Mohan Pandey (https://www.facebook.com › … › Nirman Ias › Videos), and a Tweet quoting I Am Sorry (I.A.S.) by another IAS Rajeev Kumar. It is unclear why the ‘ I Am Sorry’ phrase drew attention.
I AM SORRY (I.A.S.)
— Rajeev Kumar, (@Rajeev17327596) July 1, 2024
Rendezvous with IAS (I Am Sorry man)
I met RCS at least three times and wrote to the MEA Secretary, Foreign Minister, and Prime Minister to request expedited approval. I also wrote another Letter to the Editor titled “Passport for Israel: Delay or Denial” on May 19, 1973. My last letter to the Prime Minister was sent on June 23, 1973.
RCS was generally polite, diplomatic, and respectful but slow to act. In our second meeting, he asked me to get a supporting letter from the Vice Chancellor of the University of Roorkee for the special passport for Israel. Little did I know then that RCS was playing a trick until I reached Roorkee and met the Vice Chancellor. He said that the IAS in question called him to disengage me from pressing for the passport for Israel. RCS’s trick made me furious, fearless, and frustrated but my resolve to not give up my “fundamental” fight for the passport to Israel intensified. Of course, the Vice Chancellor did not give any letter.
Back in Delhi, I called the office of the IAS for a meeting. When asked if I brought the letter, I said “yes” unhesitatingly knowing that I only had support letters from my Ph.D. Supervisor and the Head of the Department. Somewhat anguished, I confronted RCS and challenged him to give in writing if he wanted additional documents including a letter from the Vice-Chancellor. I knew that my documents and background verification were complete.
As usual, polite RCS said I am sorry and promised necessary action in time. This meeting intensified my determination to use the mighty pen in writing to the chain of command and to the newspapers.
The triumph and another trick:
Despite many setbacks and wasted time and resources, I persisted. A Registered letter from the concerned IAS (RCS) dated June 26 informed that the Regional Passport Office (RPO) was “instructed telegraphically” to issue the passport for Israel. I finally received my passport after more than four months, albeit with a restriction: “No Foreign Exchange to be allowed except for Israel only.” This effectively ended my dream of going to Israel. At the time, it crossed my mind if the restriction by the same IAS was meant to convey the message, “I Am Superior.”
The tale also has a laughable part. The RPO dispatched the passport followed by a letter stating, “ The cost of Telegram is Rs.3/= (the one sent from MEA to RPO). You are, therefore, requested to remit the same by money order and forward the money order receipt to this office for reference.” I laughed but refused to comply.
The slow pace of bureaucracy and RCS’s tricks were frustrating, but they also strengthened my resolve. Despite challenges, my letter, “IAS or I Am Sorry,” was published a few days after the passport approval. Later, when I returned to Delhi before going to Italy for my research ambitions, RCS refused to meet with me, likely feeling insulted by my public criticism. Needless to say, how challenging was going to Italy without foreign exchange issued by the RBI, all because of undue restriction by RCS.
Recent experiences with IAS
Since 2015, my interactions with more than a dozen IAS officers, mostly in the context of social work for the nonprofit Vidya Gyan, have been better. These younger IAS officers have been more respectful and cooperative, likely due to my age and status as an NRI. I have had many wonderful experiences with some IASs I can still call upon and seek guidance. However, the bureaucratic and hierarchical culture persists—meetings are often unscheduled, communication can be unreliable, and assurances given may not come to fruition.
Despite these challenges, IAS officers are the backbone of Bharat’s good governance, providing stability as politicians come and go. The hope remains that they will conduct their duties with humility, respect, honesty, and efficiency. Humble IASs are essential to Bharat’s continued prosperity and progress, good policies and processes, and sustained development and democracy.
In conclusion, ‘I Am Sorry’ is a respectable and acceptable phrase when used in proper context. My experience with it in 1973 was repetitive and unprecedented but I wonder what prompted an IAS officer to write a book on this very topic.
Note:
1. Text in Blue points to additional data on the topic.
2. The views expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of PGurus.
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Formerly, a researcher in Italy, Japan, and France, he has widely travelled and came to the US in 1978. He was a faculty and academic administrator in several different universities in PA, TX, NJ, MN, WI, and NY, and an Executive Fellow in the White House S&T Policy during the Clinton administration.
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I am sorry is the very appropriate for Indian Babus who works for their own prosperity