THE BABU

By Vijay Kumar

They contribute very little, rarely perform any useful function, are arrogant and rude to the general public, and at the same time subservient and sycophantic to seniors and their political masters. A civil servant generally creates and lives in his own make-believe world unrelated to reality - that is why most of them have a faraway look when you see them - they will not meet you in the eye.

From the book, “Journeys Through Babudom and Netaland” by former Cabinet Secretary TSR Subramanian.