LV Subrahmanyam Shares Lighthearted Moments from Chandrababu Naidu’s Tenure
In a candid reflection on his decades of service, retired Chief Secretary and senior IAS officer LV Subrahmanyam shared fascinating insights into the working style of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu. Speaking in a special interview with the ‘Journalist Diary’ YouTube channel, the former top bureaucrat recounted humorous anecdotes that highlighted both the Chief Minister’s demanding nature and the wit that often accompanied their interactions.
Subrahmanyam described working with Chandrababu Naidu not as a burden, but as an intense effort to keep pace with the leader's speed of thought. He remarked that Naidu would strive relentlessly to instill his vision even in officials who struggled to catch up, noting that he sometimes felt sympathetic towards the Chief Minister’s sheer persistence.
"Don't Scrub Us Too Hard"
Recalling a specific incident that took place during a review meeting on a bus, Subrahmanyam narrated a witty exchange regarding the pressure placed on officials.
"During the review, Chandrababu Naidu remarked that while changes were visible in some departments, they came at a cost. He asked, 'How much did I have to scrub (polish) you all to bring about this change?' Since I was sitting right opposite him, I immediately replied, 'Sir, don't scrub us too much. We will wear out.' Holding back his laughter, Naidu retorted, 'That is the problem with you, Subrahmanyam, you don't take work seriously,'" the retired officer recalled.
The Vinayaka Chavithi Incident
Subrahmanyam also shared a lighthearted moment involving a superstition related to Vinayaka Chavithi (Ganesh Chaturthi). While traveling on a bus with officials and then Home Minister Devender Goud on the festival day, Subrahmanyam cracked a joke about the Chief Minister’s name.
"I told the Home Minister, 'Sir, today instead of worshipping Lord Vinayaka, we are all looking at the 'Moon' (Chandra in Chandrababu). It feels like something ominous might happen; you must save us.' Devender Goud laughed out loud. However, Chandrababu Naidu didn't let the festival stop him; he made us board the bus and immediately started a review," he said.
Results of the Rigor
Despite the humor, Subrahmanyam emphasized that it was this very intensity that yielded extraordinary results. He credited Chandrababu Naidu’s rigorous approach for bringing world-class reforms to the Hyderabad Metro Water Board.
"The World Bank was astonished by the reforms we implemented and often sent teams interested in the water sector to Hyderabad to study our model. Even a team from the Delhi Jal Board visited to understand our operational methods," he explained. He praised Chandrababu Naidu’s deep focus on revenue generation, accountability, and the implementation of citizen charters.
Concluding his thoughts, Subrahmanyam, who has the experience of working with nine Chief Ministers, noted a shift in administrative culture. He observed that while bureaucrats’ advice was once highly valued, the "script has changed" in recent times, contrasting the current era with the past where officers had the freedom to experiment and innovate.
Subrahmanyam described working with Chandrababu Naidu not as a burden, but as an intense effort to keep pace with the leader's speed of thought. He remarked that Naidu would strive relentlessly to instill his vision even in officials who struggled to catch up, noting that he sometimes felt sympathetic towards the Chief Minister’s sheer persistence.
"Don't Scrub Us Too Hard"
Recalling a specific incident that took place during a review meeting on a bus, Subrahmanyam narrated a witty exchange regarding the pressure placed on officials.
"During the review, Chandrababu Naidu remarked that while changes were visible in some departments, they came at a cost. He asked, 'How much did I have to scrub (polish) you all to bring about this change?' Since I was sitting right opposite him, I immediately replied, 'Sir, don't scrub us too much. We will wear out.' Holding back his laughter, Naidu retorted, 'That is the problem with you, Subrahmanyam, you don't take work seriously,'" the retired officer recalled.
The Vinayaka Chavithi Incident
Subrahmanyam also shared a lighthearted moment involving a superstition related to Vinayaka Chavithi (Ganesh Chaturthi). While traveling on a bus with officials and then Home Minister Devender Goud on the festival day, Subrahmanyam cracked a joke about the Chief Minister’s name.
"I told the Home Minister, 'Sir, today instead of worshipping Lord Vinayaka, we are all looking at the 'Moon' (Chandra in Chandrababu). It feels like something ominous might happen; you must save us.' Devender Goud laughed out loud. However, Chandrababu Naidu didn't let the festival stop him; he made us board the bus and immediately started a review," he said.
Results of the Rigor
Despite the humor, Subrahmanyam emphasized that it was this very intensity that yielded extraordinary results. He credited Chandrababu Naidu’s rigorous approach for bringing world-class reforms to the Hyderabad Metro Water Board.
"The World Bank was astonished by the reforms we implemented and often sent teams interested in the water sector to Hyderabad to study our model. Even a team from the Delhi Jal Board visited to understand our operational methods," he explained. He praised Chandrababu Naidu’s deep focus on revenue generation, accountability, and the implementation of citizen charters.
Concluding his thoughts, Subrahmanyam, who has the experience of working with nine Chief Ministers, noted a shift in administrative culture. He observed that while bureaucrats’ advice was once highly valued, the "script has changed" in recent times, contrasting the current era with the past where officers had the freedom to experiment and innovate.