Life in the IAS - Lals of Haryana

On 1 November 1966, India saw the birth of its 17th state, Haryana, carved out of Punjab. Two years prior, Ram Varma had graduated from the prestigious IAS Academy and was allocated to Punjab. He was then transferred to Haryana, which was a state in turmoil and had within a year infamously been stamped as a land of political infidelity—‘Aya Rams and Gaya Rams’.

Having served in various capacities from subdivisional magistrate to chief secretary, Ram Varma relives the history of Haryana in the first three formative decades. An ambitious work, it covers the whole range of the state’s history—its inception, the chief ministers at the helm, the bureaucracy, the infrastructure reconstruction programme, including the innovative lift-irrigation projects and much more—as captured against the nation’s history which too was crafting a resurgent identity.

The book pivots its central narrative around the portrayal of the three Lals of Haryana—Bansi Lal, Devi Lal and Bhajan Lal—who dominated the scene. Barring a few years, Haryana was ruled by the Lals, who chased each other in and out of office. The author has watched this fledgling state grow during their respective reigns, had keenly observed the workings of each chief minister and was a witness to the fascinating drama of its transformation from a poor, resource-less state to a progressive, front-ranking state during his tenure.

Packed with interesting anecdotes, tongue-in-cheek observations, behind-the-scenes political happenings and personal recollections, Life in the IAS captures the extraordinary journey of Haryana, its three towering leaders—the Lals—and author Ram Varma who takes the ups and downs of his distinguished career in his rollicking stride, experiencing thrills and triumphs, trials and tribulations.