An officer’s flight through turbulence

Flight Into Turbulence and Safe Landing is an autobiography of MR Sivaraman, former Executive Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and former Revenue Secretary to the Government of India.

Civil services in India are often associated with power and privilege, with officials administering their respective domains as largely faceless figures. Their contribution to nation-building is frequently submerged in the vastness of public life. Not many choose to recount their work and experiences after retirement. Former IAS officer MR Sivaraman’s autobiography, Flight Into Turbulence and Safe Landing, is therefore both refreshing and informative. A 1962-batch officer of the Madhya Pradesh cadre, Sivaraman held several key positions, including Revenue Secretary to the Government of India, Executive Director at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). In his book, he presents his perspective candidly and without hesitation. His willingness to recount both his achievements and his differences with those in positions of authority makes the narrative particularly engaging.

Sivaraman says his approach to public service was simple: remain upright and honest, whatever the circumstances. That principle, he believes, served him well. He also recalls his differences with political leaders, including the then Civil Aviation Minister, the late Madhavrao Scindia, over official matters during his tenure as DGCA.

One of the most gripping sections deals with the 1993 Indian Airlines hijacking crisis. Sivaraman recounts the difficult decision he took at Amritsar airport, including the possibility of opening fire inside a passenger-filled aircraft to prevent it from taking off for Pakistan, as demanded by the hijackers. His account provides details and perspectives that remain relatively unfamiliar even today.

The title may initially appear unconventional, but it is deeply symbolic. Sivaraman took charge as DGCA at a turbulent moment for Indian aviation, following the crash of an Airbus A320 in Bangalore. His tenure placed him at the centre of a sector facing serious challenges, making the metaphor of turbulence particularly apt.

Sivaraman also questions Jawaharlal Nehru’s economic model, particularly his socialist leanings, which he argues constrained the growth of the private sector. That assessment, however, could have benefited from greater historical context. Nehru had limited room for manoeuvre in an era when India was struggling with widespread poverty and enormous developmental challenges, and the priorities of the time were shaped by the needs of a vast population struggling for basic survival.

Where Sivaraman is on particularly firm ground is in his discussion of economic reforms during his tenure as Revenue Secretary under the then Finance Minister, the late Manmohan Singh. Flight Into Turbulence and Safe Landing ultimately offers something more than the recollections of a retired bureaucrat. It provides an insider’s account of the pressures, conflicts and responsibilities that accompany public office. Its strongest passages are those in which Sivaraman allows the reader to see the civil servant behind the office: someone required to make difficult decisions, stand his ground and navigate the turbulence of administration without compromising his principles.

The book reviewer is a writer and commentator on public affairs, politics and society; Views presented are personal.