People’s Chief Minister led by example

I am deeply saddened by the unfortunate demise of the honourable Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, J Jayalalithaa. She was a wonderful leader. I remember how on one occasion, she sat through the night to read up on a World Bank report for a meeting. She had little time to get ready and attend the meeting on the third floor of the Secretariat the next day. However, she arrived on time, attended the meeting, with every detail of the document on her fingertips. The President of the World Bank, who had flown down to attend this conference was highly impressed. Later I overheard him complimenting her that he had never met a person who could be so thorough with a subject and said it was overwhelming. Her level of concentration would peak while reading a book or a file and she would be absolutely thorough with the content. I served three tenures under her Chief Ministership. First, as her Chief of Security, a period when she was faced with the maximum number of threats. It was the period after former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination. 

The second stint was as the chief of Special Task Force and the third as the Chennai city Commissioner of Police. My Standard Operating Procedure while dealing with her was very clear from Day One. I only spoke about professional matters and she was highly appreciative of that. She had great trust in me and I never misused it. I remember the day I met her at Sathyamangalam in May 2004, when she was on an election tour. She was touring the region and I had gone to meet her. She had asked me then as to how things were shaping up. I had told her that we would soon be receiving some good news. But, the operation to nab forest brigand Veerappan was taking long and it was getting frustrating as well. However, not once did she push me for quicker results or asked me when the operations were going to conclude. I had met her in Chennai about two months prior to the Veerappan encounter. Surprisingly then, she had told me that a few favourable developments were on the anvil. I believe the manner in which she spoke about it at that time, indicated she had a hunch of the things that going to happen. She gave the police complete freedom and never interfered in our day to day activities. She was also quick at decision making. 

A small note from former STF Chief Walter Davaram, was all it took for her to allot all the equipment and strength that the STF needed. There was no political intervention in policing and she gave us an absolute free hand. She later asked me to take up the post of Chennai city Commissioner of Police while I was heading STF. I was reluctant to take over the post then as there was work to be completed at STF. But she told me that I should take it up as there is a need in Chennai and I accepted. I respect her as a great leader who was quick in decision making and thorough with the subjects she handle.

Jayalalithaa had been very generous to the police department and sports. She was a very easy person to deal with. She never interfered in the police administration. If the police took any action, she supported it and never suspended or punished the personnel. In fact, law and order was in place when she became the Chief Minister. Women could go out fearlessly as she dealt with crime and other incidents with a firm hand. She empowered the police department, which also got the confidence to act swiftly when required. Madam was also highly supportive of sports and sportspersons. She was singularly responsible for the conduct of the South Asian Games held in Chennai in 1995. She took the initiative to build the stadia. But for the 1995 Games, these facilities, which serve sport in Chennai even now, would not have come up. She was very generous to sportspersons and sports in general as she always gave more that we asked every time.

I remember those days when Madam Jayalalithaa, whom other political parties had written off after her defeat in 1996, realised the positive effect of hiring professionals. She engaged a few of us in different roles to assist her. She was far-sighted to see the use of professionals much ahead of the time. Madam was perceived as an extremely rigid person and that it was very difficult to change her mind. However, our experience with her told us that if you presented well-reasoned facts, she was willing to adapt, change and be convinced differently. She was well-read, knowledgeable and in any discussion, she was very sharp. Every meeting was taken seriously as she always came very well prepared and conscious of the goals to be achieved. If you had won her trust, then she was the most accessible person. But her privacy was something she cherished. She also had a lighter side when she would laugh and advise without being pedantic.

Jayalalithaa had come to Rajan’s Dental Clinic in 2014 when I was there. Dr Gunasekharan had always been her personal dentist. I was working under Dr Gunasekharan and the CM had to undergo a root-canal treatment. I was assigned to carry out the procedure for her. Even though I had heard a lot about her ‘strict and frozen attitude’, I found her to be the contrary. She was extremely down-to-earth, respectful and thankful for the treatment rendered. She had full faith in the dentists and never interfered or raised questions about the proceedings. Not only was she very co-operative but was very friendly. She never requested any special privileges be accorded to her. I was pleasantly surprised to note that people have created a hyped-up image of the beloved Chief Minister that is unlike her. She never expected us to bow down to her. If I remember correctly I never even folded my hands in respect. It was a totally friendly interlude and she – the perfect patient, had full faith in us.