Rooted to The Ground: An Indian Civil Servant's Field Notes- Dr MV Rao,IAS

Dr. MV Rao IAS

These are field experiences and learnings from development initiatives and projects implemented across India, documented by a serving IAS officer who has been a development professional for two and half decades. These field accounts give several practical ideas for undertaking livelihoods improvement in various developing countries. The interventions and resultant impact offer hope for development practitioners to adapt to similar situations and needs. 

Dr. M V Rao, an Indian Administrative Officer, served as Director General, National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj (NIRD & PR) and Chief Executive, National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB). He also held assignments of District Magistrate of Malda, undivided Midnapore districts of West Bengal. He was also Senior Consultant in UNICEF. He has been working for several years on innovative, practical and action-oriented ideas for participatory development of people at grass roots.

5.0 out of 5 stars A book: Exploring a ground reality 8 June 2015

By Raja Mithelesh Kumar

Format:Kindle Edition

It is really very nice book specially for new learners like me.This book changes our attitude against society & our job. In this fast world, we are little bit screwed in our life. This book gives energy or it generates energy to do our work in different manner. This book will play a very important role in knowledge transfer of our IAS officer about the field & related activities. The author Dr. M.V Rao have explored a very small & peculiar things which we generally neglects.
Dr.M.V Rao used very simple language which easily express the real scenario. The mentioned field experiences is ideally very balanced. His Field Experiences, Views on Different scenario & simple way of presentation is very useful & inspirational.
I will specially recommend this book to our young generation because this book is mirror of field issues and its remedies. A good Guidance & support is the aspect between our success and failure, this book can fill this gap. We are blessed to have this kind of minds & having opportunity to read it conveniently.

5.0 out of 5 stars A Book to Spread Best Practices in Fisheries and Rural Development12 June 2015

By R.N . Hegde

Format:Kindle Edition|Verified Purchase

The book contains eighteen chapters with catchy, apt and meaningful heading matching the theme of the best practice in each of them. The author, a senior civil servant though holding various senior positions, it appears, loves to be amidst rural poor frequently. The content describes new ideas caught by the author through listening and interactions with vulnerable section of the rural community for sustainable solutions to the local problems. He documented the innovations made to improve socio-economic conditions of the deprived people of the villages ,proven out of his experience while implementing the schemes in different sectors which includes mainly fisheries but also self- employment, enterprises, small industries clusters, rural health and solar energy applications for drying, freezing ,lighting homes and street lights in remote rural areas. Another interesting feature of the book is that it recognizes the dedicated, unnoticed officials working in the field by citing names which raises their esteem and also make them role models for others for replication in other areas in India. I find the book is not just field notes but a comprehensive document explaining the process of change and the tools adopted in each case. The appealing relevant action photographs add value to the subject. The book is a good reference material for all those involved in development of fisheries and rural areas. I would like to compliment the author for writing such a useful book.

Dr. R. N. Hegde
Senior Consultant
Watershed Development Department
Government of Karnataka
Bangalore-560009
e-mail: hegdern@gmail.com

5.0 out of 5 stars It is an excellent Book, very useful and informative for all its ... 8 June 2015

By Sanjay Pandey

Format:Kindle Edition

It is an excellent Book, very useful and informative for all its readers including public servants, aspirants of civil services, intellectuals and anyone. It gives insight on ground realities and also suggests nobel ideas for easy solution of problems related to various aspects. It is a very interesting book for peoples related to subjectc of Fisheries and Rural Development!
Many thanks to the author and also to its Publishers for bringing out this book and making it available to all.
Dr. Sanjay Pandey

5.0 out of 5 stars Definitely this book will be helpful to know about the Indian fisheries potentiality 10 June 2015

By Bhanu Prakash

Format:Kindle Edition|Verified Purchase

Its an Example that the Indian Fisheries Resources vulnerable to rule the fisheries all over the world. fishers are thirst enough, now the challenge is to drive the schemes whatever we have for fisheries development and to see that the end user is benefited.
we love you sir, you have taken up the step to enlighten about the fisher's feeling and potential fields of fisheries.

5.0 out of 5 stars But the authors like you will connect and impact directly to the society19 June 2015

By Pendyala Praad

Format:Kindle Edition|Verified Purchase

I have gone through all the 18 chapters in your book
There are many authors in India who imagine the stories and write .
But the authors like you will connect and impact directly to the society ,
by putting their practical experience on paper.
I was very much impressed with the 2nd,10th and 16th Chapters
which covered rural entrepreneurship,solar street lights and model village making.
Getting inspired by your NIRD,we request you to make sure to setup Solar Lights Making
Workshop unit in our village which will give some employment to our villagers.
I agree with you on holding Garmasabha also in every village.
All the villagers should have 3 meetings in a year :Once in Summer (Ugadi Time),
2nd in October ,3rd in Sankranthi time to discuss the village level problems and solutions .
Then only the villages will progress.We did our bit in our village [...]
In other way every village should celebrate her Birthday Every Year.

I would request you to enhance this book into two parts :
1) Qualities and Mindset that an IAS Aspirants should posses.
As the destiny is designed by our thoughts only.
By reading the first part one should practically navigate the whole career of IAS
starting from preparation to post retirement.
Their Life style,practical pressures and problems all should cover in the First Part.

2) Second Part what IAS officer can do to the Society.It was already covered in 18 Chapters.
But you can take other IAS officers reforms also which has given a cascading effect on the
society for ever.

Pendyala Prasad
www.ourlaxminagar.org