Sunday, March 31, 2002		Article

The right way to serve
H. L. Kapoor

I had been promoted gazetted officer in 1975. Quite hale and hearty and energetic. My officers, in their private conversation, described me as a promising ‘young’ officer (forgetting that I was in my early forties). One fine morning while I was attending to my work, my orderly made a surprise appearance. Anxiety was writ large on his face. He had the cheek to tell me: "Sir, you are in the good books of your seniors, but strangely your recommendation for my promotion did not go through."

Feeling slighted, I asked him, "What has gone wrong with your case?" He said: "sir, you know the office orderly of the Bara Sahib has been recommended for promotion while Ihave been ignored, even though I am an undergraduate."

"What can I do for you at this late stage," I asked.

"Being committed to your principles, Sir, you cannot be of much help," he retorted. "What I would like to request you is to permit me to appear before the Bara Sahib." I readily agreed — more so to get rid of him.

My orderly appeared before the Bara Sahib and said, "Sir, although I was recommended by my immediate boss, I have been ignored."

The Sahib replied that the other man, who had superseded him, was considered more suitable. "But why, sir?" asked my orderly. "I am an undergraduate while the person who superseded me was not even a matriculate."

"But he has many a good quality in him," said the Sahib.

"Sir, I have 10 commendatory entries."

"So what? The man who was recommended had additional qualifications," said the Sahib.

"May I know what sir?" my orderly politely asked.

"Now listen," said the Sahib, "the fellow who was recommended, comes to my house, before coming to office, attends to my personal problems, my wife’s immediate needs and takes my grandson to school on his cycle and picks him up after the school closes."

"But that is not the job for which he is paid, sir," said my orderly.

"You will not understand. These are the additional qualifications, other things being equal," said the Sahib.

My orderly left his office in despair. Referring to his meeting with the Sahib, he quipped: "Sir, is that all that is required in service?"

I had no answer. My orderly somehow managed his transfer a few days later. It was a pleasant morning when I went to the IGI Airport seven years later. On my way, I could see my erstwhile orderly exerting his authority.

When my driver crossed the prohibited line near the airport, I was happy to see my former orderly wearing an officer’s apparel. No sooner had he noticed me (though I was in civvies) he came and paid his respects. I congratulated him for his promotion.

He said, "Sir I have learnt the secret of service," and then told me that he was not only attending to his routine work but also devoting much of his time in doing the personal work of his immediate boss and his family..