'Fortunately, there is no favouritism in the UPSC'

Vishnu Prakash is a career diplomat who retired as India’s High Commissioner to Canada in 2016. His distinguished career has also seen him work as an Ambassador to South Korea, the Official Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs and Consul General to Shanghai. Today, he works as a foreign affairs analyst, advisor and columnist, specialising in the Indo-Pacific region.

In an interview with DH’s Umesh M Avvannavar, he speaks about his motivation to join the Civil service and his experience since then. Excerpts follow:

What prompted you to attempt the Civil services?

My father worked as an Income Tax officer. I was born in Kolkata, and over the next twenty years, I grew up in Haryana and Punjab. When I was 13, I dreamed of becoming a diplomat. At the dining table, there was a lot of talk about political and economic issues. This triggered my interest in national affairs and a world beyond India.

We are Jains and have roots in Rajasthan. But my father dropped the surname because he was a civil servant and did not want to be associated with any group.

In my own career people have assumed that I am a Tamilian, Andhraite, from Uttar Pradesh, or belong to the OBC caste. I have said yes to everything.

How did you prepare for the exam?

In 1979, I cleared my law exams from the Guru Nanak Dev University in Punjab and bagged a gold medal. I also appeared for the CSE. I did not make it to the IFS, but managed to clear the Customs and Excise exam. Then I appeared for the exams again and managed to get into the IFS with an all-India rank of 51.

I prepared by reading newspapers, and magazines for competitive exams. In those days, we had two optionals. Being a Commerce and law graduate, I chose commerce and accounts and Law.

One has to have a systematic approach to studying. You are not going to clear the exam by cramming the content. I did not attend any coaching class. I was blessed to be guided by my father.

Did you work before attempting the exams?

After studies, I wanted financial security. I started my career as a trainee in Punjab National Bank. Meanwhile, I cleared Indian Customs and Central Excise and then the IFS. I took whatever came my way. Financial security is important, as it raises your confidence and self-esteem.

Could you share a few interesting assignments from your career?

I have been fortunate as an IFS officer and had diverse assignments. I served in the Soviet Union, USA, Japan, Pakistan, Egypt, China, Korea, and Canada. I was also the spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) for three-and-a-half years.

When I was posted in New York in 1991, I received a midnight call from the ministry in New Delhi to say that I have been chosen for a very important assignment as consul general in Vladivostok. I considered it unfair to be banished “beyond nowhere” as the Indian Ambassador in Moscow then put it.

Vladivostok is in the eastern part of Russia on the Sea of Japan. It used to be a massive Naval port. When India got the INS Chakra (a nuclear submarine leased from Russia) our Navy officers trained in Vladivostok.

The Vladivostok airport looked like a horse stable — dilapidated and ramshackle. Here, I grew as a professional, gained a lot of confidence and mapped the entire region for the Ministry of external affairs.

Before it was a closed city and nobody was allowed inside. After the breakup with the Soviet Union, it was opened up. Prime Minister Narasimha Rao and J N Dixit decided that we should be among the first to fly our Indian flag in Vladivostok.

Any other interesting experiences?

I was posted in Pakistan as a political counsellor and the ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence) used to constantly trail me by car and two-wheeler. My telephone was tapped.

But I had nothing to hide — I am not an intelligence officer. One day while going for dinner in a car, I lost my way. The people who were tailing me got quite hungry and tired as well. All of a sudden, they overtook and stopped me.

They were most polite, “We know you have to go for dinner. We will guide you.” It was a funny experience. My minders actually helped me mind my business.

How are Indians perceived abroad?

A country’s might and standing is directly proportional to its economic heft. In 1991, when India opened up its market and introduced economic reforms. I was the commercial attaché in New York and was requested to tap SMEs (small and medium enterprises) to invest in India.

My team sent 1,000 letters seeking an appointment so that we can make a pitch. Only five responded. There were three regrets and two 15-minute appointments with a mid-ranking executive. That was the stock of India in 1991.

Today, my successor in New York can pick up a phone and speak to the board member of a Fortune 500 company. And the chances are, he will begin the conversation by saying ‘Namaste.’

How do you deal with stress on the job?

One has to learn to keep one’s cool and do your homework. In the IFS, your patience will be tested often. For example, some countries will bore you to death by stretching out negotiations and repeatedly postponing meetings. Then they start negotiating late at night. The trick is not to lose your cool.

It is also important to cultivate informal channels of communication. You should know when to tap into formal or informal channels and pull strings in the background.

Any advice for young civil service aspirants?

Good communication skills will help you stand out from the crowd. In addition to domain specialisation, diplomats also need to be tech-savvy.

One has to understand it is a competitive exam. Fortunately, there is no favouritism in the UPSC. So if a meritorious candidate wants to transform their life, there is nothing better than the UPSC exam.

So there is no harm in attempting the exam. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Where are your roots and what is your family name?

Our roots are in Rajasthan. We are Jains. My father dropped the surname because he was a civil servant and did not want to be seen associated with a particular
community. I have been told that I am a Tamilian, Andhraite, UPwala and OBC among others. I have said yes to everything.

Any memories with Karnataka?

I did my district-level training in Karnataka for five months that include places like Dharwad, Belagavi, and Bengaluru.
When S M Krishna was the Foreign Minister, I was the spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and frequently used to visit Bengaluru.
I will cherish those memories.

(Path to Civils is a fortnightly series featuring interviews with exemplary officers from the civil services who share their perspectives of preparing for the exams and working in government service)