R. Balasubramaniam - I, the citizen: unraveling the power of citizen engagement

i, the citizen is any one of us and all of us privileged or marginalized, rich or poor, man or woman, young or old, powerful or vulnerable. To further the evolution of democracy and development, there is a need to transform our identity from anonymous nondescript onlookers to citizens who pro-actively and consciously engage with the system. Through dozens of narratives, the author elucidates how citizen engagement can and must be at the center of development agenda that nations must pursue while giving us a view from the grassroots and from the lens of a policy advocate. Touching upon issues that everyone from students of development studies to policy planners, from activists to program implementers, from politicians to average citizens can relate to, this volume raises as many questions as the clues it provides to what citizen engagement is all about.

The Author

Having embarked on his journey in the development sector by living and working for several years among remote forest based tribal communities in the southern Indian district of Mysuru, Dr. R Balasubramaniam (Balu) is a widely respected development activist, leadership trainer, thinker and writer. He has uniquely been able to combine a vast development sector experience with studying and teaching at the worlds leading schools of policy and development including Harvard and Cornell Universities. He has also been a special investigator for Lokayukta Karnataka in addition to holding membership & consulting positions in government bodies and commissions, academic boards and development agencies. Dr. Balasubramaniam, the founder of Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement and Grassroots Research And Advocacy Movement embodies a rare blend of grassroots and macro perspectives on development and policy through his multi-faceted experience of more than three decades, which is well reflected in the book.

PRAISE FOR THE BOOK

This is a brilliant book, rich with insights on leadership, development, true democracy, and citizen engagement. Dr. Balasubramaniam draws on his personal experience on the frontlines of addressing poverty, education, healthcare, and corruption. His stories and wisdom are illuminating and allow the reader to see what is required to make communities and nations succeed. Indeed, anyone interested in making the world a better place must read this book!

DEAN WILLIAMS

Faculty chair, The Global Change Agent Program, Harvard Kennedy School, USA

Stories of ordinary citizens, stories of people around us and stories that matter; that the media ought to be telling and the establishment including parliamentarians ought to be listening to

DR. A SURYAPRAKASH

Chairman, Prasar Bharati, India and Author of Public Money, Private Agenda

Balu retains his high conviction in citizen engagement, which I have witnessed in my involvement with him when I was the Lokayukta, Karnataka

N SANTOSH HEGDE

Former Judge of the Supreme Court of India, Solicitor General of India, Lokayukta Karnataka and anti-corruption activist

Balu offers a perspective of development and better life from where the reality of these questions is actually lived, and not from a distant perch. Often agonizing, equally often inspiring, and always real, this book is the next best thing to going and working with Balu in the forests of Heggadadevanakote.

ANURAG BEHAR

Chief Sustainability Officer of Wipro Limited; CEO of Azim Premji Foundation, and Vice Chancellor, Azim Premji University, India

This book presents an exceptional and inspiring narrative, not only of Dr. Balus story but also the stories of many citizens. One need not agree with all of Dr. Balus views to share his essential commitment to human betterment.

GARY FIELDS

John P. Windmuller Professor of International and Comparative Labor and Professor of Economics, Cornell University, USA

Coming from an eminently qualified individual to tell us what development really means both in theory and practice, this book is a must-read for activists, researchers, development practitioners, civil servants and policy advocates S K DAS Former Secretary to the Government of India, Honorary Advisor to Indian Space Research Organization and author

Dr. R. Balasubramaniam is a visionary whose aim in life is to make the voice of the voiceless to be heard. He reminds me of William Wiberforce who, as a young MP in the House of Commons, started the Anti-Slavery movement in 1807, and carried on with it even when his friends told him that he was breaking his head on a rock and when there were threats to his life. He won at the end and the Anti-Slavery Bill was passed in 1833 three days before his death. His efforts are one of the greatest contributions to mankind. The experiences of the villagers depicted in the book reveals how, in this world the powerful-monetary, muscle or political power-want to make the rich richer and the poor poorer. Only a committed set of people, small in number to begin with can build a tsunami of change. I hope this wonderful book starts the whirlwind for change. PROF. B M HEGDE Padma Bhushan awardee, Former Vice Chancellor of Manipal University, India; Medical scientist, educationist and author

I, the Citizen discards clichs and jaded thought, and brings in a fresh vocabulary, a new insightful discourse on development. Drawing wisdom from the past and the present, the book offers a framework for the future in which people are the protagonists, and peoples role in governance, pivotal.

T V NARENDRAN

Managing Director, Tata Steel and Chairman of Confederation of Indian Industry, Jharkhand

Contents

I.

II.

III.

IV.

V.

VI.

VII.

VIII.

i, the citizen

unraveling the power of citizen engagement

DR. R BALASUBRAMANIAM

Foreword by Justice M N Venkatachaliah Former Chief Justice of India

A publication of Grassroots Research And Advocacy Movement (GRAAM) Mysuru, India & Vision India Foundation New Delhi, India

Copyright Dr R Balasubramaniam 2015

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Reproduction of selections from this book is permitted only with the written permission of the author and the publishers. The book or portions of the content may be cited for non-commercial purposes with prior written information to the author and publishers after giving due acknowledgment. Artwork and illustrations may NOT be reproduced either as is or in modified forms.

For information, write to Grassroots Research And Advocacy Movement CA-2, KIADB Industrial Housing Area, Ring Road, Hebbal, Mysuru 570016 India

First published August 2015 (Print) November 2015 (eBook)

ISBN 978-81-930974-5-8

Editing Rohit Shetti

Illustrations Mara B & Manoj Kalkar

Layout & Typesetting Deepak Mote

Disclaimer: Due care and diligence has been taken in the editing, design and production of this book. Neither the Author, Editor or Publisher can be held responsible for mistakes that may have crept in inadvertently. The Author, Editor, Publisher (GRAAM) and Co-publisher (Vision India Foundation) shall be free from liability for damages and losses of any nature arising from or related to the content. All disputes are subject to the jurisdiction of competent courts in Mysuru, Karnataka. This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out, circulated, and no reproduction in any form, in whole or in part (except for brief quotations in critical articles or reviews), may be made without the written permission of the publishers.