I Dared to Dial Differently: An Insider's Account of the IAS

J.S. Deepak

I Dared to Dial Differently is the candid, compulsively readable memoir of J.S. Deepak, whose four-decade-long journey through the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) reads like a masterclass in conscience, courage and governance under fire. It is honest without being self-indulgent and insightful without being pedantic.

From designing and conducting India's first-ever 3G spectrum auctions which yielded a stunning Rs 1.06 trillion for the exchequer to blocking a huge procurement scandal at BSNL single-handedly, from implementing the midday meal programme in 1,00,000 schools in UP to overseeing the establishment of the Commonwealth Games Village in 2010 in Delhi, Deepak's career has spanned telecom, trade, technology and diplomacy at the highest levels.

Written with wit and wisdom, I Dared to Dial Differently pulls back the curtain on Indian public administration and provides precious information on various aspects of policy-making. Deepak writes not to eulogize the IAS but to humanize it, revealing an institution that might be difficult to navigate, but is never dull.

For the millions who dream of a civil service career, this book offers a rare ringside view of the scale at which IAS officers can make an impact. It reveals the strengths and frailties that make India's 'steel frame' both powerful and vulnerable. For the general reader, it makes for an anecdotal read that is profound and light-hearted at the same time. It highlights how one officer, armed with doggedness and the refusal to be silenced, shaped outcomes that affected an entire nation.