A-Z of The Civil Services

Kudos to Dr Kush Verma, IAS, to unveil with wit and subtlety, a series of interesting Service stories in 26 chapters. The book affords a peep into administrative dynamics for the general reader, and provides nostalgic memories for the older generation of civil servants. It is a must-read for Civil Service aspirants to comprehend what awaits them. —Dr Kurian Baby, IAS (Retd) This is not just a book, it is a treasure trove of hoary anecdotes, perceptive quotes and hilarious sketches about one of the most enduring civil services in the world. Mr Verma’s decades of service in this Brahminical order sit lightly on him … he uses the rapier rather than the broadsword to tackle some of the real problems of public administration. This book will certainly appeal to the author’s own endangered tribe but I suspect that non-tribals may find it even more enjoyable! —Avay Shukla, IAS (Retd) With the right proportion of levity and gravity, Kush Verma offers a kaleidoscopic perspective of life and work experience of civil servants in India. Behind its impish humour, which makes ‘A-Z of the Civil Services’ eminently readable, the book is hugely informative and deeply insightful. —Harish Mahajan, IAS (Retd) This is a brilliant book written by a brilliant civil servant, both about the various maladies afflicting the services, and about the road to reform. The ‘grand literary garnish and flourish’, and above all, the linguistic felicity that is the hallmark of this beautiful work, will stay in my mind for long.