MahaPeriyava & Seshan

MahaPeriyava & Seshan

This is courtesy an article in the Periyava Akashvani app

Pepping up the Chief Election Commissioner:
Mr. TN Seshan, the 10th Chief Election
Commissioner responsible for bringing about
electoral reforms in India, had mentioned the
following incident at a felicitation speech in Chennai2
.
Mr. TN Seshan had gone to meet Paramacharya
in the early 90s, after he was transferred from the
post of Home Secretary to the post of Chief Election
Commissioner – considered a sinecure among
Indian civil servants in early 90s. Paramacharya,
who was 97 when a visibly disappointed Seshan
came to meet him, immediately sensed the cause of
his disappointment and counseled him to treat the
transfer as an opportunity granted by God to serve
the Indian public. He had suggested that Seshan
visit the Uthiramerur temple (~15 kms from Kanchi
Sri Matam) and read through the details of electoral
regulations prevalent in India about 1000 years ago,
including qualifications of candidates that can contest
elections. In the words of Mr. Seshan, 'The credit for
electoral reforms must go to Kanchi Mahaswami,
but for who this would not have been possible'. At 97,
He had such clarity and described minute details of
the electoral rules embossed on the northern walls of
the Uthiramerur temple. And mentioned to me that
even implementing a tenth of these reforms, would
be a great service to India'. The rest as we know is
history. An inspired and reinvigorated Seshan went
back to reform the Indian electoral system, ultimately
resulting in the coinage – 'Seshan vs Nation'3
A key takeaway for all next-gen managers from
our Guru, is to develop a historical perspective in our
respective fields of endeavor both to avoid repeating
mistakes and to stay inspired.
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R B Kishore