“Imagine a boy, born in a village with no electricity, whose playgrounds were paddy fields … whose toys were made out of coconut leaves and used bicycle tyres”; now picture him as ‘ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary’ authorised to speak at the most exalted global forums on behalf of a billion countrymen, working in offices near some of the most “glamorous places on the political, cultural and tourist maps of the world”. Ambassador Sreenivasan attributes his transformation from village lad to high-flying globetrotter to his father’s perspicacity in visualising the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) as the vehicle with which to “conquer the world”.
The book under review is a paean to diplomatic service. Depicting himself as “an evangelist of the Foreign Service”, Sreenivasan agonises at the low priority that the IFS commands among youthful job-seekers today. Recalling the exhilaration of addressing world gatherings on behalf of his country, negotiating momentous international agreements and sitting across a table from statesmen and heads of state, he relives the charms and challenges of diplomatic life hoping to influence the career choice of youngsters seeking adventure and professional fulfilment. He is assisted by his young protégé, Divya Iyer, who has ingeniously put together a selection of his writings and speeches in a curious arrangement based on mythological themes.
Iyer organises the articles in seven chapters aligned to the sapta-chiranjeevi — seven immortal beings of the Hindu pantheon — each symbolising an aspect of diplomacy or of Sreenivasan’s life. Iyer provides a brief and imaginative — if fanciful — introduction to each chapter: Hanuman, described in Valmiki Ramayana as the ideal emissary, is the epitome of the Foreign Service diplomat; Vibheeshana, the noble half-bother at odds with the malevolent Ravana, signifies India in its fraught neighbourhood; Aswatthama, cursed for his unethical conduct to roam unloved till eternity, represents the United States; Kripacharya, the wise and impartial guru, embodies the United Nations; Vyasa, the master story-teller, is, of course, Sreenivasan himself.
Given the benefit of an exciting and varied life, Sreenivasan has much to share, and the fact that he is an able raconteur makes this collection of his outpourings — for the most part — compelling and readable. As he has already penned an autobiography, the present volume comprises wide-ranging articles written for journals and papers, and speeches delivered at gatherings extending from schools to academic and cultural institutions over the past decade.
Given the diverse audiences at which they were targeted, the quality and significance of the offerings are uneven, but the acuity of Sreenivasan’s diplomatic insight, his easy charm and quiet sense of humour infuse the pages.
Tracing the course of Indian diplomacy, Sreenivasan refutes the contention that our foreign policy has been more reactive than proactive. He argues that huge disruptive events — like the collapse of the Berlin Wall or the 9/11 attacks — put to naught the most assiduous long-term strategic planning, thereby underscoring the importance of prompt and thoughtful response. India has not only been consistent in its foreign policy, he says, but also dynamic.
He disagrees with averments for a new generation of non-alignment or strategic autonomy, insisting instead on the need for “selective alignments on the basis of mutual benefit … across geographical and ideological divides”.
Foreseeing in 2013, a change of government, Sreenivasan predicted that after the initial euphoria there would likely be continuity rather than change in India’s foreign policy. Even towards China he did not expect greater assertiveness. He contends that India has been not only tolerant but benevolent to its neighbours and has dealt magnanimously with them “at considerable cost to itself, with a policy of constructive engagement at all times and non-interference in their internal affairs”. While all may not concur with this assessment, the following statement will raise hackles: “The more concessions we give, the more will be asked for; the more we deny, the more blackmailing will be resorted to”. With regard to our Pakistan policy, he believes that it should be based strictly on reciprocity. The “peace industry” in India, he holds, has done more damage than good to India-Pakistan relations.
Having served at ambassadorial level in three cities headquartering United Nations agencies, Sreenivasan’s knowledge of the organisation is exemplary. Emphasising the continuing relevance of the UN, he argues for fundamental changes that would reflect the realities of the present century. He endorses India’s aspiration for a permanent seat in the Security Council, but feels that this would be exceedingly hard to attain, and that India should not seem desperate to join the ‘high table’ nor predicate bilateral ties on this quest. Discussing the nuances of the Indo-U.S. negotiations for a nuclear deal, he concludes that actual trade may, arguably, never materialise. While supporting nuclear disarmament in the long term, following the Fukushima disaster — which, he avers, holds key lessons for all nuclear plants including the one at Kudankulam — he turned into a nuclear sceptic appealing for progressive reduction of dependence on nuclear energy.
Returning to his roots in Kerala with a wealth of experience from 35 years in the diplomatic service, which included being ignominiously expelled from Fiji and brutally attacked in Kenya, Sreenivasan has been a prodigious writer and indefatigable speaker. The last two chapters deal with eclectic subjects; notably, an ironic piece on the ‘Malayalee mindset’, whence he pleads for “social graces such as courtesy, discipline and punctuality, social responsibility and industry” to transform Keralan society.
Divya Iyer, who Sreenivasan describes as his “spiritual daughter”, presents Applied Democracy as ‘guru-dakshina’ to her mentor on his 70th birthday. T.P.Sreenivasan’s admirers will undoubtedly unearth gems in this book which, more significantly, will be a useful primer for aspiring and fledgling diplomats who will be enriched by its insights into foreign policy and international relations, and by his unflagging devotion to his work.
APPLIED DIPLOMACY — Through the Prism of Mythology: Writings of T.P. Sreenivasan:Edited by Divya S. Iyer; Wisdom Tree, 4779/23, Ansari Road, Daryaganj, New Delhi-110002. Rs. 895.
