'Training days at Mahasamund, Disttrict Raipur, Madhya Pradesh, 1967' - K J S Chatrath

Remaining indoors because of scare of Covid, I have been clearing bundles of papers and photographs that I collected during service. And suddenly I came across this photo taken in 1967. A little backgrounder would be in order. I joined the IAS in 1967 and was allotted the Orissa Cadre. One year training at Mussoorie Academy used to include a two month 'Bharat Darshan'. All of us were divided into Groups and sent to Groups of two states each. One was not to be sent to (i)the state to which one belonged , and (ii) the state which had been allotted. The idea was to see the field situation in new states and compare its good and weak points in the allotted state subsequently. I was allotted Orissa cadre and was put in the Bharat Darshan Group which was to cover Madhaya Pradesh and Madras. Travel from Mussoorie to these states and internal travel therein was by buses and train. In fact third class sleeper coaches were what we travelled by. About half way through the Bharat Darshan one was attached to a tahsil. My Bharat Darshan Group consisted of 4 persons- Ms. Rajinder Chaudhury (Himachal Cadre), Ms. Aarti Mukherji (West Bengal Cadre). She sadly died while practising horse riding in Calcutta during her training, Ajit Nimbalkar (Maharashtra Cadre) and I was allotted Orissa Cadre. Since Ajit took the photo, so he is not in this picture. We were sent to Mahasamund Tahsil for attacchment training and spent two weeks leaning at a slow relaxed pace. The S.D.O was 1965 batch IAS Mr. Ashok Vajpayee, who later on blossomed into one of the most learned experts on Indian culture and literature. The photo put up here shows from left to right Revenue Inspector, Suit-Boot Wala me, Additional Tahsildar, Tahsildar, Mr. Ashok Vajpaye (the S.D.O.), Ms. Rajinder chaudhary, Mrs. Ashok Vajpaye and Ms. Arti Mukherji. Before closing let me narrate a little story. One evening we four Trainees were having evening tea at the residence of the SDO when some shouts were heard outside. Soon we saw a group of people, including ladies ,walking towards SDO's residence. Mr. Vajpayee went out immediately to meet the people, followed by his lady wife. We also marched out behind the SDO as it was training for us. The grievence was that no sugar was available in the town and people were finding it difficult. Mr. Vajpaye listened to them in a very calm manner and then explained the position of impending arrival of sugar supply the very next day. Then he went to his wife and addressed her, 'Please go to your kitchaen and bring all the sugar thart you have'. She went and returned swiftly with sugar in a small jar. It was not more that half a kilo.Offering this to the ladies in the crowd, Mr. Vajpaye said 'please accept all that I hhave got and manage till tomorro. The crowd burst into cheers and left as swiftly as it had come, leaving the sugar jar behind in Mrs. Vajpaye's hands.