FIRST STIRRINGS | Rathikant Basu Utterly unusual

FIRST STIRRINGS

rathikant basu

Rathikant Basu Utterly unusual

The former Chief Commissioner, Income Tax (Mumbai); is now doing something he always wanted to do — writing — and is today the author of three books.

By Shailaja Chandra

AMONG my list of unusual civil servants, I was particularly keen to do a story on Rathikant Basu. This man had left the IAS when he had several years to go; also at a time when this was not a popular thing to do. But his departure was doubly remarkable because he straightaway plunged into the cut-throat world of electronic media where even finding one’s feet can be precarious.

Even today, after 17 years, Basu’s name evokes two diametrically opposite responses: admiration and envy you know how he dumped the government and joined Rupert Murdoch?” is invariably the first reaction. No, but he brought the difference between night and day to television!” is the other reaction.... Read More..