Satya Nadella – capitalist son of a pro-poor IAS officer BN Yugandhar

Satya Nadella is now officially announced to be Microsoft CEO. The 46-year-old Nadella will take over immediately, allowing Steve Ballmer to retire early. Satya Nadella is son of a reputed retired 1962 batch IAS Officer BN Yugandhar. Mr Yugandhar, now 76, was Late Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao’s appointee. He served as Mr. Rao’s secretary and then headed the Union Rural Development Ministry and went on to become a member of Planning Commission – the highest Govt. planning body in India, where he worked along other Hyderabadi stalwarts like Ch. Hanumantha Rao. He also served as director of the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration. His efforts at the Rural Development Ministry improved the lives of severly impoverished in districts like Kalahandi, Bolangir and Koraput in Orissa. He served in various capacities to improve the lot of poor by pushing through guidelines which would institutionalize money flow for watershed development.

“I have always admired Yugandhar for all the support he has extended to the NGOs that have been working for protecting the rights of the marginalized sections of the society,” said Narinder S Bedi, president of civil society organization Young India Project.
Chennaiah Poguri, secretary of Andhra Pradesh Vyavasaya Vruthidarula Union, a federation of unions of agricultural workers, marginal farmers, fisherfolk and rural workers, recounted that Yugandhar played vital role to protect the rights of agricultural workers. By tirelessly advocating their case in the Planning Commission, he made sure that amendments to the Agricultural Workers Welfare Act that were pending for thirty years were passed, said Poguri. “Even though he is not keeping well these days, he will be the first person to come to our programs.”

Mr Yugandhar also vociferously objected amendments to RTI act exempting file notings from it. He said “Notings are an integral part of a file, and access to them is crucial … Why are you rewarding cowardice? … You are cloaking partiality, irresponsibility and dishonesty’. On the move to block information on personnel-related matters—appointments, promotions, transfers from RTI purview, he said that more than one director general of police has told him that they have no control over who is posted as an SHO anywhere and that was because all those postings are for sale and that is why the amendment was attempted. He believes a mindset of secrecy and lack of transparency does not befit a bureaucrat in 21st century democratic India. He surely is, unlike the typical babu of today, who bask in power and privileges. He has made lives of the poor and the duties of the Govt, close to his heart. Even after retirement, he is serving in various capacities in several NGOs to better the lives of the poor, while his son is now the CEO of one of the most visible icons of capitalist world.