I Dared to Dial Differently

He conducted India's first 3G spectrum auction and raised ?1.06 trillion for the exchequer. He single-handedly blocked a major procurement scandal at BSNL. For four decades, IAS officer J.S. Deepak worked at the highest levels of Indian telecom, trade and diplomacy and dared to do things differently. I Dared to Dial Differently is the candid, compulsively readable memoir of J.S. Deepak, whose four-decade-long journey through the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) reads like a masterclass in conscience, courage and governance under fire. It is honest without being self-indulgent and insightful without being pedantic. From designing and conducting India's first-ever 3G spectrum auctions which yielded a stunning ?1.06 trillion for the exchequer to blocking a huge procurement scandal at BSNL single-handedly, from implementing the midday meal programme in 1,00,000 schools in UP to overseeing the establishment of the Commonwealth Games Village in 2010 in Delhi, Deepak's career has spanned telecom, trade, technology and diplomacy at the highest levels. Written with wit and wisdom, I Dared to Dial Differently pulls back the curtain on Indian public administration and provides precious information on various aspects of policy-making. Deepak writes not to eulogize the IAS but to humanize it, revealing an institution that might be difficult to navigate, but is never dull. For the millions who dream of a civil service career, this book offers a rare ringside view of the scale at which IAS officers can make an impact. It reveals the strengths and frailties that make India's 'steel frame' both powerful and vulnerable. For the general reader, it makes for an anecdotal read that is profound and light-hearted at the same time. It highlights how one officer, armed with doggedness and the refusal to be silenced, shaped outcomes that affected an entire nation.