If a good book be defined as one which deals with a subject simply, comprehensively and comprehensibly, K Sreedhar Rao's Whither Governance would qualify as one. At worst it may be called an insightful administrative memoir. At first glance, one gets the impression that the book could be one of the numerous self extolling, family album filled, travelogue by a civil servant who somehow felt that his achievements in service are under recognized and need to be highlighted. His first chapter "Entry into the Civil Service" indeed is along these lines. But if one has the patience to go through this chapter to the next, one begins to appreciate the substance in the book. The central theme of the book is the necessity of the highest standards of governance to achieve the socio-economic well-being of the nation, which is the very foundation of national security. With governance, or rather misgovernance identified as a factor that can threaten the security of a nation, the work contributes towards understanding the relationship between governance and national security.�

Most authors on governance and security have dealt with the subject using theoretical frameworks, trying to somehow fit case studies into those frameworks. The reverse applies to this author. His grasp of the subject -governance, its operation and shortcomings, and the bearing it has on national security, internal as well as external, in the context of the Northeast in general and Assam and Sikkim in particular is, to say the least, amazing. His narrative style of writing unrestricted by frameworks, yet hardly ever losing the thread of the subject, makes the book an easy read.�

Forces at play behind the numerous problems faced in Assam today like illegal immigration of Bangladeshis, the failure to resolve the crisis till date, the rise of the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), the Bodo agitation, the merger of Sikkim to the Indian Union and its security dimensions; and the process of its integration vis-�-vis the role of governance are captured in analytical detail with a historical sense of chronology.�

The author has explored the ill effects of undue political interference in administration, often in pursuit of short term political gains, on the overall efficiency of governance. This is reflective of the much debated relationship between the political and permanent executive. Thus, the true value of the book lies in the no holds barred exposure of the impediments posed by the machinations of communal and party politics to the proper functioning of a rational, neutral, people oriented governance.�

The author subtly but firmly contends that timely and appropriate doses of good governance can prevent potential crises, which otherwise can wreak havoc with the security situation in the country. The nexus between politicians, criminals and the police/bureaucracy in undermining the rule of law and operation of the law is vividly brought out with narratives involving real actors. Connected with this, the author laments the declining quality of new recruits into the Civil Service in terms of general efficiency as well as moral and ethical standards, following it up with recommendations to improve the recruitment process. He also highlights how governance suffered under illiterate and ill-qualified representatives of the people, some of whom become ministers, and strongly, advocates setting a minimum educational qualification for representatives both at the center and the States.�

In dealing with the failure of governance in the northeastern states, the author fails to take into account the role played by transitional pangs common to most of the tribal communities in the northeast in trying to adapt to democratic institutions from a predominantly authoritarian experience under village chieftains. Thus, while his understanding and analysis of the problems of governance from a constitutional perspective can said to be impeccable, and the remedies suggested by him undeniably reasonable and totally in tune with constitutional parameters, the same cannot be said of his understanding of the possible viewpoints of the people in the northeast. Besides, while it is true that the alienation problem is largely due to the withering state of governance as pointed out by him, it is by no means the sole factor, and he somehow failed to deal with the other factors.�

There are chapters and sections of chapters which seemingly strayed into eulogies on personal exploits and the comforts of being in the IAS which could serve no better purpose than being a fountain from which an aspiring civil servant may draw an energizing sip.�

In sum, the book has one unmistakable theme running throughout the fifteen chapters and that is, poor governance weakens the socio-economic fabric of the nation by unleashing forces of poverty, strife, violence and divisions which, in turn, hinders development. Such weakness on the socio-economic front can severely compromise the security of the nation. His reference to the historical experiences in which internal divisions of the country are responsible for its defeat at the hands of foreign invaders is illuminating. The author's grasp of the global security situation and military history are of a high order. A must read for internal security analysts and aspiring civil servants, as also people in the Organization and Methods establishment.