Powerful P.A. and P.S. during Indira Gandhi's days of power (mainly in 1970s and 1980s) - R.K. Dhawan - passes away
Mrs Indira Gandhi’s eyes and ears, RK Dhawan knew too much but kept silent, https://indianexpress.com/article/india/mrs-indira-gandhis-eyes-and-ears-rk-dhawan-knew-too-much-but-kept-silent-5294967/ .
In circles of power that tend to be authoritarian, the Personal Assistant (P.A.) and Personal Secretary (P.S.) to the main power figure, sometimes become major power centres themselves!
A definition of authoritarianism is appropriate here. From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Authoritarianism :
Authoritarianism is a form of government characterized by strong central power and limited political freedoms. Individual freedoms are subordinate to the state and there is no constitutional accountability under an authoritarian regime.[1]
...
[Reference:]
1. Sekiguchi, Masashi. Government and Politics - Volume I. EOLSS Publications. p. 92. ISBN 9781905839698. Retrieved 26 December 2016.
--- end wiki extract ---
Ravi: But the power of the P.A. and P.S. is a reflected power. Once the main power figure is out of power, the P.A. and P.S. get their status reduced appropriate to their innate ability. Sometimes it is worse than that as people who have developed grudges against them (P.A./P.S.) while the main power figure was in power, may exact revenge and create trouble for them.
I think this power scenario applies very much to Indian ashram systems which are typically ruled in an authoritarian manner. Note that authoritarian manner could also be a benevolent authoritarianism (a Ram Rajya for Hindu ashram systems modeled on the just and benevolent rule of the king of Ayodhya, Lord Ram, the hero of the Hindu scripture, Ramayana). I think Indian ashram systems aspire to be benevolent kingdoms (benevolent authoritarian rule) though not all are able to achieve that aspiration.
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Two old interviews of R.K. Dhawan in Hindi
Part 1) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRldY9TSKS4, around 8 mins
Part 2) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2XsEXf-NQ4, around 7 mins
A 45 mins, interview done by Karan Thapar in 2015, "Emergency Not Called To Save Indira's Career: RK Dhawan", https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oijpEiHtjII
[I thank wikipedia and have presumed that they will not have any objections to me sharing the above extracts from their website on this post which is freely viewable by all, and does not have any financial profit motive whatsoever.]
In circles of power that tend to be authoritarian, the Personal Assistant (P.A.) and Personal Secretary (P.S.) to the main power figure, sometimes become major power centres themselves!
A definition of authoritarianism is appropriate here. From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Authoritarianism :
Authoritarianism is a form of government characterized by strong central power and limited political freedoms. Individual freedoms are subordinate to the state and there is no constitutional accountability under an authoritarian regime.[1]
...
[Reference:]
1. Sekiguchi, Masashi. Government and Politics - Volume I. EOLSS Publications. p. 92. ISBN 9781905839698. Retrieved 26 December 2016.
--- end wiki extract ---
Ravi: But the power of the P.A. and P.S. is a reflected power. Once the main power figure is out of power, the P.A. and P.S. get their status reduced appropriate to their innate ability. Sometimes it is worse than that as people who have developed grudges against them (P.A./P.S.) while the main power figure was in power, may exact revenge and create trouble for them.
I think this power scenario applies very much to Indian ashram systems which are typically ruled in an authoritarian manner. Note that authoritarian manner could also be a benevolent authoritarianism (a Ram Rajya for Hindu ashram systems modeled on the just and benevolent rule of the king of Ayodhya, Lord Ram, the hero of the Hindu scripture, Ramayana). I think Indian ashram systems aspire to be benevolent kingdoms (benevolent authoritarian rule) though not all are able to achieve that aspiration.
=========================================================
Two old interviews of R.K. Dhawan in Hindi
Part 1) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRldY9TSKS4, around 8 mins
Part 2) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2XsEXf-NQ4, around 7 mins
A 45 mins, interview done by Karan Thapar in 2015, "Emergency Not Called To Save Indira's Career: RK Dhawan", https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oijpEiHtjII
[I thank wikipedia and have presumed that they will not have any objections to me sharing the above extracts from their website on this post which is freely viewable by all, and does not have any financial profit motive whatsoever.]
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