Chapter - 4

Few days after this discussion he met Surya Hari at a party. Surya was one of his old friends. He was the head of National University for Progressive Sciences.

“Hi Bishu, Now that you are out of government what are you going to do” Surya Hari asked.

His close friends called also him Bishu and he did not mind that.

“I am trying to figure out what I should do, I am toying with many ideas. Not yet taken a final call” Bishma replied

“If you are doing anything with education, count me in” Surya Hari offered

***

Surya Hari was born to an aristocratic family based in Northern Indraprasta. His great grandfather was a large landowner in Ravighat. His father Rajnarayan was the first person from his town to travel abroad for studies. Rajnarayan graduated in English literature. After completing his studies he had come back to Ravighat and took over his family business. He continued his family tradition of being actively involved in the affairs of the society.

The King Sangamitra of Indraprasta invited him to join as his advisor on international affairs. That gave him enormous clout in the society.  It also helped him to amass significant wealth.

In the meantime a wind of change was blowing across Indraprasta. A movement was slowly rising demanding an end to monarchy and introduction of democracy. Sangamitra knew he had to change with the times. He believed that the change has to be managed and the transition should be smooth. So he decided to set up a special cell to deliberate and decide on this demand from the citizens. Rajnarayan was head of this special cell.

The movement for democracy started to build momentum. Rajinder Sharma a well educated activist for democracy was gradually getting mass following. The populace called him Chacha and  he was becoming increasingly popular. King Sangamitra was also happy with him. He invited Chacha to join the Sepcial cell.  Rajnarayan was no excited about this. He knew that with the popular support chacha enjoyed, he would become the natural choice to lead the people’s government. He realised that the wave is building and there will be no stoppage. “It is time to change track” he concluded.

“General, the democracy movement is gaining huge support and the managed transition being considered by Sangamitra will not work” He said to General Pasha from the Indraprasta National Guards who was also a member of the Special Cell.

“I was thinking the same thing. He is placing too much trust on Chacha and he alone cannot guide a nationwide movement. We should discuss with the King and announce a definite timetable for the transition to a select group who are capable and would be acceptable to the citizens. Not only that they should be able to match up with the stature of the leaders of the other countries whose support and cooperation we need.” Pasha replied.

“My dear General, I am not sure whether King Sangamitra will agree to this. But do you think will be able to make him see the voice of reason” Raj asked.

“With the popularity of Chacha, he will naturally become the Prime Minister and all the powerful positions will be taken over by his buddies. As we were part of the old regime, we will be nobody in the new regime” Raj continued.

“So what do you suggest” General asked

“We need to work out a plan General. I will support you to become the head of the country and not head of national guards” Raj said enticingly to Pasha.

“OK. Let us work on this” He replied.

He got back home early that day.

“Rajani, prepare for a trip to Switzerland. Pack up enough for a long stay” He told his wife

Both of them were sitting at the veranda of his palatial bungalow. He could see his Dobermans playing in the lawn.

“Why this trip to Switzerland now? ”

“I need to have a medical check up” He replied

“What happened to you” She asked.

“Nothing. But that should be the reason we tell everybody.”

“You seem to be cooking something. Tell me what you are up to.”

“Shall let you know. For the time being do the preparations as per this plan”

She knew that there was no point in asking him any further.

He along with his family took a trip to Switzerland, apparently for a medical emergency.

About a week after he was in Switzerland Chacha was assassinated. The country burst in to violence. Raj based out of Switzerland declared to be a supporter of the uprising.

“We cannot stand a monarchy that kill innocent people because they descent. Chacha was personification of the aspirations of the people of Indraprasta” He declared in an interview to CNN from the comforts of the hotel in Switzerland.

“What did you say today in the TV Raj” Rajani asked him when he was back at the hotel.

“You heard me. Didn’t you” was the terse reply.

“King Sangamitra will not be behind this dastardly act” Rajani declared.

“My dear, you don’t understand real politic. You watch how things turn out. We need to be smart to achieve something of value” He was gloating

“Sangamitra always treated you like his own brother” Rajani said.

“That was good then. Not now. I will help my brother to meet his maker soon without worldly worries” He replied with a wicked smile

“But that is mean” Rajani was shocked.

“Only the mean and lean survive in this world honey. You get ready for being elevated soon” He walked back to his study. 

General Pasha led a coup and the king was dethroned and beheaded. Rajnarayan returned to Indraprasta to take charge of the budding democracy. General Pasha was declared the President and Rajnrayan the Prime Minister.

In the meantime Surya Hari who was 10 years old was admitted to a private school in Switzerland. After successfully completing his high school, he moved over to London.

Fate had its own course. Within few months the flight carrying General Pasha and Rajnarayan crashed in one of their trips.

Surya continued his education abroad. He graduated from London School of Economics and went onto do a Masters in Business Administration from Harvard Business School. This international exposure from childhood from the best of schools in the world, gave him a powerful network of friends spread all round the world.

After his graduation he took up an assignment with the World Bank. He worked as the executive assistant to the Director in charge of Public Policy desk focusing on developing countries. This gave him excellent opportunity to develop a deep understanding of issues in public policy. He was smart enough to identify people who could be of relevance to him eventually and kept his links active with them. He was a charming public speaker. With his flowery articulation and his creative ideas he could mesmerize any audience.

Having spent few years in US he returned to Indraprasta. He decided to build on the foundation of his father’s political base and connections which could complement his US education and international experience.

After returning to India, for a few years he worked as the advisor to the Minister of Education which gave him an opportunity to personally experience and understand the ways of the government and its officers.

He was quite short in stature. When he was in school, his height (rather lack of it) was always an element of ridicule. Being short and weak, he could never retort physically. So he honed his manipulative skills to take his revenge. To top it, unfortunately he had the looks of an alien which also meant that he was never one of the popular among his school mates; especially among girls. This underlying insecurity formed a hidden scar in his heart. As he grew up, in spite of the success he achieved in the professional life, this insecurity coupled with his feudal past manifested in his almost paranoid compulsion to suppress any dissent. But he never let this insecurity show. He could always present his manipulative actions triggered by this insecurity with clever logic and flowery articulation. Rather the manipulative skills and gift of the gab became the foundation on which he built his success. This master-manipulative nature earned him a pet name Shakuni. He had learned quite a few lessons on manipulation from his father who had managed the transition from being the advisor to the king to the leader of democracy without paying any price.

****

To be continued