Jayaprakash Narayan

My thoughts about India, her people, Governance and much needed Political and Governance Reforms.

Name: Jayaprakash Narayan

Home: Hyderabad, India

Dr Jayaprakash Narayan is a physician by training, a public servant by choice, and a democrat by conviction. He joined the Indian Administrative Service in 1980 in the aftermath of the 'Emergency' and the failure of the Janata Experiment. During his nearly 17 years of distinguished public service in various capacities, he acquired a formidable reputation in the State of Andhra Pradesh. Rehabilitation of 8000 youth from displaced families of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant, designing the reconstruction of drainage and irrigation network in Krishna and Godavari deltas, strengthening the credit cooperatives and making them independent of government control, and several major policy initiatives including empowerment of parents in schools, speedy justice through rural courts, economic reform and restructuring of Andhra Pradesh, developing the Infocity in Hyderabad, and empowerment of local governments and stake holders are among his outstanding accomplishments in Andhra Pradesh. Among other things, he served as Secretary to both Governor and Chief Minister.Dr. Narayan's experience in government fully convinced him that what India needs today is not merely a periodic change of players, but a fundamental change in the rules of the game. In order to translate his vision into practical reality, he resigned from the Indian Administration Service (IAS) in 1996, and worked with like-minded colleagues for the formation of Lok Satta.Lok Satta emerged as India's leading civil society initiative and people's movement for wide-ranging governance and political reforms. The movement is driving the electoral and governance reform agenda of the country with several notable successes to its credit. Lok Satta launched a national platform called VOTEINDIA in partnership with several organizations to spearhead the campaign for political reforms. Dr Narayan was the National Coordinator of LOK SATTA and VOTEINDIA movements. After much thought and after organisation wide consultations, the need was felt for a political presence.Dr.Jayaprakash Narayan, is today, the leader of the LOK SATTA PARTY which was launched on October 2nd 2006.In view of his role as the head of a Political Party, he found it inappropriate to continue as a member of the National Advisory Council, which,under the Chairpersonship of Smt.Sonia Gandhi, was set up to serve as an interface with Civil Society with regard to the implementation of the National Common Minimum Programme (NCMP) of the Government of India. He is a member of the Second Administrative Reform Commission, constituted by the president of India with the mandate of preparing a detailed blueprint for revamping the public administration system in India.He is a widely respected public figure who has taken it upon himself to change the face of the Indian political scene.