From Corridors of Power to Corridors of Culture: Dr. Sanjeev Chopra on Governance, History, and Literature

An Exclusive Interview with Dr Sanjeev Chopra — Governance Scholar, Historian, and Former Civil Servant; Currently serving as Festival Director of the Valley of Words

Dr. Sanjeev Chopra, a distinguished governance scholar, historian, and former civil servant, brings a rare confluence of experience spanning administration, academia, and literature.

Currently serving as Festival Director of the Valley of Words, he continues to foster public dialogue on policy, history, and culture.

In this conversation, he reflects on India’s evolving governance frameworks and the enduring power of storytelling.

You have had a distinguished career as a civil servant. What inspired you to transition from governance to scholarship, writing and cultural initiatives like Valley of Words?

Dr Sanjeev Chopra: Reading, writing, reviewing and critiquing books has always been an intrinsic part of my life. As an SDO, I published a yearbook; at Ghatal, as the ADM of Cooch Behar, I wrote the background note for the transfer of Teen Beegha enclave; while in the Academy, I was writing extensively on agriculture credit, co-operatives and district administration.

The Hubert H Humphrey and Robert S McNamara Fellowship years were also devoted to reading and writing. When I joined Uttarakhand, I wrote quite regularly for the Garhwal Post, as well as for Merinews.com.

Besides, I published my memoir on industrialization in Uttarakhand. Then I wrote AgriMatters – a weekly column on everything connected with Rural Development, horticulture, agriculture, food processing and co-operatives for over a decade.

Meanwhile, I reviewed several books for a host of publications. During my posting as a Joint Secretary in New Delhi, I was actively involved in a monthly book club programme at the Civil Services Officers Institute called ‘Books and Authors’. It covered books by civil servants, or books on issues connected with governance.

This ran for over three years, till I returned to Bengal. During this period, I started attending literature festivals as a book discussant or panelist at Kasauli, Kolkata, New Delhi. By 2017, I was actively involved in establishing the Valley of Words.

There has been no looking back since then. Of course, after superannuation, I had more time than ever before to take up writing of history and regular columns on governance and political economy, besides book reviews – which I enjoy the most.

As a governance scholar, how do you view India’s evolving governance model in the 21st century?

Dr Sanjeev Chopra: Compared to the time when I joined the IAS in 1985, there has been a sea change in the governance model: we have moved to what is called the New Public Management which relies more on systems, rather than individual discretion. Plus, the government’s credo is ‘trust the citizen and the entrepreneur’.

We are finally moving away from the colonial mindset of control over everything towards a regime of self-regulation. There is increasing use of information technology and databases. Take for example the issue of a passport.

Rather than a physical verification of the applicant’s antecedents by the beat constable, there is reliance on the NCRB data. The process has become smoother and more transparent.

Getting a passport, a birth or death certificate is much easier today than it was till the past decade. And the PM has just announced the next set of reforms to make citizens lives and business compliances easier.

How do you bridge the gap between theory (governance models and institutional reforms) with the reality of day-to-day administration?

Dr Sanjeev Chopra: The gap is getting narrower with each passing year. Let me illustrate this in the context of Right to Food and Right to Employment.

With transparent guidelines with regard to entitlements, the relevant departments can plan their budgetary outlays, streamline the delivery processes and ensure universalization of coverage to all intended beneficiaries.

The use of IT over ubiquitous mobile has unleashed unprecedented awareness and empowerment, especially with regard to financial information asymmetry between the programme manager and the beneficiary.

But let me end with a caveat: even as governance is getting better, the expectations from public systems are growing even higher! So instead of the gap getting narrowed, it will appear that the gap is growing. 

How do you balance being both a historian and a former insider of the administrative system, when you analyze events?

Dr Sanjeev Chopra: The roles are complimentary, rather than contradictory. If anything, when it comes to writing about contemporary history, I have an advantage over the academician when it comes to understanding the finer nuances of government decision making.

But I agree that the role of an administrator and a historian are apart. There is a slight tension at times between what ‘happened’ and what ‘ought to have happened’, especially from the point of view of an administrator.

A scholar administrator has distinct advantages. As an ‘insider’, I had smoother access to archives and government records. I found it easier to talk to all those who were involved in the decision-making phase.

Just to give you a recent example: in my next book on Major Bob Khathing, with special references to Arunachal and Nagaland, I needed to understand the Naga Peoples Conventions held in Mokokchung in the late fifties – for this was the time when a large number of Naga leaders including those from Baptist churches – realized that unabated violence was not leading anywhere.

I could easily get an appointment to meet with the ex CM of Nagaland, Dr N.C. Jamir, to get his version of the events from the time when he was a student activist. Also, when I go through the minutes of a meeting, or the record of proceedings, I can understand the ‘nuance’.

For example, when the term ‘Agreed Points’ is used in the text instead of MoU, it is clear that both or at least one of the signatories does not have the fullest authority to commit themselves on behalf of the organization they are representing.

Someone who has not been part of the government, would find it extremely difficult to capture the ‘feel, flow, direction and contribution’ of Bob Khathing in the three NPCs at Mokokchung during his tenure as the DC.

How has the festival evolved since its inception, and how do you ensure that it stays inclusive and intellectually stimulating ?

Dr Sanjeev Chopra: Evolution is the right word. We have evolved, edition by edition, by responding to the feedback and critiques from our stakeholders. We have realized, for example, that it is better to prioritize quality over quantity.

Over the years, we are cutting down on the number of sessions, increasing our connect with institutions, selecting interlocutors with care and bringing contemporary issues to the fore in our discussions.

This year the theme is twenty-five years of Uttarakhand – and we are trying to focus on the opportunities and challenges faced by the state. We are looking at books by Uttarakhandi authors, regional cinema, local cuisines, water sources and display of local arts and crafts.

Thus, the challenges of infrastructure in the urban spaces of Dehradun are juxtaposed with the futuristic city of Gelephu – the first mindfulness city being established in Bhutan.

We are celebrating all the spoken languages of the state, hosting a discussion on making Uttarakhand a beggar-free city, and much more!

Do you think India values its historians and public intellectuals enough ?

Dr Sanjeev Chopra: Yes and No. The civil society does, but the political establishment is selective in its choice of historians and public intellectuals – they prefer those who are aligned to their particular meta-narrative.

But thanks to a very vibrant media, and a large number of literature festivals, these dialogues are taking place, and there is never a dull moment.

In any case, the point to note is that the numbers are growing, and since both historians and public intellectuals are also competing for the same eyeballs, the scenario remains quite interesting.

What advice would you offer to young civil servants, scholars and writers who want to create a meaningful impact in governance and/or cultural spaces ?

Dr Sanjeev Chopra: The most important point is to gain complete mastery over the subject of interest – be it any particular aspect of governance, or a period of history, or any genre of literature or art.

I would caution civil servants against using their current position to promote something which is not directly connected to their line of work.

Organizing an art camp for children, or showcasing their talent is one thing – but using such a platform to promote one’s own artwork or books would be jarring, both in terms of ethics and aesthetics.s Dr. Sanjeev Chopra highlights, governance and history are inseparable from the narratives that shape societies.

His work with the Valley of Words festival reaffirms his belief that ideas, literature, and dialogue drive national discourse.

From files of administration to pages of history, his journey reminds us that meaningful service transcends professions, leaving an enduring legacy of thought, scholarship, and cultural enrichment.

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