The
Calm in the Storm: The Fearless Character of Dr. C. V. Ananda Bose
By
M.N.M. Vasudev
Across
decades and across roles, as a student, civil servant, reformer, and statesman,
Dr. C. V. Ananda Bose has been distinguished by a rare quality of being able to
remain composed and decisive in the very heart of challenges, however daunting
these may be. His life offers repeated a testimony to a temperament that does
not recoil from any crisis, but faces it head-on with clarity, balance, and
resolve. Those who have observed him closely describe this not as cultivated
courage, but as an instinctive steadiness, of what may be called a ‘steady-step’
approach to adversity.
This
equanimity was not acquired late in life. It came to the fore early, long before
any office, or authority, shaped his conduct.
As
a boy of twelve in Kottayam, young Ananda Bose once found himself unexpectedly
caught in the midst of a violent political procession. What had begun as a
public demonstration rapidly degenerated into clashes and physical
confrontation between rival groups. Alarmed by the sudden eruption of chaos,
his elder brother, Venugopal, I and our companions instinctively fled the scene;
but Ananda did not. When the violence finally ebbed and anxious family members
searched the town for the missing boy, they discovered him standing calm,
observant, and untouched by fear at exactly the same spot where the conflict
had been the fiercest. He had not frozen. Instead, he had simply refused to
panic. Even at that age, danger did not compel retreat, but summoned his attention.
Years
later, in Delhi, that same composure would prove decisive in a far more
perilous encounter. While visiting the farmhouse of a wealthy cashew-nut trader,
Bose found himself at a lunch table that abruptly turned into a
life-threatening situation. For some unknown reason, the host was visibly
agitated and emotionally unstable. He suddenly produced a revolver and fired
three rounds into the air. Panic spread instantly. Those present were immobilised
by fear; but Bose alone remained still.
Anticipating
that the next bullets might not be fired harmlessly into the sky, he rose and
walked forward with unhurried, measured, and steady steps. There was no raised
voice, or dramatic gesture. He simply told the man, firmly and calmly, “Give it
to me.” The weapon was surrendered. Bose disarmed the situation not by force,
but by control—of himself first, and thereby of the moment. He then ensured
that the distraught man was escorted safely to his relatives. He personally
supervised the process until order was fully restored. The crisis ended without
injury, escalation, or spectacle.
What
is striking is that this poise does not surface only in extraordinary
emergencies. It has been equally evident in the ordinary pressures that can unsettle
most people. Shortly after his marriage, while he was having breakfast in
Calicut with the District Collector, Ravi, Bose was warned that a closed level
crossing might cause them to miss the train they wanted to board. Where anxiety
would normally take hold, Bose responded with quiet pragmatism: “If the train
departs, we could simply alight at the level crossing, walk across, and engage a
taxi. There was no irritation, or urgency - only acceptance and adaptation.
Reflecting
later, the Collector observed that most people panic at the mere suggestion of
a missed train or flight. Bose, by contrast, remained “studiously still.” The
response revealed not indifference, but mastery over such circumstances.
This
inner steadiness has been the foundation of his public life. Known widely as
the “Make-over Man,” Dr. Bose has founded fifty-two innovative institutions, and
pioneered reforms in affordable housing, good governance, social inclusion, and
administrative efficiency. His housing models have been recognised by the
United Nations as Global Best Practices on four occasions. This has been a rare
international endorsement for ideas rooted in Indian realities.
Alongside
administration, runs his equally formidable intellectual journey. Dr. Bose is
the author of more than 350 publications. These include: over 138 books written in English, Malayalam,
and Hindi. Some of his books have been
translated into French, Arabic, Bengali, Odia, Santhali, Sanskrit, Tamil,
Gujarati, and Rajasthani. His writings span governance, ethics, culture,
development, and philosophy. All these reflect
a mind that seeks not only to act, but to understand and explain.
His
admirers and colleagues alike refer to him as “Saint Bose”—not as a title of
sanctity, but as an acknowledgement of his character. The epithet reflects a
life marked by integrity, intellectual courage, and an unwavering refusal to
compromise with corruption, chaos, or fear.
From
a boy standing unflinching in a riot-torn street in Kottayam, to a Governor
navigating the complex moral and administrative terrain of public life, Dr. C.
V. Ananda Bose’s journey has been guided by the same principle: when the storm
gathers, one should not retreat, but stand, observe, and act —with steady
steps.
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