Dynamic D.M.

Dr. Heera Lal, an IAS officer, served as District Magistrate of Banda in Uttar Pradesh. This book, written with Kumud Verma, tells the story of what a district administrator can achieve when he treats the job as public service rather than a post.

It describes initiatives from his time in Banda, including a startup and innovation summit, a large voter-awareness campaign, prison reform, a campaign to save village ponds during summer water shortages, efforts against malnutrition, and the development of Kalinjar as a tourist destination.

The central message is in the subtitle: through cooperation comes good governance, and through good governance comes prosperity. The authors write about foresight, teamwork, dedication and craftsmanship in administration, and argue that district officials who take their duties seriously can bring essential facilities to every village.

Part administrative memoir and part motivation for those in public life, the book is meant to be readable by ordinary citizens as well as by civil service aspirants and serving officers.