Hyderabad: In the storm-lashed spring of 1982, as Assam grappled with violent agitations and boycott calls over illegal immigration and flawed electoral rolls, democracy hung by a thread. It was then that M Gopalakrishna, a calm, resolute IAS officer of the 1962 batch, was called upon to do the impossible—conduct elections in a state that had stopped believing in the vote.Recalled as Home Commissioner under President’s Rule, MGK faced near-total non-cooperation, threats to officials, and a volatile public mood. With quiet discretion, he mobilised 400 IAS probationers and 500 officials from Bihar, completing polling against all odds. The election, later marred by the tragic Nellie massacre, drew criticism as a “sham,” but Gopalakrishna stood by the constitutional necessity of his mission, drawing strength from the Bhagavad Gita: “to perform one’s duty with excellence and detachment.“As history unfolded in Assam, a peaceful political storm was brewing in his home state during the same 1982. N T Rama Rao had launched a populist revolution in Andhra Pradesh, promising prosperity for farmers. When MGK returned to AP in 1983, NTR as chief minister handpicked him to head the Godavari Fertilisers project—a cornerstone in his rural vision.What followed was another quiet revolution. MGK’s leadership turned GFCL into a model of innovation and efficiency: from pioneering India’s first stainless steel tankers to launching farmer-friendly marketing and commissioning the DAP plant ahead of schedule. His promise to dedicate the first fertiliser bag at Tirumala was fulfilled, as was his mother’s vision—to serve farmers and feed a growing nation.From the chaos of Assam to the granaries of Andhra, Gopalakrishna’s journey was not of noise, but of nation-building. The foundation of democracy lies not just in clean electoral rolls, but in the trust and participation of the people. History reminds us — as in Assam 1982 — that when citizens feel unheard or excluded, the legitimacy of elections is questioned. The effort of officers like M Gopalkrishna showed that administrative will can restore order, but not without risks of alienating the public. His story reminds us what duty, done well and with integrity, can still mean.Today, in Bihar, while cleansing voter rolls is vital, it must not come at the cost of transparency, consultation, and fairness. Democracy is strongest when the system listens — not just acts.
