‘One Notch Better’ a book by Harmander Singh IAS, Additional Chief Secretary (retd.) (right extreme) was released by J. C. D. Prabhakar, Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly speaker at a function in Chennai on Friday. P. Jyothimani, Former Judge, (left extreme) Madras High Court received the first copy.
| Photo Credit: S.R. RAGHUNATHAN
Speaker J.C.D. Prabhakar said on Friday (November 13, 2026) that the beauty of the Constitution is that various administrative officers from other parts of the country contribute to the development of a particular State where they are posted. He said retired civil servant Harmander Singh is one of the many IAS officers from the northern parts of the country who served Tamil Nadu to the best of capabilities.
Mr. Prabhakar, launching the book One Notch Better written by Mr. Singh, a retired Additional Chief Secretary in Chennai, lauded the latter for having served in various capacities starting as a Sub-Collector of Dharapuram and assuming the role of Collector and serving as the head in several departments, including sericulture, transport, health, handlooms and textiles, and municipal administration and water supply (MAWS), “in an upright manner”.
Mr. Prabhakar said Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay, who had no hidden agenda and desired to provide clean governance to serve the people, wanted such administrative officers who had served with distinction to share their administrative knowledge to make the State even better.
Retired Madras High Court judge Justice P. Jyothimani said the book would be a guide to the future administrative officers as Mr. Singh had served in several departments during challenging times. He shared his experience of having worked with Mr. Singh, who had the passion for protecting the environment by implementing the court orders with regard to garbage segregation.
Former Minister S. Gokula Indira recalling her tenure as the Handlooms and Textiles Minister during which time Mr. Singh was the Secretary of the department thanked him for guiding her by taking right decisions including the decision to give contracts to local weavers for the free dhoti and saree scheme launched by former Chief Minister M.G. Ramachandran and continued by Jayalalithaa.
Mr. Singh said the book is not a memoir but the knowledge he gained through the 35 years of experience in various administrative capacities. When he came far away from his home in New Delhi and was posted in a far off place in Dharapuram, he never thought Tamil Nadu would become his home. “Despite having had a home in New Delhi when I started my career in the State, Chennai has become our home as my children have settled in the city,” he said.
Published – November 14, 2026 12:39 am IST
