Voice of Experience
Ashok Bhan
A ROAD WELL TRAVELLED: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY by R.K. Raghavan Westland Publications, 2020, 250 pp., 380.00
March 2021, volume 45, No 3

This autobiography is the journey of a distinguished Police Officer RK Raghavan, who handled events/cases impacting recent political history of the country. He frequently hit the media headlines, from the tragic assassination at Sriperumbudur of a former Prime Minister in his protection in 1991 to exonerating the future Prime Minister in 2012, while heading a SC monitored investigation. Raghavan headed the CBI, India’s top investigation agency and his official career ended on a high note as India’s High Commissioner to Cyprus.

Readers looking for fireworks and juicy inside stories from the corridors of power, given his access to information and reach to the high and mighty, may be disappointed. But true to Raghavan’s personality and standards of propriety and humility, this book is a reflection of his consciousness rather than a narrative of his reach and valour. While providing a rich flavour of his experiences, he steers clear of sensationalism and gossip, treading a sensitive path cautiously, respecting official propriety and privacy. He avoids controversy, except for mildly chiding a few colleagues, here and there, for their unhelpful attitude or an occasional hint for his liking for some political leaders and dislike for a few others. The reader should respect his honesty and penchant for propriety.

Continue reading this review