C. G. Somiah
| C G Somiah | |
|---|---|
| Born |
11 March 1931 Kodagu, India |
| Died | 13 September 2010 (aged 79) Bangalore, India |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Alma mater |
Loyola College, University of Madras University of Oxford |
| Occupation | IAS Officer (1953–1996) |
| Spouse(s) | Indira Somiah |
C. G. Somiah was a former Comptroller and Auditor General of India who was known for his honesty and for his impeccable career record. He wrote a best-seller autobiography 'The honest always stand alone'. He had a long career as an IAS officer first in the state of Orissa and next in five central ministries (defense, finance, company affairs, planning and home affairs) of India.
Codanda G Somiah was born on 11 March 1931 as the son of a forest officer who belonged to a family of Kodavas from Madikeri in Kodagu. He obtained his honorary bachelor's degree in Science (Chemistry) from Loyola College, Madras University. He then served as a faculty member of that college briefly before he cleared the Indian Administrative Service examination and joined the service in 1953. He was then made part of the Orissa state cadre. He won the South India Junior Tennis Championship and the All Orissa Badminton Championship in 1956.
Somiah was first posted as assistant commissioner in Orissa. As Collector and Deputy Commissioner at Mayurbhanj in Orissa, Somiah was known for his brilliant sense of humour, his witty remarks and for not losing his cool.
In Orissa as State Forest Secretary, he took a principled stand against granting concessions to contractors of the Kendu leaf (a minor forest produce used for wrapping beedis) commodity. It was in 1967 when Maharaja R. N. Singh Deo was the Chief Minister of Orissa. He had wanted Somiah to grant relief to Kendu leaf contractors on grounds of a poor crop that year. But Somiah refused by stating that the contractors had made enormous profits the previous years. He did not agree to reduce or remit the lease-rent as demanded by Kendu leaf contractors as he found their plea of crop failure baseless. By doing so, Somiah had ignored the politically motivated suggestions by the ruling party and did what he thought was right. This vexed the C. M. who later made 'adverse remarks' in Somiah's performance assessment record. Somiah was later transferred to Cuttack where he was made Excise Commissioner. This resulted in having to wait for two years for his name to be cleared of the unnecessary blemish. The contractors had their way and Somiah's promotion was delayed. Somiah's successor complied with Deo and the contractors were given money grants. This blew up into a huge corruption case and Deo's government was toppled. Somiah fought against the 'adverse remarks' made by the 'vengeful' C.M. With the change of guard a commission was appointed to enquire into the Kendu leaf 'scandal' and its report vindicated his position. The Justice Mitter Commission, appointed by the later Congress government, indicted the previous government in granting 'unwarranted and mala fide' relief. He had to thus resist political pressure and risk an adverse entry in his confidential report. Thus his struggle against the politician-contractor nexus on tendu leaves ended with him partly winning.
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