{
  "id": 9100150,
  "title": "From Calicut’s rain to ‘God’s Own Country’: Keralam’s former Chief Secretary K. Jayakumar looks back on a life of service",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/22/from-calicuts-rain-to-gods-own-country-keralams-former-chief",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-22T06:32:25.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Indian Express",
    "slug": "the-indian-express",
    "url": "https://indianexpress.com/article/upsc-current-affairs/upsc-essentials/k-jayakumar-former-chief-secretary-kerala-tourism-civil-services-10888457/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "K. Jayakumar, former Chief Secretary of Kerala, reflects on a life of service in a special interview marking the 3rd anniversary of UPSC Essentials magazine. His journey began in 1980 as a Sub-Collector in Calicut (Kozhikode), where he experienced the rain and the importance of serving the people. Jayakumar emphasizes that public service is about values, not power, status, or authority. He discusses the changing role of the civil services, driven by liberalization and privatization, and the need for civil servants to adapt their skills and attitudes. While social media offers opportunities, Jayakumar cautions that civil servants must use it responsibly, within their institutional framework and without personal glorification.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [
    "K. Jayakumar served as Chief Secretary of Kerala since 1980.",
    "Began career as Sub-Collector in Calicut in 1980.",
    "Emphasizes values-driven public service over power/status."
  ],
  "editors_take": "Jayakumar's reflections highlight a lifetime of prioritizing public service values over personal gain, amid shifting civil service roles and the imperative of responsible social media use.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}