Raj Nivas did not have a conference hall. Its parking space was the makeshift auditorium. All newly elected members of the recently held assembly elections were invited to the oath ceremony. They had not formed the Government yet. The officers I met earlier in the day, were present besides the special invitees the Secretariat had invited. A few of my family members and close friends came. Media was present in significant numbers. I was informed that there was no speech ritual at the oath ceremony.

Nevertheless, I told my Secretary that the inaugural ceremony would be an appropriate occasion to give people and the administration a strategic shared vision of responsive governance. It will provide us with collective vigour in fulfilling our mission ‘Prosperous Puducherry’. I went ahead and gave the administration my ‘TEA’ Mantra.

A DRAMATIC TURN

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After the oath, I was again adorned in multi-coloured stoles as part of the culture. It was overwhelming. Puducherry got a full-time Lieutenant Governor after a lapse of two years. The oath-taking ceremony took a dramatic turn when one of the elected representatives, Ms. Vijayavani, bent to touch my feet after presenting the stole. I instantly returned her gesture by bowing to touch her feet as an act of mutual reverence. This action left the visitors astounded. The media reported this in bold headlines the next day.

This incident went viral on social media and local channels. The following day newspapers carried the ‘TEA’ mantra and the mission statement of ‘Prosperous Puducherry.’ I achieved the objective of giving the administration and the people of Puducherry a disposition with a higher purpose from day one of assuming responsibility. A mission statement was necessary to unite and bring an emotional bonding for a higher purpose.

For me, this was the prelude to an odyssey ahead.