Maalik. Owner, master. The Rekhta dictionary also gives “a title addressed to sovereigns, princes, prime-ministers.”
Anndaataa. The giver of grain. Rekhta translates it as “food-giver, benefactor, supporter, master” and as a “way of addressing a rich or powerful person.”
Sarkaar sarkaar karnaa. To keep saying sarkaar, master. Rekhta defines it in Hindi as flattering too much, saying haan ji, haan ji and following someone around.
Book 5 of the Arthashastra, the ancient treatise on statecraft attributed to Kautilya, has a chapter titled “The Conduct of a Courtier.” It advises: “When asked, he should tell the king what is both good and pleasing, but not what is bad, though pleasing.”
An unwelcome truth has its own channel: “if the king is pleased to listen, he may secretly tell what, though unpleasant, is good.” The chapter adds: “Absence of contradiction from the king will render his position secure.” The translation is by R. Shamasastry.
On October 31, 2013, the Supreme Court decided T.S.R. Subramanian v. Union of India. It held that civil servants “cannot function on the basis of verbal or oral instructions, orders, suggestions, proposals, etc.” Oral directions had to be recorded in writing.
The court added: “If the civil servant is acting on oral directions or dictation of anybody, he will be taking a risk.” The lead petitioner, the former Cabinet Secretary T.S.R. Subramanian, said: “Public servants are not private servants.”
In Yes Boss (1997), directed by Aziz Mirza, Shah Rukh Khan plays Rahul Joshi, an ambitious employee of an advertising agency. His boss, Siddharth, has affairs, and “Rahul earns overtime money in keeping the affairs a secret.”
Then Siddharth wants Seema, a woman Rahul has feelings for. “Siddharth asks Rahul to help him trap Seema too.” In Wikipedia’s words: “Helpless, Rahul does so.”
On August 7, 2020, Air India Express Flight 1344 skidded off the end of the tabletop runway at Kozhikode. The crew had aborted two earlier landing attempts because of heavy rain and tailwind. Both pilots and 19 passengers died. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau published its final report in September 2021. It found that the first officer “did not offer the required corrective inputs and displayed a meek and unassertive demeanour.”
The report pointed to “the prevailing cockpit gradient in Air India Express leading to poor Crew Resource Management.” It also described “The stiff and closed work environment, where hierarchy and seniority work to the detriment of the airline.”
Jii huzuur. Yes, sir. The Rekhta dictionary describes it as a reply of agreement, said out of respect or as flattery.
Hukm aankhon par. The order is on my eyes. In Rekhta’s Hindi gloss, the order is accepted from the heart, with great pleasure.
Hukm-bardaar. One who carries out orders. Rekhta translates it as obedient.
Kurippu arindhu kaalam karudhi verupila vendupa vetpach chollal. Read the signs, consider the moment, and say what is needed in a way that does not displease. This is couplet 696 of the Thirukkural, the classical Tamil book of ethics, in its chapter on conduct in the presence of kings. One English version reads: “Knowing the signs, waiting for fitting time, with courteous care, / Things not displeasing, needful things, declare.”
Agalaadhu anugaadhu theekkaaivaar polga igalvendharch chernthozhugu vaar. Those who live close to kings should be like people warming themselves at a fire, neither too far nor too near. This is couplet 691 of the Thirukkural, the first in its chapter on conduct in the presence of kings.
“Respected Sir, I am writing this email to humbly request you to please do the needful regarding the same.” TalkDrill, an Indian company that teaches workplace English, uses this sentence as its example of an email to fix. Its corrected version opens with the point: “I have attached the revised vendor contract for your review.”
Some sample leave applications for Indian schools open with “Respected Sir,” give the reason, and end with the request: “Kindly grant me leave for these two days.”