
HYDERABAD: He was special chief secretary to the Government of Telangana and played an important role in facilitating many world-class industrial clusters such as the Genome Valley, Financial District, Mindspace, Knowledge City, and Sri City. Essentially, BP Acharya was a true bureaucrat for over 40 years — but throughout this journey, he made humorous black and white cartoons about the Indian bureaucracy. Now, a book of these cartoons, titled Obtuse Angle, will be released by journalist Dinesh Sharma at the Hyderabad Literary Festival 2025. BP Acharya candidly converses with CE about his book, journey, and more.
Tell us about your book Obtuse Angle, which is a mix of cartoons and your writings. What is the story behind this name?
As human beings, we tend to see things from an acute angle, where there is only one way to see and understand things. So, an obtuse angle implies that there is always a different way of looking at things around us — through my cartoons, I look for a funny and humorous side to the rigmarole of bureaucracy.
You see, we weren’t encouraged to criticise the government or policies, so I decided to look inward, at the bureaucracy. Over 40 years, I made around 1,000 cartoons, out of which around 200 have been included in this book.
Actually, in 2017, Amita Desai, who is the founder-director of Goethe-Zentrum Hyderabad, suggested that I exhibit a couple of my cartoons at GZ, which I did. During the exhibition, someone asked me, ‘Why don’t you come up with a book of your cartoons?’ For the next seven years, this idea was on the back burner.
Then suddenly, in early December 2024, I happened to meet Dr Atanu Deb, an artist and cartoonist. I showed him my cartoons and he offered to publish a book of them. And just like that, in the span of one month, we compiled and published Obtuse Angle!
How do you feel about Obtuse Angle being released at HLF?
It’s a mix of emotions…gratified, overwhelmed, and nervous, all at the same time! I say this many times — I am just an instrument of God. This idea was on the back burner for seven years but has materialised beautifully now, all due to God’s grace.
Take us through your bureaucrat and cartoonist journey.
During the Bangladesh War in 1971, I was around 11 years old. Newspapers were filled with cartoons about this, and it really piqued my interest. I would copy cartoons from Hindustan Standard and Amrita Bazar Patrika. I was very inspired by cartoonists such as RK Laxman, Mario Miranda, and PKS Kutty. In my teenage years, I started making my own cartoons. This creativity only peaked when I was studying at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU).
But the plan was never to be a cartoonist. In those days, parents advised children that it was best to have job security. So, I cleared the UPSC exam in the first attempt and joined the IAS in 1983. Even while at Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA), I would put up my cartoons on the wall journal. At that point, there were several stringent rules that were being introduced at the academy; for instance, it was compulsory to wear a tie. So, I made a cartoon showing Lal Bahadur Shastri being restricted from entering LBSNAA for not wearing a tie — this became a huge hit among everyone.
Of course, bureaucratic life meant that there was not too much time to indulge in my cartoon passion. But I still continued, and these were published in the IAS Officers’ Bulletin. The heading for it? Obtuse Angle!
Do you think that cartoons and art have the power to bring about changes in policy?
Well, public opinion matters — a policy maker who is sensitive will notice it somewhere. Politicians cannot be impervious to public opinion. Cartoons and art ignite a thought, which can ultimately lead to a series of discussions and perhaps, change.
As a bureaucrat and cartoonist, what have you learned about life?
As a bureaucrat, a core value has been empathy. The more you help people around you, the more you feel gratified and are living your purpose. A cartoon is a creative medium which promotes this empathy. I feel like if you don’t have creativity within you, you can’t be of help to others. Let’s say that someone comes to you with a problem — if you are creative, you will think of an out-of-the-box solution!
What are the gaps in the Indian bureaucracy now?
You see, bureaucracy is all about service. However, in the recent past, it has become more about self-service. I come back to empathy again; if you join the civil services to win a rat race for fame and money, this isn’t the job for you. You may be the most talented and educated individual, but service without empathy is like sambar without salt! You can have all the ingredients but that gravy will taste absolutely bland, won’t it?
What are the upcoming cartoon treats for your readers?
Well, first thing first, Obtuse Angle will be released at HLF on January 24! And, I will reveal that Obtuse Angle 2.0 — which will comprise cartoons in colour — is in the offing too, though I cannot say when. I also have the ambition of publishing a book of my poems someday but need to pen more for that. (laughs)