Hyderabad: Can a restaurateur be the minister for marketing? You bet he can. And Harish Rao is not only that, he is Telangana’s minister for mines and geology, irrigation and legislative assembly as well. And the 42-year-old is doing a good job with all four portfolios.
With multiple portfolios to handle, constituency members to attend to and the constant negotiations with a not-very-friendly neighbour (Andhra government) on issues like power, water etc. it was a wonder that Harish could take some time out to chat with us at the Deccan Chronicle office.
The first thing we obviously ask is: Why did the foodie and restaurateur sell his stake in the popular Jubilee Hills restaurant? After all, we have hundreds of politicians who run successful businesses on the side. Harish laughs, “Two reasons. One, I didn’t have the time for it and, two, I knew we were going to form the government and I didn’t want to deal with issues and headlines like, ‘Someone came to Harish Rao’s eatery and got drunk,’ or ‘A brawl broke out at Harish Rao’s restaurant.’ If a private person faces such things, it does not make news, but when it comes to a politician, these make headlines.”
He may no longer own a restaurant, but Harish is still very much the foodie. “I like barbeques and fish.” Coastal Andhra fish?, we ask, and only get laughter in return.
He, however, confesses to getting zero “me time”. “The last 14 years were spent fighting for the Telan-gana state and now I am busy in the government. I have four portfolios to look after and work for 12-14 hours. There is never any time.”
Not surprisingly, his family is not very happy with his schedule. “Every day someone at home (his wife, son or daughter) is fighting with me for not giving them enough attention. Sometimes I am late for even their birthday parties. Previously, a bandh or an urgent work used to come up. Now I either have Assembly or need to meet the CM or have sudden programmes like flying out to meet political leaders like Uma Bharti, crop up.”
“We, politicians, have no personal lives. It does hurt. In fact, when I went to meet the Governor today, he asked me, ‘Harish Rao, what is your fitness routine, how long do you workout every day?’ When I told him I had no time, he spoke to me for half-an-hour about taking time out for oneself. He said, ‘You shouldn’t work non-stop. You must reserve Sundays for yourself and your family. You must have a personal life, family time, enjoy a few cultural activities too. Life is not all about just work!”
