1. The Gazetteers are monumental works of abiding valueThis is the first reoriented series being brought out since the attainment of Independence. The volumes have to delineate the many features of life of the people and the area they inhabit, tracing their evolution or development and have to present an integrated all-round picture in correct perspective. They are highly valued as standard reference works the world over. The Chief Editor is responsible for all that appears in the Gazetteers, and as such, has to bear the brunt of the task in order to see that the publications are of excellent standard from the points of view of accuracy, objectivity, reliability, comprehensiveness as well as presentation and that they are thorough in all their aspects.

2. This is thus a formidable task of immense complexity and magnitude, which demands a particular aptitude, versatile knowledge, skill, resourcefulness and maturity, and calls for initiatives, wide studies and constant personal attention and exertions on his part. He must possess an encyclopedic mind. He shall have encyclopedic approaches.

3. The Chief Editor has the rank, duties and responsibilities of a head of a minor department. Having regard to the nature and quantum of work attached to the post, the Government declared him as a minor Head of Department identical with the status of the Principal Information Officer to Government (who has since been redesignated as Director of Information and Publicity). He holds over-all charge of both technical and administrative functions.

4He has to plan the various stages of the work of volumes of several districts, supplements and of the State as a whole, keeping in view the physical and financial targets, watch and progress and regulate the pace of work for fulfilling the qualitative and quantitative needsThe different phases of the work of several districts, are to be attended to in an order of priorities. There are tight schedules of work throughout the yearBroad outlines of contents for the Gazetteers have been agreed upon at the national level, with scope for making such variations as may be considered necessary to meet the local or special needsThis has to be adhered to.

5. He has to assign, direct, guide and supervise the work of the Senior Editors, Editors and Investigators and the Office Superintendent on the one hand and feed, stagger and coordinate the work of the various sections of the staff on the other handHe has to collaborate with the editorial staff in all stages of the task.

6. Since the work involves a good deal of enquiries and studies about the past and the present of each district and of the State as a whole, extensive data collection has to be done from numerous sourcesThe background, contemporary conditions and needs of the different districts are not uniform, but varyBesides the proformae, which have to be also improved from time to time in the light of experience, a large number of specific letters have to be addressed to Governmental, semi-governmental and non-governmental agencies, institutions, concerns, individuals, etc., with suitable questions. In cases of failures on the part of the subordinate Government and semi-government offices to respond adequately and within reasonable time, the higher authorities have to be moved for satisfactory supply of needed particulars without delayIn the cases of others, persuasive requests have to be made 7. He tours in a district for about a month to obtain first-hand configuration of the district during which he has to visit offices, institutions, monuments, libraries, museums, places of interest, etc., and discuss various matters with officers and knowledgeable individuals. At the State headquarters and also elsewhere when necessary, he has to hold consultations with higher officers and knowledgeable persons who have a special knowledge of particular aspects.

8. He has to attend the more important seminars, symposia, conferences, University Departments and other institutions through correspondences and personal visits for securing their help whenever needed.

9. A regular newspapers and magazines-clipping service has to be caused to be maintained, with personal attention, to keep ourselves abreast of developments taking place in various fields in the different districts and in all-Karnataka for our back-ground information and for getting clues for pursuing enquiries.

10. He has to be on a look-out to know what reports are being prepared and what studies are being made by Governmental and non-governmental agencies, institutions and individuals and what was published and is being published in various spheres. He has to arrange to purchase, borrow or obtain free copies of books, booklets, brochures, souvenirs, periodicals and so forth and built up a repository of reference-sources and materials.

11. About other districts and all-Karnataka also, background information, facts and figures on the many subjects have to be gathered from numerous sources , and notes have to be made thereon in advance as far as possible so that the work of the later stages will be facilitated.

12. Meticulous briefings are to be given to the editorial staff and investigators about what to look for, how to seek and where to search for materials and whom to approach and what to ask for, and intensive and comprehensive enquiries have to be caused to be made from many and scattered sources.

13. The legions of materials gathered are to be closely scrutinized under his guidance, on the anvil of background knowledge, comparability, norms, probability and the like and wherever necessary, rechecking, verifications, elucidations, amplifications, and supplementary particulars are to be asked for.

14. Then the data are to be shifted and assimilated and drafts of chapters are to be compiled by respective Editors under his supervision.

15. He does over-all editing of all the chapters, appendices, addenda, corrigenda, index, etc., by revising, amending, adding, modifying, expanding, condensing, re-arranging, et al, by examining minutely from the points of view of adequacy, thoroughness, moderation, objectivity, propriety, significance, implications, proportions, precision, coherence, sequence and internal co-ordination and consistency between chapters and after rechecking and verifications of doubtful points and figures, reconciliation of conflicting data and finding the missing linksAlso particular attention is to be paid to accuracies, lucidity, nuances and refinement of expressions, compactness and elegance of presentation, and crispness of marginal headings and captionsThe nature of editing is such that he has to be stickler for thoroughness and fastidious with himself and his assistants and capable of taking infinite pains. Partly or wholly, where ever necessary, he writes or rewrites the chapters.

16Since these unique volumes need to be made thorough in every respect by doing fullest justice to the task, difficulties, hurdles and problems arise in every stage. The work calls for searching and researching with patient and laborious endeavorsWe have to dive into the past in order to be able to give a chronological and coherent picture of development of many features. The gaps have to be bridged.

17. Special efforts have to be made to present a complete local history including archaeology (as distinguished from provincial and national histories) and local manifestations of all-Karnataka and all-India events, after studying also the original sourcesBesides political history, social, cultural and economic life should receive adequate attention. Numerous historical matters bristle with controversies which have to be handled with skillfulness and prudence, without raising hornets’ nests.

18. There are many sensitive subject-areas such as customs and traditions, rituals and beliefs of castes, communities and tribes, their social structure, popular movements, public life, agrarian and trade union agitations, linguistic matters, movements of population, old and new religious sects and leaders, authors and artists, social service and cultural organisations, economic and professional groups and classes, social, evils and reforms, law and order events, et alTheir treatment calls for abundant caution and circumspection of a high order, especially since these are Government publications in which there should not be even unwrittingly, any semblance of distractions or mis-representations.

19. Batches of draft chapters are sent to the Members of the State Gazetteer Advisory Committee, which is headed by the Chief Secretary to Government and consists of distinguished man of learning, experience and versatile interests and to the Central Gazetteer unit, , inviting their suggestionsPeriodical meetings of the Advisory Committee are convened for considering the chapters and reviewing the progress of workHe answers the queries of the Members and explains matters to themHe holds consultations with them also personally and through correspondence wherever needed. The suggestions of the Members of the Committee and the Central Gazetteer Unit are carried out to the utmost feasible extent. The chapters are then finalised and sent to the press for printing.

20. A number of suitable pictures of different aspects are selected and obtained from various sources for illustrations in the volumes. Guidance is given for drawing of maps and graphs by relevant departments according to our requirementsAn appropriate preface is written for each Gazetteer.

21. It has to be seen that, with mutual cooperation with the printing press, rigorous proof-examinations are done and the printing work is executed with high quality and attractive get-up in the shortest possible timeThe volume is released at the district headquarters at a press meet.

22. The Gazetteers of other States received on mutual exchange-basis are scanned through to see how ours compare with their and whether there is any need to modify our lines of treatment in any particular aspect with a view to improvement.

23. Assistance is rendered to scholars, officers, research workers and others who approach us for obtaining background knowledge, data and guidance about various features.

24. In the course of our work, certain things may come to our notice, which may call for action by other State and Central Government agencies such as the State Department of Archaeology and Museums, Archaeological Survey of India, Directorate of State Archives, Directorate of Tourism, University Departments, etc. Their attention is invited to such matters with our suggestions.

25. The progress of sale of copies, which is entrusted to the State Directorate of Printing, Stationery and Publications (to which the sale-proceeds are credited) and to the Sales Depot of the Union Ministry of Education, New Delhi, has to be watched and various steps have to be taken to promote the sale of copies and also wider use of the volumes.

26. The members of the staff (except only class IV employees) are recruited mostly on deputation basis, this being a temporary unitBecause of the temporary nature of the posts and the special and highly exacting character of their duties, it has been very hard to obtain suitable willing and experienced persons of caliber and to retain their services in respect of the posts of Editors and InvestigatorsThe head of the scheme has to train them very patiently and painstakingly.

27. He has to see that there is discipline, rectitude, punctuality, diligence, mutual cooperation and harmonious working among all the members of the staff, who are drawn from different sources on a deputation basis, by setting examples himself in all these respects.

28. About the progress of work, he is answerable to the Chief Secretary to Government, the Secretary to Government, Education and Youth Services Department (through whom the funds are obtained), the Secretary to Government, Planning Department (since this is a Plan Scheme) and the Central Editor of Gazetteers, New Delhi (this being a Centrally aided scheme), to all of whom quarterly progress reports have to be sent according to their respective performsThe State Gazetteer Advisory Committee also reviews the progress of work periodicallyThe Accountant General does performance review.

29. He works under the Control and supervision of the Chief Secretary to GovernmentHe is responsible for proper utilisation and accounting of funds and equipments and systematic, smooth and successful execution of this stupendous task of preparation and publication of the series of the Gazetteer volumes, with high quality and speed.