A chemicals secretary with poor marks in chemistry!

An Indian bureaucrat on Thursday regaled an audience here by revealing how he ended up heading the department of chemicals and petrochemicals despite faring badly in chemistry in school.

Surjit Kumar Chaudhary, secretary in the department of chemicals and petrochemicals, told an international meet here that he did not enjoy good chemistry with chemistry subject during school days.

"I used to fail in that subject. Once I decided to take some other discipline without chemistry, then I became a bright student," Chaudhary said.

But life took a different twist.

After serving in different places and departments, he was made the secretary in the department of chemicals and petrochemicals.

"My son used to joke about the fate of the chemicals and petrochemicals sector in the country (headed by) a person who had failed in chemistry," the official revealed amid laughter.

But he quickly added that he understood the subject better now and that the sector had nothing to worry.

With speakers referring to the rains and floods in Chennai, Chaudhary said the waters would recede on their own in two days.

Recalling his days as the commissioner of Chennai Corporation years ago, Chaudhary said it was common sense to clean storm water drains before the monsoon but it wasn't done in Chennai.

He said he used to send all the conservancy workers to clear the storm water drains.

He said people would naturally think that the commissioner of Chennai Corporation must be working very hard.

"But I (used to) be working out at the Taj Coromandel gym," the officer added, triggering another round of laughter.