In today's post, I am happy to profile Kishore Pariyar, a plain language hero. He has practised and advocated plain language in his roles at the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and at top positions within the government as well as at international organizations such as the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). This is no small achievement, given the entrenched ways of writing in bureaucratic and banking circles.
I present an edited email interview with Pariyar, who currently lives in Siliguri after retiring from government service. What does plain language mean to you?
Plain language means writing in a simple and clear way. Laypersons are able to understand it easily without professional help.
Sometimes sentences are written in a complex way to avoid legal risks. Because of this, people may not understand the real meaning. They may even need to pay professionals for help. Plain language solves this problem. It uses short, clear, and easy sentences.
In a room full of people with different IQ levels and backgrounds, if even the person with the lowest level of understanding can grasp the message, then the communication has truly succeeded. To me, plain language is not about making ideas smaller. It is about making ideas reachable.
Since when have you been practising plain language? What motivated you to do so? And what, if any, were the benefits?
I have been practising plain language for many years, though I may not have formally called it so in the beginning. During my career in regulation and supervision, I discovered that many non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) and banks were not able to comply with RBI instructions, not because they did not want to comply, but because they failed to properly understand the circulars. The language was often technical, lengthy, and difficult to interpret. For fear of making mistakes, many institutions gave vague or incomplete replies.
I also noticed that even many junior colleagues within the system were struggling to understand the language and process cases correctly. This made me realise that complexity in communication was itself becoming a barrier to effective regulation and compliance.
One incident particularly influenced me. A large number of compliances in a bank had remained pending for months, some even for more than six months. I called the compliance officers from different divisions of the bank and explained in simple language what exactly was required. The results were remarkable. Most of the pending compliances were completed within two weeks.
After that, I also started “train the trainer” sessions so that understanding would not remain limited to a few individuals. The idea was to create institutional memory so that compliance culture could continue smoothly in the future as well. This experience convinced me that plain language is not merely about simplification. It improves understanding, reduces fear, strengthens compliance, and builds confidence.
Do you think plain language is only for the layperson? Please elaborate on your answer.
No, not at all. Even highly educated people such as doctors, engineers, business persons, and professors often struggle to understand complicated legal language. They may know English very well, but when it comes to interpreting legal documents, agreements, insurance policies, or loan papers, many still seek professional help. In fact, lawyers sometimes differ in interpreting the same law or document. This shows that the problem is not education alone. The real problem is the complexity of the language used.
Plain language helps everyone. It makes communication clear, reduces confusion, and lowers the chance of misunderstanding. A document should communicate its meaning directly, instead of forcing people to depend on experts to understand what is written.
You have worked with the RBI, the government, and with international agencies. How would you rate their openness to plain language?
In my experience, RBI circulars and regulatory documents are often difficult to understand, even for many employees, bankers, and officials of NBFCs. The language is usually technical, lengthy, and written with great caution to avoid legal and regulatory risks. Because of this, many regulated entities sometimes fail to understand the exact requirement and may not be able to comply.
The situation is similar with many international agencies. In fact, they are often even more conservative in their drafting style. They try to protect themselves from legal, reputational, and policy risks. As a result, the language becomes highly formal and complex. However, I feel that awareness is now growing about the importance of plain language. Regulators and institutions are slowly realising that communication becomes more effective when people can clearly understand what is expected from them.
Why do citizens need to know what the RBI does? What does its balance sheet hold for citizens?
Most people think RBI is only for bankers or economists. But RBI affects the daily life of every citizen.
When prices rise too fast, RBI tries to control inflation (see my explanatory article here). When you take a home loan, vehicle loan, or fixed deposit, RBI policies affect the interest rate. When you use Unified Payments Interface (UPI) and money reaches instantly, RBI is working silently in the background. When a bank faces trouble and people still trust the banking system, that confidence comes largely because RBI supervises banks.
You only notice the electricity supply when it’s missing. Similarly, most people notice RBI only when there is inflation, banking stress, cash shortage, or payment failure.
Citizens should get to know the RBI because RBI protects the value of money, stability of banks, and trust in the financial system.
RBI’s balance sheet is not just an accounting statement (see my explanatory article here). It reflects the financial strength of the country’s central bank. It contains information on assets such as gold, foreign exchange reserves, and government securities. These act like safety cushions for the country. During difficult times like COVID, global crisis, or sudden financial panic, these assets help RBI support banks, manage liquidity, and maintain confidence in the economy.
Like a family feels secure when savings are available during bad times, similarly, the country feels secure when RBI has strong reserves and a strong balance sheet. In short, RBI’s balance sheet assures people that:
- currency will remain trusted,
- banks will remain stable,
- digital payments will continue smoothly,
- and the economy can handle shocks.
What are your personal interests and passions?
My personal interests revolve around learning, communication, and helping people grow. I am also passionate about emotional intelligence, mentoring, and public speaking, as they help people understand themselves and connect better with others.
I enjoy reading extensively and try to finish four books every month, though I must honestly admit I succeed only sometimes. I also enjoy writing books and articles, especially on finance, leadership, mindfulness, and human behaviour.
Apart from this, music is very close to my heart. I enjoy playing musical instruments and often sing to myself. It helps me relax, reflect, and stay emotionally balanced.
