Doval joined the Indian Police Service in 1968 in the Kerala cadre. He was actively involved in anti-insurgency operations in Mizoram and Punjab. Doval was one of three negotiators who negotiated the release of passengers from IC-814 in Kandahar in 1999. Uniquely, he has the experience of being involved in the termination of all 15 hijackings of Indian Airlines aircraft from 1971–1999. In the headquarters, he headed IB’s operations wing for over a decade and was founder Chairman of the Multi Agency Centre (MAC), as well as of the Joint Task Force on Intelligence (JTFI).
During the Mizo National Front (MNF) insurgency, Doval won over six of Laldenga’s seven commanders. He spent long periods of time incognito with the Mizo National Army in the Arakan in Burma and inside Chinese territory. From Mizoram, Doval went to Sikkim where he played an important role during the merger of the state with India.
He was trained under M. K. Narayanan, the 3rd National Security Advisor of India for a brief period in counterterrorism operations.
In Punjab he was behind the rescue of Romanian diplomat Liviu Radu. He was inside the Golden Temple in Amritsar in 1988 before Operation Black Thunder to collect critical information.
On 30 May 2014, Doval was appointed as India’s fifth National Security Advisor. In June 2014, Doval played a crucial role in ensuring the secure return of 46 Indian nurses who were trapped in a hospital in Tikrit, Iraq.
He is widely credited for the doctrinal shift in Indian national security policy in relation to Pakistan. Switching from ‘Defensive’ to ‘Defensive Offensive’ as well as the ‘Double Squeeze Strategy.’ It was speculated that the September 2016 Indian surgical strikes in Pakistan were his brainchild.
K Vijay Kumar IPS became a household name in 2004 when the Special Task Force led by him killed the dreaded brigand Veerappan in a carefully planned operation. Vijay Kumar has retired from the IPS since then and is currently an Advisor to the Governor of Jammu & Kashmir.
Here are some interesting facts about one of the most sought-after officers in India.
K Vijay Kumar is the author of the book ‘Veerappan, Chasing the Brigand’.
Sanjukta Parashar is an IPS officer from the 2006 batch. She completed her graduation in Political Science from the Indraprastha College for Women in New Delhi and later went to the Jawaharlal Nehru University for her Masters, M. Phil and PhD in International Relations. She secured all India rank 85 in her UPSC examination.
A rare woman IPS officer from Assam, Sanjukta Parashar is one tough cop. Known as the Iron Lady of Assam, this officer has taken down 16 Bodo militants and arrested over five dozen insurgents in just 15 months while leading the counter-insurgency movement in Assam’s treacherous terrains.
In 2017, Sanjukta was in news for heading the National Investigation Agency (NIA) investigation into the March 7 blast in the Bhopal-Ujjain passenger train that lead to ten people getting injured. She was also awarded by the Delhi Commission for Woman (DCW) for her immense contribution in the field of woman empowerment.
Kiran Bedi is a retired Indian Police Service officer and social activist who is the current Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry. She is the first woman to join the Indian Police Service (IPS) in 1972. She remained in service for 35 years before taking voluntary retirement in 2007 as Director General, Bureau of Police Research and Development.
One of the most remarkable work came when she was posted to the Delhi Prisons as Inspector General (IG). She introduced several reforms at Tihar Jail, which gained worldwide acclaim and won her the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 1994.
Meanwhile, in 2003, Bedi became the first Indian woman to be appointed as a Police Advisor to Secretary-General of the United Nations, in the Department of Peace Keeping Operations. She resigned in 2007, to focus on social activism and writing. She has written several books and runs the India Vision Foundation.
Currently She is serving as LG of Union Territory of Puducherry.
Shivdeep Waman Lande is an IPS Officer of 2006 Batch. Earlier, he served as the S.P. in Araria, Purnia and Munger districts of Bihar. He also served as the S.P. of Patna (Central Region), where he was quite popular. He arrested many criminals, ranging from fake cosmetic sellers to medicine mafia. Lande became a hero among young girls of the cities, as he took strict action against eve-teasers. As per reports, he donates 60% of his salary to a social organization which arranges marriage for poor girls and hostels for poor students. He took strict action against eve-teasers and became a hero among young girls of the cities.
In just 10 months as an SP, he not only curbed medicine mafia, illegal wine shops but also imposed strict traffic laws and won the hearts of many with his devotion and selfless service.
D Roopa Moudgil is the first lady Kannadiga IPS officer currently working as Inspector General of Police in Bengaluru. She got All-India rank 43 in UPSC in the year 2000 and opted for IPS.
As DIG Prisons in July 2017 she exposed corruption in Bengaluru prison and special privileges given to AIADMK leader Sasikala in Bengaluru prison. Independent inquiry committee, that inquired into it further vindicated her stand.
A case has been registered in Anti-Corruption Bureau(ACB) based on her report. She is the recipient of the prestigious “President’s Police Medal for Meritorious Service”. She was selected by Israel Foreign Ministry to be part of “Discover Israel delegation” to promote ties between the two countries. Her TEDx speech “Why Bureaucrats Hesitate To Act” has a record views.
M. Mahendar Reddy (3 December 1962) is an Indian police service officer (1986-batch) and who is the current Director general of police Head of Police Force (HOPF) of Telangana. He previously served as the first Police commissioner of Hyderabad after the formation of Telangana.
After becoming Police Commissioner, Mahender Reddy had focused on installing surveillance cameras covering every nook and corner of the city. Footage from these cameras has on multiple occasions enabled the City police in cracking several cases within no time.
The concepts of SHE Teams and Bharosa Centre too were introduced during his stint.
Julio Francis Ribeiro is a retired Indian police officer and civil servant. He held increasingly responsible positions during his career, and led the Punjab Police during part of the Punjab insurgency periods. In 1987, he was awarded the Padma Bhushan, India’s third highest civilian award for his services. Since retirement, he has served on corporate boards of directors and performed social work.
11. Vinod Kumar Chaubey
Vinod Kumar Chaubey was an
While serving in Chhattisgarh, Vinod Kumar Chaubey led his team to attack the Naxals after they had killed two police officers from his team. His team was being ferociously ambushed with bullets and grenades; he moved towards the Naxalites in the trenches hardly 10 meters away and fired, finally succeeded to push them back. His fate of life ends here and he ultimately succumbed to death but in this encounter with Naxalites, he not only saved the lives of his fellow policemen but also a bus full of civilians who were stranded in the middle of the bloodshed.
12. Mohan Chand Sharma
Mohan Chand Sharma was one of the most decorated officers of
M. C. Sharma who led his team to the Batla House encounter at Jamia Nagar, New Delhi where terrorists linked with the 2008 Delhi blasts were suspected of hiding. During the encounter, Sharma received bullets to his abdomen, thighs and right arm and died due to excessive bleeding but the encounter was successful and set an example of police bravery. His bravery was honoured with the Ashok Chakra in 2009.
The terrorists armed with AK-47 and grenades were firing recklessly, but Karkare jumped into action wearing just a helmet and a bulletproof vest to take on Kasab and company. He died after being shot three bullets on his chest but his bravery was honoured with the Ashoka Chakra on 26 January 2009.
Ubagarampillai Sagayam commonly known as U. Sagayam is a civil servant in the state of Tamil Nadu in southern India. U. Sagayam is a son of a farmer from Perunchunai village, Pudukkottai, Tamil Nadu known for his amazing efforts to crack down the corruption and illegal activities in the state.
14. Ashok Kamte
At the time of 26/11 Mumbai attack; Ashok Kamte was the
Kamte along with other brave officers like Vijay Salaskar and Hemant Karkare were killed on the very same night of 26/11. Kamte’s bravery was honoured with the Ashoka Chakra on 26 January 2009.
15. Vijay Salaskar
Vijay Salaskar was considered as one of the most dreaded encounter specialists of the Mumbai police. On the night of 26/11 Mumbai attack, Salaskar was with Kamte and Karkare when they launched the counter action on the terrorists on 26/11 but Salaskar was too fell victim to the attack.
His bravery and patriotism have remained an inspiration for the youth and the people the country who are willing to die for their country. He was also honoured with the Ashoka Chakra on 26 January 2009.
16. K. Prasad Babu
Leela Venkat Srihari Naga Varaprasad Babu was an Indian Police Officer belonging to the
On 16 April 2013, a group of 70 Maoists trapped the Greyhounds unit and bombed it. Prasad Babu led the retaliating team policemen and played a key role in killing nine top-ranked Maoist attackers and injuring others in two encounters.
The police were being evacuated back by helicopters from the spot of attack when about hundred Maoists started attacking the helicopter. The helicopter had already executed 5 sorties and only 19 of the police personnel were left to be evacuated but 14 of them boarded the helicopter while 5 of them including Babu stayed and provided cover.
17. Ashok Khemka
Ashok Khemka is another IAS officer made famous due to their proactive approach to take upon corruption. Originally from Kolkata, Mr Khemka is an IITian who joined the Haryana cadre as an IAS officer in 1991. He is most popularly known for exposing the irregularities in the land deal worth Rs 57 crore between the real estate giant DLF group and Sonia Gandhi’s son in law, Robert Vadra. Prior to this, he had also unearthed a scam in Haryana Seed Development Corporation, where the corporation was being sold seeds at inflated prices. As a reward for his good work, Mr Khemka has been awarded 45 transfers in his 23 years of service. Recently, two chargesheets have also been filed against him for failing his responsibilities as the Haryana Seed Development Corporation.
18. Durga Shakti Nagpal
Well, if you thought India only produced Dabangg male civil servants, then Ms Nagpal is here to prove your wrong. Durga Shakti Nagpal began her career as an IAS officer with Punjab cadre in June 2011. Keeping in line with her first name which epitomizes female power in Hindu mythology; Durga Shakti Nagpal has been phenomenal in serving the country by exposing the corruption. During her stint as an IAS officer in Punjab, she exposed a land scam in Mohali.
In August 2012, she was moved to Uttar Pradesh cadre, where she was appointed as the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) in Gautam Budh Nagar. It was here that she acted against the ‘sand-mafia’ in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh. She formed special investigation teams to track and expose illegal sand mining on Yamuna and Hindon river banks. During this operation, under her watch, the administration managed to confiscate 24 dumper trucks and 300 trolleys; to top this, 15 people were also arrested. Like all honest IAS officers, she was also rewarded for her good work with suspension.
One of the biggest strengths of India is its diversity and this also stands true when it comes to IAS officers and civil servants, as proven by Mr Armstrong Pame. Mr Pame is the first IAS officer from Zeme Tribe of the Naga Peoples. Originally from Tamenglong district of Manipur, Armstrong Pame is known as the ‘Miracle Man’ who build a 100 km long road famously known as the “Peoples’ Road” connecting Manipur to Nagaland and Assam. The toughest part about his achievement is that he built the “Peoples’ Road” without any financial help from the government. The road was built with help of funds offered by general public and through the money raised through social media. He also went ahead and contributed his own salary for this cause. He is a true hero and an embodiment of quote ‘where there is will, there is way’.
20. B.Chandrakala
Coming back to the female fire-power in Indian bureaucracy; B.Chandrakala is a name we cannot miss. Native of Andhra Pradesh; Ms Chandrakala became an IAS officer in 2008 under the Uttar Pradesh Cadre. Popularly known as the feisty District Magistrate of Bulandhshahar, she is popular among the people for taking a tough stand against corruption and irregularities in the government functioning.
She is known to publicly expose other government officers and politicians using their authority for their personal good and not fulfilling their job duties. Her Facebook video of taking upon civic contractor for using poor quality material and pitiable construction quality of the roads in Bulandhshahar went viral on social media, brought her to limelight. She is continuing her good work for people even today.
Mr S.R.Sankaran is popularly known as the ‘People’s IAS officer’. He was inducted in the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) in 1956 in Andhra Pradesh cadre. During his early years, he worked as the Sub-collector of Nandyal in Kurnool district in 1959 and District Collector of Adilabad, Khammam and Nellore. He was moved to the central government in 1971 as an assistant to Mohan Kumaramangalam, the then Minister for Steel and Mines. There too he played a very important role in the nationalization of coal mines. Thereafter, he moved back to his cadre in Andhra Pradesh and served as the Principal Secretary for Social Welfare with the Government of Andhra Pradesh.
Among his many achievements, the key include his intense efforts to abolish bonded labour and for protecting rights of SC / ST and poor people. He also played very important role in the formulation of pro-poor policies that were implemented by the then government. Another factor that made him very popular among masses was his simple and down-to-earth lifestyle. He led a very transparent life with limited desire for materialistic things. He also worked as the chief negotiator for Andhra Pradesh Govt in 2004 for its campaign to end Naxalite violence. His commitment to serve the people of this country is an inspiration for every Indian.
9. Vinod Rai
Another IAS officer that has made it to the front pages of newspapers; thanks to their habit of exposing corruption and taking on the irregularities in government functioning. Vinod Rai is a 1972 Batch IAS officer from Kerala cadre, who started his career as the sub-collector of Thrissur District. He served the Thrissur District for 8 years and was given the nickname of second Sakthan Thampuran for his role in the development of the Thrissur City.
However, his most popular public service period was more recent, when he was appointed as 11th Comptroller and Auditor General of India in 2008. In this role, Mr Rai played a phenomenal role in exposing major corruption scandals and scams including the Coal-Gate Scam, 2G Spectrum Allocation Scam, Delhi Commonwealth Games scam and Padmanabhaswamy Temple Audit. Currently, he is appointed as the chairman of the United Nations Panel of External Auditors.
Talk about Rajni and the face of ‘Thalaivaa’ come to the fore; however, the next person not only shares her first name with the southern superstar but also his commitment to serve the country. Rajni Sekhri Sibal is a 1986 batch IAS officer of the Haryana cadre, who is another female power house when it comes to civil servants. She is best known for helping expose the JBT teachers recruitment scam in Haryana. She is popularly referred as the woman who brought down former Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala with “four metres of cloth”.
As we all know, the JBT teachers recruitment scam was the one where interview scores of 3200 teachers were manipulated to give jobs to those who had paid for it. Former Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala was also involved in this scam. When Ms Sibal was asked to participate in the scam, she refused and was promptly transferred. However, her quick wits ensure that the scam was exposed. She ordered thick cotton bandages and sealed a steel almirah (cupboard) containing all the proof of the wrongdoing and asked her junior officers to sign the cloth in different places and take pictures. This way, the evidence held in the cupboard could not be tampered with. Finally, a CBI investigation was launched in which former Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala was found to be guilty.
These are just a few of the examples of honest and committed civil servants making a difference in the lives of common people and citizens of this country. However, there are many others who daily work hard, sometimes risking their own life and the lives of their loved ones; to make this country a better place for us to live. We pay our respects and gratitude to all such amazing officers who work to build the India that we can all be proud of.
23. Prasanth Nair
A 2007 batch IAS officer of Kerala cadre who has recently been appointed the secretary to the Minister of State for Tourism, Prasanth Nair has earned much public acclaim for kickstarting a slew of popular initiatives as the collector of Kozhikode.
His innovative ideas — such as Operation Sulaimani, a decentralized participatory project to address hunger in urban areas; Tere Mere Beach Mein, a project to tackle waste management at Kozhikode Beach; and Yo Appooppa, an attempt to improve the quality of life of the elderly — were huge runaway successes, thanks to large and wholehearted participation of people of the coastal city and beyond.
Affectionately called “Collector Bro”, Prasanth is also famous for a unique proposal he had put forward to the people in his district. He offered a free plate of Malabar biryani to every individual who pitches in to clean a 14-acre pond in Koyilandy. Unsurprisingly, the idea was a resounding success!
The tribal villages in the thickly forested area of Odisha’s Nuapada district often have a very special guest — the district collector of Nuapada, Poma Tudu, who treks through the rugged terrain for more than two hours just to hear their grievances.
The fact that the forest is not only a Naxal-affected hostile zone but also a terrain infamous for man-animal conflicts did not deter Poma. Realising that the residents of these tribal villages had to travel over 90 km to reach the district headquarters and avail government services, she was determined to visit the villages herself so that they could share their grievances.
A graduate of Delhi’s Lady Hardinge Medical College, the 2012 batch Odisha-cadre IAS officer now plans to fast-track connectivity and medical services to the villages. Interestingly, Poma didn’t have to look far for a role model — her mother is the first woman in her tribal family to go to school, college and on to get a bank job.
On the occasion of Civil Services Day 2017, the district collector of Dungarpur (in Rajasthan) Surendra Singh Solanki was conferred with the PM’s award in the category of best innovation for his unique solar lamp project that was turning poor and lesser educated tribal women from the most backward blocks of the district into green entrepreneurs.
To do this, Surendra initiated a collaboration between the district administration, IIT Bombay and Rajeevika (Rajasthan Grameen Ajeevika Vikas Parishad) to form women self-help groups (SHGs). The members were then trained and mentored to help them locally assemble, sell and repair solar lamps. These lamps were distributed to students and needy people (especially in remote areas) at competitive prices thus benefiting the masses at large.
Last year, Surendra has also set an endearing example by adopting 9-year-old Chhaya Pargi from Udaipur’s Muskan shelter home. He had learned about her plight (orphaned at an early age, she had been forced to run away from home after her aunt tried to kill her) on a routine inspection. Deeply moved, he pledged to bear all her educational and personal expenses to ensure that she got the opportunity to realize all her dreams.
In April 2017, Kerala’s Kannur became India’s first plastic-free district, that too in just five months. And the man who played a pivotal role in this sustainable transformation was Kannur’s young District Collector, Mir Mohammed Ali.
A 2011-batch IAS officer of Kerala cadre, Mir initiated a focussed campaign towards phasing out plastic carry-bags and disposables last November. At the same time, under his guidance, the district administration heavily encouraged the use of handloom-made bags made by various weavers’ cooperative societies of the district
Mir also directed heads of local bodies to take stern action against violating business establishments that continued to give away plastic carry bags and disposables such as plates and cups. His determination and hard work paid off when the appreciative public joined the effort to make Kannur the first district in the country bereft of plastic.
A 2001 batch IAS officer of the Madhya Pradesh cadre, Parikipandla Narahari was recently awarded at the NCPEDP-Mphasis Universal Design Awards – 2017 in recognition of his outstanding work for persons with disabilities. But this is just one notch on the tall list of notable achievements under his belt. During his terms as District Collector (DC) in various districts across Madhya Pradesh, Parikipandla has initiated several programmes that have garnered widespread admiration in administrative circles.
For instance, he introduced e-health ideas (such as Active Tracker devices) to eradicate female infanticide and transformed Gwalior in to a ‘barrier-free’ city by building ramps and railings so that persons with disabilities, senior citizens and pregnant women do not face any problem in accessing public places.
Another brainchild of his, the Ladli Laxmi Yojana (that aims to lay a firm foundation for girls’ future by improving their educational and economic status), has become a source of inspiration for many a state, including Andhra’s Bangaru Thall and Central government’s ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’ scheme.
In the recent months, pregnant and lactating women visiting primary health centres (PHCs) for antenatal check-ups in Telangana’s Medak district have been provided with a wholesome lunch on all days of the week. The best part is that this is happening without the addition of a substantial financial burden on government exchequers as the food is brought from local Anganwadi centres.
The idea of serving food at PHCs was conceived by Medak’s popular district collector, Bharathi Hollikeri, after she realised that pregnant women often missed lunch because they returned home late and tired after time-consuming medical investigations at the clinics. She also collaborated with IIT Hyderabad to conduct an extensive socio-economic survey of villages that would help identify grassroots issues.
Bharati is also responsible for many other positive transformations taking place in the district. Her surprise sanitation checks and frequent field visits have helped Medak achieved an Open Defecation Free (ODF) status. Under her aegis, the district administration has also teamed up with NGOs to provide career counselling for girl students and to encourage organic farming by setting up a Women Farmers’ Federation.
From initiating the construction of one lakh individual toilets (under the Palle Nidra programme) to water conservation in drought-prone (under the Handri-Neeva project), PS Pradyuman is a man on a mission. His well-planned and inclusive initiatives have breathed new life into the development of the Andhra Pradesh district.
Pradyumna started ‘Palle Vanam’, a rural afforestation programme that will create natural green spots with benches and walking tracks for villagers. Another popular programme that he has initiated is ‘Nirbhaya Patrolling’, in which women cops on electric bicycles keep an eagle eye on zones covering educational institutions, bus stops and areas vulnerable to sexual harassment.
To provide the agriculture equipment on hire and microcredit to farmers, Pradyumna has also established affordable hiring centres. Moreover, to improve the service delivery systems at anganwadis, the district administration has launched the ‘Yashoda’ diploma programme that will teach them the basics of English language and computer skills alongside best practices in community mobilisation, health and nutrition.
A 2009-batch IAS officer of Chhattisgarh cadre, Saurabh Kumar’s unique initiative is giving the conflict-ridden district of Dantewada a new lease of life. Understanding how the lack of education and joblessness could push local youth towards a life of violence and extremism, the pro-active collector introduced counselling sessions to help students make the right career choice.
Called Lunch with the Collector, these sessions involve Saurabh and other senior officials directly interacted with students — discussing career options, clearing their doubts and bolstering their self-confidence. Unsurprisingly, this thoughtful initiative has endeared him deeply to the locals of Dantewada.
Saurabh has also received the PM’s award in the category of excellence in innovation for converting Naxal-hit Palnar village of Chhattisgarh into a cashless village post demonetisation, though it had no cellular connectivity!
Mahbubnagar district of Telangana has been setting quite a few development records for some time now. Villages have rapidly become open-defecation free and farmers are increasingly turning to organic methods. The district has also been in the news for successfully digging soak pits in all the houses as well as for its very successful Haritha Haaram (afforestation) programme.
The man driving this amazing transformation is the enterprising district collector of Mahbubnagar, Ronald Rose. A 2006 batch IAS officer of the Telangana cadre, Ronald had single-handedly ensured the effective implementation of government initiatives in the district and taken it to the forefront of the rural development in the state.
He is also the brain behind Divyang Solar Society, an initiative that employs differently abled persons in the production of affordable, effective, energy-efficient and non-polluting products for rural India.
Recently appointed the collector of Salem district, Rohini R. Bhajibhakare is no less than a celebrity for the local people. The daughter of a marginal farmer, the petite and pertinacious bureaucrat smashed several glass ceilings to become the first woman collector of the Tamil Nadu district since 1790.
Known for her people-centric governance, Rohini conducts surprise checks in government hospitals, keeps in touch with officials through Whatsapp, gives pep talks to school students and personally visits the rural areas to listen to people’s grievances. Moreover, she has banned the use of plastic and polythene articles on the Collectorate campus, a prelude to her target of achieving plastic-free status for Salem.
Rohini also won many accolades during her earlier tenure in Madurai, where she pioneered the cause of safe sanitation and watershed development.
33.Poma Tudu
A 2012 batch IAS officer from Odisha, Poma Tudu is an inspiration for many. She has been helping villagers in Odisha by visiting Naxal affected hostile zones to hear and counsel their grievances. She is currently working towards providing fast-track connectivity and medical services to these villagers, reports The Better India.
Poma Tudu treks for over two hours to reach and assist these villagers, as she understands that the District and State government headquarters is over 90 km away from these villagers.
She feels that if it is difficult for tribals to address their issues she will go to them directly and hear them out. She strongly believes in the welfare of humanity and that can directly be seen through her actions.
Poonam Malakondaiah is a remarkable bureaucrat who fought her way through nepotism, chauvinism and many lackadaisical set-ups. A low-profile 1988 batch IAS officer, she has proven to be a hard nut to crack for politicians, lobbyists and businessmen used to officers yielding under pressure. Seven transfers in six years failed to deter her as she continued to fight corruption in whichever department she was assigned – from agriculture to transport to education to civil supplies. The forthright and fiery lady dragged the multinational seed company, Monsanto, to the MRTP Commission as the agriculture commissioner following which the MNC was forced to reduce the price of BT Cotton seeds.
Manoje Nath was just 2o years old when he wrote the Indian Police Service (IPS) exam and ranked third in the country and first in Bihar in 1973. Thirty-nine years on, when this topper retired from the Bihar police in 2012, he was one of the longest-serving IPS officers who had never been considered for a key post in his entire career. An upright man, he failed to fit into the political class’s scheme of things, particularly when it comes to appointing the Director General of Police (DGP). In the year 1980, as the Bokaro SP, he had arrested the then Bokaro Steel MD in a corruption case, for which he was handed a transfer order within 24 hours, after only four months in the office. For his refusal to fulfill political whims, he was transferred over 40 times in his 39-year long career and superseded at least thrice by officers much junior to him.
Govind Ragho Khairnar is a former Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) officer known for his uprightness and fearlessness while carrying out his duties in the face of political opposition. As the deputy municipal commissioner, he systematically targeted illegal encroachments across the city. As a result, he was suspended and brought to trial for supposed insubordination and heavy-handedness but the High Court cleared him of these charges. After winning the case against the BMC for his unjust suspension, he was reinstated as the Deputy Commissioner.He continued to fight back land mafias and clear public land of encroachments, even suffering injuries while doing so, once again, living up to the title the locals had given him, One Man Demolition Army. During his suspension from BMC, he also wrote his autobiography Ekaki Zunj (The Lonely Fight) in Marathi.
In 2009, more than 12,000 government employees in Rajasthan’s Chittorgarh district went on mass leave to protest against the transfer of District Collector Samit Sharma. The officer had been shunted out simply because he had refused to sack a lower divisional clerk for not standing up when a local MLA entered the office (as an official circular had ordered). Despite the protest, Samit Sharma was transferred but he didn’t let it deter him from doing good work. A doctor who practiced for 5 years before taking the IAS exam, Sharma used his experience to pioneer the generic medicine project (that provided affordable health care, medicine and surgical items to the poor) in Rajasthan.
Rajni Sekri Sibal, an IAS officer from Haryana cadre, first said a firm no when offered a bribe by the political powers who wanted her to change the results of 3200 Junior Basic Training (JBT) teachers in 1999-2000. Then, when her transfer was ordered, she wrapped the steel almirah with the actual list of results lying inside, with a four-metre-long cloth and bandages, making it impossible for anyone to open the almirah and tamper with the list. She then got five of her officers to sign the bandage in different places, thereby marking it uniquely, and stuffed the key in an envelope which she sealed and hid after that. This simple action led to the list not being tampered with, brought attention to huge scam (now known as JBT Recruitment Scam) and an eventual CBI investigation into the matter that implicated several people in high places.
A Kerala-cadre officer of the 1991 batch[1] he has held several posts including District Collector of five districts, Director of Fisheries and of Collegiate Education, Managing Director, Kerala State Co-operative Marketing Federation (MarketFed) and Commissioner in Civil Supplies Department of Kerala before being removed allegedly for trying to expose corruption. His anti-corruption campaign started from the very first day of his service, which earned him flaks from political bosses and led to 20 transfers in last 22 years. He had to pay a huge price for his war against corruption. He was made to go on forced leave as managing director of the MarketFed after refusing to play ball with the chairman, a senior politician. He was shunted to sinecure assignments, even posted to work under junior officers.[1]
As District Collector of Thrissur, he single-handedly widened the Pattalom Road and the Inner Ring Road.
He once refused permission to a real-estate businessman to fill up a large paddy farm – it would have deluged some 50 poor village homes nearby with waste from the adjacent government hospital.
In his district it was a practice to collect crores of rupees for earthen bunds meant for poor farmers, but which were never constructed. A bill for ₹80 million came up before Narayana Swamy. He inspected the bund. He found it very weak and said that he will pass the bill after the rainy season to ensure that the bund served the purpose. As expected, the earthen bund was too weak to stand the rain and it disappeared in the rain. But he created a lot of enemies for saving ₹80 million public money.
After the V. S. Achuthanandan-led LDF government came into power in Kerala, Narayana Swamy was appointed as the collector of Idukki district. When Kerala Chief Minister V. S. Achuthanandan wanted encroachers in Munnar driven out, Narayana Swamy was one of his three handpicked men. Even senior CPM leaders objected to his choice, but Achuthanandan stood his ground.
In 2007, Narayana Swamy inquired into an alleged illegal land deal by the son and daughter of the then Kerala Public Works minister T. U. Kuruvilla, who was forced to resign following an investigation.[1] Kuruvilla's children had taken ₹65 million from an NRI businessman promising to sell him some prime land, soon suspected to be encroached. The sale did not happen and the businessman went public while Kuruvilla maintained everything was above board. Narayana Swamy, the then Idukki District Collector, probed the land the Minister's children were to sell and reported that a good part of the land they surveyed was government land, some suspectedly benami. Kuruvilla could only agree to quit. It was the first time in the history of the country that a minister had to resign on the report of an IAS officer.
He also proceeded against a former minister P. J. Joseph and his relatives regarding their alleged illegal landholdings.
"In my service life I have always fought corruption. We could be sidelined but officers should not get demoralized. The public applause we get for taking strong stand on issues is what keeps us going", he said. Since 2007, he has been shunted to various insignificant posts and has thereafter been consistently been picked up by the Election Commission of India for 31 election duties in 16 states across the country. During the 2012 Uttar Pradesh Elections, he was roll observer for all six districts in Kanpur division.
Narayana Swamy was appointed as the chairman of the CDB in August 2018, where he unearthed alleged corruption involving the CDB's Bangalore regional director and technical officer. Both were suspended on the basis of Narayana Swamy's findings. Eventually, he was transferred out on 7 March, after which he went to the Central Administrative Tribunal, where his case is pending. In June 2019, it was reported that a high-level committee of state and central officials had taken the decision to terminate Narayana Swamy. "There are people who are afraid of me", said Narayana Swamy. Responding to the reports, he said he suspected some "serious moves" against him at the meeting. "They know I will unearth corruption and put many behind bars", Narayana Swamy added.[1]
Narayana Swamy has twenty-six books to his credit, the latest being one on popular science – Nano Muthal Nakshatram Vare. He won the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Travelogue for Santhimantram Muzhangunna Thazvarayil. He has also won the Bhima Gold Medal and Kunhunni Award (both for children's literature). His other works include Niram Mangiya Vazhithara, which is a translation of The Road of Lost Innocence, the English version of the French memoirs by Somaly Mam. At present, he handles two columns for children - one in Balarama (popular science) and the other in Digest (Indian Constitution for Children).
In August 2011, he was awarded a doctorate degree by Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham. He has also won the prestigious Homi Bhabha Fellowship (in cyber law).
He was one of the recipients of the fourth IRDS Award for public service, awarded by the Lucknow-based Institute for Research and Documentation in Social Sciences (IRDS). He has been awarded the 2018 Satyendra K. Dubey Memorial Award by IIT Kanpur[2] for his professional integrity in upholding human values.
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