An IRS officer committed to driving positive social change
You are a doctor turned IRS. Please share something about your journey and what
brought you to civil services? (year in which you joined services as well)
I always wanted to be in a human-centric profession; hence, medicine was the first choice that
came to my mind to pursue my career. I finished my graduation from Govt Dental College
Mumbai and worked at Military Hospital Kota for a couple of years. That time I realised there
was more that I wanted to explore in the realm of public service, and I thought civil services
would provide me with the opportunity to attain my career goals of effective policy
implementation, setting up good governance systems and reaching out to the last mile. Hence, I
chose Indian Revenue Service in the Civil Service Exam of 2011. Being in the Indian Civil
Services, I am uniquely positioned to address some of this century’s most complex and
multifaceted challenges of justice, inequity, exclusion, growth and progress. Taxation is crucial
in financing services for citizens and businesses, infrastructure development and making growth
sustainable and equitable. In India, Income Tax Department has undergone a paradigm shift in
making tax compliance easier, transparent and fair for the citizens. We strive to balance the goals
of improving tax revenues with sustainable growth and a simplified tax regime.
Please share something about your NGO and the work it is doing.
Samarpann, a Mumbai-based non-profit organisation, works towards improving access to
healthcare, education, sanitation, and hygiene in rural India. We have weaved a coordinated,
multi-pronged approach to realise our vision of building a sustainable ecosystem addressing
health and education in the remotest corners of our country. As a result, we have impacted the
lives of approximately 25,000 children across the 6 states of Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Delhi,
Madhya Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, and Rajasthan by ensuring access to primary health care,
equitable education, and livelihood protection.
We have Installed water treatment plants ensuring access to clean drinking water to 15,000+
children across 70+ schools and 70+ Anganwaadis reducing waterborne infections and
increasing student attendance. In addition, 6500+ students in 70+ rural Govt schools have been
provided Adhyayan kits to care for their basic educational needs.There is a special focus on girl children in all our programs, and our objective is to minimise the
dropout rate of girls in schools. In addition, menstrual Hygiene Management is an aspect which
we address by breaking the stigma around menstruation.
We have solar-electrified 7 schools and anganwadi centres, bringing power to the non-electrified
areas, reducing the carbon footprint, and saving the environment.
You are a Cambridge Commonwealth scholar and have a knack for education! What
enrichment has your education brought to your personality?
I believe that education plays a key role in developing one’s personality. However, it is not just
about acquiring knowledge but also about building character, values, beliefs, and ethics, which
determine a person’s personality.
My education as a doctor and my training as a civil servant have shaped my professional ethos
and conduct and made me more self-aware in managing my work and relationships.
Studying at Cambridge was an amazing experience which gave me informed perspectives and a
nuanced understanding of global issues to pursue powerful and innovative ideas in the
governance paradigm and implement the same in the Indian context. The University is one of the
world’s oldest and a self-governed community of scholars reflecting intellectual achievement and
world-class original research. It has enabled me to join an incredible and lifelong community of
peers and an alumni network spread across the globe. Moreover, the University, with its heritage
of Disruptive Thinking and the idea of education for global citizenship, gives the freedom to
explore ideas from a different cultural perspective while working on projects of international
importance.
What is your message to Indian youth who aspire to join civil services?
The civil services exam is one of India’s most prestigious and toughest exams. Joining civil
services is a challenging but rewarding career path that requires hard work, perseverance, and a
deep commitment to public service. Civil services may seem like a dream career to most, but it
brings many challenges, responsibilities and accountability. This career will open a whole world
of opportunities for you to bring about a change and make a significant impact in the lives of
millions of your countrymen. Discipline, hard work and perseverance are the qualities which will
sail you through the journey of civil services exam preparation. But civil services is one of the
professions whereby you can serve your country. You may choose to pursue any career, but
ultimately it’s about the impact you make in the lives of the people you serve.
