“There are always detours, but never shortcuts”
The last 30 days have been eventful. I have been posted as the Assistant Collector of Bhadradri-Kothagudem district (Telangana) on 24.05.2019, a day after India elected its new union government. As I completed one month in the district, I reflected on my stay here and asked myself: What has been my learning in the past one month?
After giving it enough thought, I had a short answer— I learned to begin again.
Life in the district cannot be more different than the one at LBSNAA. Academy is similar to a college: much of the learning happens in the classroom, there are clear rules as to what you are supposed to do, and your superiors are always around to help you out with any task. In contrast, district training reminds me of life after college. You are now suddenly thrown into the real world where you are left on your own. You start a new career and tend to learn more from your peers and superiors than books or PPTs. The academy was about friendships, camaraderie and crisp weather. The district, on the other hand, is about dust, sweat and sweltering heat.
Out here, because of the proximity to the public and their problems, the learning is imprinted in the memory. Sometimes, I am sent on a field enquiry and asked to submit a report on a land dispute, or at times I am directed to visit a Gram Sabha, and encourage people to build toilets. As these tasks are new to me, sometimes they leave me confused as to how I should proceed. But I believe that difficulty is the essence of any learning. I recently came across a great quote that reads: “Difficulty is not a sign that you aren’t learning, but ease is a sign that you aren’t learning.”
“There are always detours, but never shortcuts”
The first thing that caught my eye in this district is how unique it is from the rest of the state. The district took birth when the govt undertook a sweeping reorganisation of the state in 2016. The erstwhile districts were sliced into smaller districts, aiming to bring administration closer to the people. The result— 10 districts have given way to 33. As part of this reorganisation, the government delineated tribal dominated northern part of the erstwhile Khammam district and rechristened it as Bhadradri, bearing 24 mandals and 2 revenue divisions. For a supposedly rich state like Telangana, this district is one of the most backward, with many human development indicators such as nutrition, literacy, and sanitation much below the national average.
I spent one week each with the collectorate, police and the district treasury. In each section, I tried to discern the hierarchy and their individual responsibilities. Having worked in the government previously, I could get an idea on office procedure and file movement. The staff here has been courteous with me, patiently answering my questions and explaining the nuts and bolts of governance. But my biggest learning has been outside of the four walls of the office, during my field visits with the Collector.
As and when my Collector toured the district, he’d ask me to hop on his vehicle. The more I visited the villages and mandals of this district, the more I found this place to be a paradox. This district is home to Singareni Collieries Company Ltd, a coal mining PSU that recorded almost Rs. 1200 crore profit in 2017-18. Yet, just 50 km from the company headquarters, inside deep jungles of Bhadradri, vulnerable tribal groups often struggle for existence. Their worry is not over power or profits, but over basic needs— clean water, good shelter, and decent nutrition. Even reaching these forest dwellers has been a major challenge for the government. However, things have changed in recent years and the administration has been working assiduously in the areas of recognition of land rights and ensuring that public services are effectively delivered even to the most remote segments.
The paradox in the district manifested in other forms too. On one hand, the district is known for its glorious Bhadrachalam temple of Lord Rama, attracting tourists from across the country. On the other hand, this part of the country is also notorious for its Left-Wing Extremist violence. Only last year, ten Maoists and one cop were killed in a police encounter. This contrast between affluence and deprivation, privilege and poverty, peace and violence leaves a deep impression on anyone who observes this place closely.
I have lived and travelled in Telangana for almost 29 years but it now feels as though I don’t know enough about my home state. Last month has been a revelation in two things: a discovery of my homeland and a profound realisation of my ignorance. Having been brought up in this state, I feel I should have been better informed.
Instead of regretting the past, I now want to look ahead. I see district training as a wonderful time to start with a blank slate and learn with child-like curiosity. I want to learn about the state, know its people closely, understand their problems, and work to help them in whatever little way I can. I have a long-distance to cover but I am excited to start this new journey. It’s time to begin again.
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Great post!
Hello sir, I stay near by kothagudem, inspired to become an IAS officer started preparation, I feel I can take your help and guidance to ace a rank in upsc, but don't know whether you will help me in achieving my dream. Can you please guide me. It will be an honour to me to get guidance from you sir. Thank you for being inspiration to many UPSC aspirants. Jai Hind.
Its great to know how grounded and yet how profound you are. Also your way of writing is extremely attractive. Im learning a lot from you.
Thank you Anon.
Hi Anudeep, my little daughter inspires to be an IAS officer... can you please take some time out to inspire this true Indian at heart for she wants to be like you. Thanks
Shilpa Jopat
9949166541
Ma’am I know the your intention for the greater good of your daughter but please do not disclose your mobile number bcoz it’s not only sir who could access to this content but everyone this could disturb and damage your privacy so please do not share your personal content on public areas.hope your find a way out to reach sir otherwise
Thankyou sir for sharing this preface of your beautiful and strenuous itinerary of governance world.
Kindly, keep on sharing these stories time and again as they keep us inspired & zealous towards achieving the same.
Thankyou.
Thank you Shivam. I hope to keep writing and sharing.
sir,where do i get topicwise questions for mains answer writing practice? how do i cover answer writing after completion of a topic?
It's the showpeice of your commitment on the love on homeland.
It's enough to you to go into the deep roots of your native village, native district, native state , and your beloved country. All the best. This nation is so thrift it accepts whatever you gives....
Gangadhara Srinivas
General Manager
District Industries Centre
Jagtial
Thank you.
I inspired sir. So many work you did and got different type of knowledge. I hope keep sharing your valuable work again.
Thank you sir.
Anudeep anna naku kuda ias avvalani dream anna if u don't mine 7794907780 koddiga naku mi guidelines kavali annaya please response avvandi na msg ki
Very Nice Journey sir..
amazing......
difficulties which you face will make you more determined to achieve your objectives and win against all the odds.
It's good to know your perspectives about current governing system. One thing I like the most in you is the indoctrination of learning which is always inspiring.
I wish you could've chosed Rajasthan as your first choice.
Thank you, Vikas. Learning and curiosity should never cease.
And Rajasthan is a wonderful state to work in, but I’m sure you’d agree that there’s nothing like home cadre. :)
U are one of great personality sir ever I have seen, u must have keep on going sir, my small request for u sir, I feel very happy if u posted to warangal (urban), my district ?. U are young and dynamic hero as a assistant collector. You are the ias only have courage to save warangal urban from criminalism. This is my humble request sir kindly, transfer from badradri to warangal(urban). There are many problems facing by people like me,,are waiting for u to make a solution. And I want to become ias sir, for that I have to purchase books, though I don't have money, though my parents are nit not fit as financially. Even though I never stop sir, now I am studying 3rd year btech eee branch kits college, I want to start preparation now itself but , lagging of money makes me waiting for starting up my preparation. I used to watch your motivation vedios made by your father. Thanks alot sir.
Excellent piece! In Bhadrachalam district only is posted Mr. Bhavesh Mishra, IAS 2015. He too is a prolific writer. You should meet him once :)
Requests -
1. Please give a complete list of books that one should study for Interview Preparation.
2. It would be wonderful if you could write a post on Meditation that you practice. The technique, institutes you learnt from, etc.
I've met him on the second day. Really warm and nice person.
Regarding your requests,
1. It's available in my post on upsc interview.
2. Sure, I will.
As always ,you continue to inspire many of us aspirants in getting better perspectives,insight and understanding about the realms of the service sir..You made a striking point that "Difficulty is the essence of any learning"..this rings true for any endeavour..I share the same homeland with you sir, Telangana and I hail from Warangal and I wanted to meet you once while you were in warangal but I couldn't..I hope to meet you in the near future...Loved your thoughts on Rediscovering your homeland on the basis of Unlearning-Relearning cycle..Your writing is so profound,subtle and perceptive..It inspires me to work harder in writing the way you do...Thank you for penning this beautiful piece..Regards:)
Thanks a lot, Avignya.
Nice ! Keep sharing your journey along the way. It helps to understand role of bureaucracy and the journey after having the dream of bureaucracy. Lastly, your style of writing is so easy readable and makes the expressions so clear to the reader, thus, keep writing !!
Thank you Sahil. I'm glad you liked the write up.