Seeing one’s child becoming an IAS officer is considered a lifetime achievement by a large number of Indian parents. But senior Maharashtra cadre IAS officer Tukaram Mundhe (IAS:2005:MH) does not think so. Rather, this Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner says he is against his children joining the civil services.
Mundhe reportedly made this remark at the Global Maratha Business Expo, saying he would prefer his children to become entrepreneurs or public leaders who could contribute to society with greater independence.
Such an advice coming from a person, who was transferred 25 times in a career spanning over 21 years, is not unnatural. The reason is simple: his career took him across Maharashtra, from municipal administration to senior government departments resulting in his family being repeatedly compelled to adjust to new cities, schools and routines.
But it was his son who suffered the most as he had to change schools six times before reaching Class 5. Mundhe spoke about the effect of frequent transfers on his family, including his wife.
His experience offers a personal view of the costs that can accompany a career often associated with authority and elite lifestyle.
Mundhe’s reported advice does not mean a rejection of public service, instead, he wants his children to consider other ways of contributing to society, as he believes young people have the energy, knowledge and ability to explore careers beyond traditional structures. And in his view, entrepreneurship and public leadership can offer greater independence in pursuing ideas and solving problems.
Mundhe is not an ordinary bureaucrat, but has acquired a celebrity status owing to his ruthless campaign against unsafe food, adulteration and substandard products in Maharashtra, which now has a global audience.
His career has made him a familiar name in Maharashtra’s bureaucracy.
So, his reported remarks bear special significance as it offers a different perspective on the IAS dream. The moot point is if the professional choice of one person can shape the everyday lives of an entire family.
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