From Villages to Video Conferences: The Changing Nature of Service
Dear Students,
When I see all of you full of energy, curiosity, and ambition I am reminded of my own journey. Way back in 1985, when I joined the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), things were very different. Our country was at a different stage of development, our challenges were more about building basic infrastructure, ensuring food security, and laying down the foundations of governance.
Today, the challenges are more complex: technology, climate change, rapid urbanization, and the aspirations of a young population. Yet, the core of the service remains the same: to engage with people, and to empower them.
The Nature of Service - Then and Now
- In 1985, engaging with people meant physically going to the villages, walking on unmetalled roads, sitting under a tree, and listening to grievances in person.
- Empowering meant ensuring ration shops had supplies or making sure a school had teachers.
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Today, engagement has taken new forms:
- A District Collector can conduct a video conference with a remote village.
- Data can be monitored in real time.
- Citizens’ feedback can be received instantly through mobile apps.
- Empowerment today is broader: from giving subsidies to creating opportunities for startups, skill development, and digital inclusion.
But whether it was then or now, one truth remains: leadership is about connecting with people at the human level.
Lessons for Future Leaders
Leadership is not about authority, but about exercising authority with responsibility.
The future belongs to those who can combine empathy with innovation.
Engage and Empower
From my years as an IAS officer, I have seen that when people are engaged sincerely and empowered genuinely, transformation becomes unstoppable. And I firmly believe in you the students who are the future leaders.
A Personal Thought
The greatest satisfaction in service never came from big policy announcements, but from small, life-changing moments:
- A farmer who finally got irrigation water after years of waiting.
- A schoolgirl who received her first scholarship and dared to dream bigger.
These moments taught me
Leadership is not about how high you rise, but about how many people rise with you.
My Message to You
- Cultivate the leader in you.
- Engage with those around you.
- Empower those who need your support.
India needs future-ready leaders now. The baton is in your hands and I am sure you will carry it forward with courage and commitment.