IRS officer Anand Kumar has proved that a working professional can pursue multiple passions and hobbies and still perform consistently on the work front, at the same time. The Joint Commissioner of Income Tax in Guwahati is known for his painting and singing.
In an exclusive conversation with Indian Masterminds Mr. Kumar also talked about his achievements in sports and his experiences as an IRS officer.
PARENTS INCULCATED INTEREST IN ART AND MUSIC
Originally from Bihar, he has lived in various cities of India as his father was in defence. Discipline was infused early in his life because of his father. However, his parents not only focused on his education, but on the overall growth. “Time management was gifted to me. My parents made sure that after my school I also gave time to creative activities. So, they enrolled me to classical singing classes and encouraged me to pursue art by motivating and appreciating my art works. Slowly, I developed interest in both, and have been pursuing them till today. I feel content with my life as I have tried so many things. It wouldn’t have been possible if my parents didn’t sow the seeds in me,” Mr. Kumar said.
MARATHON AND CYCLING
Not just a painter and a classical singer, Mr. Kumar is also a sportsperson. He is a cyclist and a marathon runner. Once, he completed 100 km of cycling in approximately 4.5 hours of time. Besides this, he has also participated in multiple marathon events. He participated in 25 km Tata Steel Marathon held in Kolkata and also completed 30 km Tuffman Ultra Marathon held at Andaman & Nicobar.
IRS BROUGHT STABILITY
On why he did not choose any of his passions as a profession, he replied, “I come from Bihar, and there, most of the young people dream about clearing UPSC. Many of my family members were already in public service, so I was naturally inclined towards it. And, during my college days, I had decided that my ultimate goal was to become a civil servant only.”
He also said that he obviously aimed for IAS, but IRS is like a blessing in disguise. “While there is a job satisfaction and adventure involved, this service also gave me stability. I get time to pursue my passions and creativity.”
In conclusion, he shared his experiences as an IRS officer. “I served in various wings of the Income tax department, including investigation. Under my leadership, my team successfully handled many cases and operations. The most adventurous one that I remember lasted seven days. We seized a lot of documents, but it was challenging too, as it gets difficult to manage a huge team while you are raiding.”
