https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

In This UNESCO World Heritage Site, She is Making Life Easier for the Tribals

Lakhs of tourists visit the enchanting Nilgiri hills every year. But giving boost to tourism is not the priority of IAS officer J Innocent Divya, who is posted here. She is more concerned with providing education and employment to the tribals of Nilgiri.
Indian Masterminds Stories

The blue mountain ranges of Nilgiris, situated at the tri-junction of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka, are a treat to the eyes. The Nilgiris Biosphere Reserve, a very important part of the belt, has already been declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is in and around this reserve that several aboriginals communities, which include six tribal groups, live. 

 In 2017, IAS officer Ms J Innocent Divya got her posting in the Nilgiris and decided that  two issues required immediate attention. The first was to connect the tribes to the mainstream and the second to save the environment of this ecologically sensitive district. In just over two years, she has met with tremendous success on both these counts.

Speaking with Indian Masterminds , Ms Divya said, “Nilgiris forest is home to six primitive tribes. While two of these, Todas and Kotas have access to most amenities to live a decent life, others like Irula and Badaga lacks these facilities. To enable them to be a part of the mainstream, we had to first connect their villages with roads, and also provide them with houses and electricity. I am really happy to say that we have succeeded in that direction.”

Roofs Over Their Heads

Ms. Divya’s first move was to giving the tribals of Nilgiris access to roads and drinking water. After joining the office, she ordered the collectorate officials to do a survey around the forest areas, where the tribals lived. Based on their findings, she initiated the construction of roads. As of now, 95% of these areas have been connected with roads, while work is on for the remaining  5% areas. 

Under her leadership, more than 2000 houses have been built for the tribes

Apart from this the officer has also started the construction of houses for the tribes. With the help of various schemes of central and state government like PM AwasYojna or Green House scheme for the tribes, 1700 houses has been allocated for the tribes. Meanwhile, more than 500 houses are under construction. The collector’s team was also successful in providing electricity to the 780 houses for the first time. More works are being done to extend this initiative. 

ITI for the Tribals

Two problems which dog the tribals constantly is lack of education and very few employment opportunities for them. Ms Divya is aware of these shortcomings. As she explained, “ There are a number of dropouts among tribals, and it is really hard to convince them for enrolling again. Besides, generating employment for them is also a big issue, mainly because these people do not want to move out and try their luck in the cities. So, the trick was to ensure and arrange work for them in their villages.’’ 

Ms. Divya inspecting the roads made to connect the forest areas with the city

Keeping this in mind, the collector has started an ITI for the dropout students from class 10 and 8. It has a capacity for 150 students with residential facility. After getting them trained, her office ensures that they set up their business. Mostly, these youth develop brick making as their main skill. 

Investing in Human Resources

Providing proper nutrition to the tribals is another big task for the administration. One out of two tribal children suffer from malnutrition. Ms. Divya has started a slew of community kitchens for the children as well as the pregnant woman. She also encourages her staff to adopt one anganwadi each in their areas. She said, “Many officials of mine have adopted the anganwadis. It costs around 6000 rupes per month. With this money nutritive foods like raisins, almond, ghee and other items are sent to them. I am really thankful to my staff that their efforts are making this program a great success.” 


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
IPS Akhil Kumar
Centre Urges Uttar Pradesh to Relieve Kanpur CP IPS Akhil Kumar for Central Deputation Amid Legal Controversies
IPS MA Saleem karnataka
Karnataka Appoints IPS Dr M A Saleem as Full-Time DGP & IGP, Ending Interim Role - Full Details Here
Dr. B
Who Is IAS B. Rajender, the New ACS of Education Department in Bihar? Signals Key Administrative Shift
IRS Officer Indian revenue Services
India Appoints 7 IRS Officers Across Key Diplomatic Missions in Brussels, New York, Singapore, Moscow, & Nepal
Rajesh Kumar Meena
IAS Rajesh Kumar Meena Receives 3-Month Extension as Maharashtra Chief Secretary, Will Lead Key Reforms and Polls
SBI_resized
SBI and AFD Sign EUR 100 Million Line of Credit to Boost Green Financing and Climate Action in India
IAS Promotions
Madhya Pradesh Government Promotes IAS Officers Deepali Rastogi & Shiv Shekhar Shukla to Additional Chief Secretary
CM Vishnu Deo Sai
CM Vishnu Deo Sai Returns from Successful Japan & South Korea Tour, Secures Investment Deals for Chhattisgarh
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
IPS Mukesh Kumar Bhamoo
Managing Elections, Communal Tensions, and Public Safety – Meet IPS Mukesh Kumar Bhamoo | Video Interview
WhatsApp Image 2025-08-25 at 13.56
Operation Hunt: IPS Dr. Karanraj Vaghela’s Mission to Nab Valsad’s Most Wanted
Dr
Resisted Flawed Schemes, Transferred Thrice In Three Months, Found Solace In Writing
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
IAS Minnu P M
“Lazy, Sleepy, Yet Determined”: Minnu P M’s Honest Take on Cracking UPSC
Minnu PM, once a clerk in Kerala Police, cleared UPSC with AIR 150 after five years of struggle. Her...
IPS Ashish Tiwari
From IIT and Investment Banking to Public Service, Meet IPS Ashish Tiwari 
Ashish Tiwari, IIT graduate and former investment banker, chose public service over global finance. As...
WhatsApp Image 2025-08-12 at 7.27
First Attempt IRS, Fourth Attempt IPS: The Relentless Pursuit of Jitendra Kumar Yadav Who Cracked UPSC 3 Times
IPS Yadav is originally from Chhattisgarh. He was first selected for the IRS through UPSC and later for...
Social Media
Masahiro Hara
From Go Board to Global Use, How QR Codes Changed the World: IRAS Officer Ananth Rupanagudi Spotlights Masahiro Hara’s Vision
IRAS officer Ananth Rupanagudi shared a video on Masahiro Hara, the inventor of QR codes, highlighting...
IFS Susanta Nanda Video
A Mother’s Duty: Tigress Watches Over Cubs Splashing in Waterhole — Heartwarming Video Shared By Retd. IFS Officer Susanta Nanda
A tender wildlife video shared by Retd. IFS officer Susanta Nanda shows a tigress keeping watch over...
Mohanmala
Kaziranga Mourns: Beloved Elephant Mohanmala Passes Away After Five Decades of Service
Kaziranga National Park mourns the loss of Mohanmala, a beloved elephant who served over 50 years as...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
IPS Akhil Kumar
Centre Urges Uttar Pradesh to Relieve Kanpur CP IPS Akhil Kumar for Central Deputation Amid Legal Controversies
IPS MA Saleem karnataka
Karnataka Appoints IPS Dr M A Saleem as Full-Time DGP & IGP, Ending Interim Role - Full Details Here
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
IPS Mukesh Kumar Bhamoo
WhatsApp Image 2025-08-25 at 13.56
Dr
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT