https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

The Pickle-Maker Administrator

He rewrote the rules for NDPS Act, 1984, which became a template for the whole country. He introduced the biometric and bank-linked Bhamashah healthcare card in Rajasthan, much before the Aadhar card was launched by the Centre. He pioneered outsourcing staff in the Government much before it became a norm.
Indian Masterminds Stories

Rajiv Mehrishi retired from the Indian Administrative Service after serving in senior positions like Chief Secretary of Rajasthan, Union Home Secretary, and Union Finance Secretary. He also served as the 13th Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) and Vice Chairman of the United Nations Panel of External Auditors in 2020. Recently he created quite a wave by his making of over 20 varieties of pickles which are available under the brand name ‘Pickley – Taste of Dada’. We wrote about it on July 11 (Sealing His Talent into Bottles: Signature Pickles from a Former Bureaucrat

In the second part of the story on him, Indian Masterminds writes about his administrative journey.  

A FASCINATING CAREER SPAN

Having done M.A. (History) from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi, and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland, Mr. Mehrishi has served in various positions in both Rajasthan government and the Centre, such as Principal Resident Commissioner of Rajasthan, Chairman of Indira Gandhi Nahar Board, District Magistrate and Collector of Bikaner in Rajasthan Government, and Union Fertilizers Secretary, and Union Overseas Indian Affairs Secretary, Special Secretary in Ministry of Agriculture and Joint Secretary in the Cabinet Secretariat, in the Union Government. This year, he was bestowed with the prestigious Padma Bhushan, India’s third highest civilian award. Recently he wrote a book, India 2022

HIGHLIGHTS OF HIS CAREER

Mr. Mehrishi claims that he enjoyed working in every position he was posted in. During his tenure in the Transport Department of Rajasthan, he rewrote the transport taxation laws and the rules for the Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1984, which became a template for the whole country. He was also pivotally involved in the important reforms of setting up the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), and enactment of the Indian Bankruptcy Code (IBC) and the Competition Act.

As Principal Secretary (Finance) in Rajasthan, he played a central role in conceptualizing and introducing the biometric and bank-linked ‘Bhamashah’ card, even before the Aadhar card scheme was announced by the Government of India in 2009. “I believe, every job is enjoyable if one does it to their best of abilities,” he says.

CHALLENGES AS A HOME SECRETARY

The job of a Home Secretary is extremely sensitive and demanding. One can’t afford to slip up or cause a delay in proceedings. Everything has to be completed within a time limit to avoid hampering the smooth flow of events. Other than internal security, Home Ministry also plays a pivotal role in disaster management in the country. Forces like NDRF are a part of the Home Ministry.

“Anytime there is a natural or man-made disaster, the job becomes extremely demanding because a lot of innocent lives are at stake in such cases. One has to be on high alert at all times. It is so busy a job that it doesn’t give one enough time to start new ventures,” Mr. Mehrishi told Indian Masterminds.

NEW PROJECTS AS SECRETARY, ECONOMIC AFFAIRS

As the Secretary of Economic Affairs, Government of India, Mr. Mehrishi was involved in several remarkable decisions and achievements of the ministry, during his tenure. Some of them included the Monetary Policy Framework Agreement between the RBI and the Central Government, the writing of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, and the amendments to the Foreign Exchange Management Act, among others.

PANCHAYAT ELECTIONS IN BIKANER

Sharing his experiences in the panchayat elections of Ajmer, Mr. Mehrishi said that all polling officers would stand in the scorching sun for hours in a queue in front of the counters to collect poll stationery. Therefore, when the 1984 Parliament Elections took place, during his tenure as the DM of Bikaner, he decided to change the order. “We arranged for a large hall and asked them to come in batches, every 45 minutes, sit on their assigned desks, after which our people went to every desk to distribute the ballots.” 

He further arranged for fireplaces on the site of polling stations, set up tea stalls free of cost, to protect them from the cold pangs of the chilly winter nights, and ensured that no one should have to stand in line for hours.

OUTSOURCING EVEN BEFORE IT WAS TRENDING

In 1988, when he was posted as the Director of Agriculture, the department had to shift to a new building and Mr. Mehrishi was called by the Chief Secretary and asked to move by the next week.

He soon realized that they had sanctioned 64 posts of Group D employees to clean the building. He observed that the government had to bear a huge cost for the workers. Therefore, Mr. Mehrishi went to the Finance Secretary at the time and proposed the idea of getting the work done from an outside agency.

“That system is now endemic in a much-evolved form in the entire country. Our contract wasn’t for the number of people assigned but the service that we wished to receive. It was specified in the contract which made things turn for the good,” he told Indian Masterminds. 

That way, he started outsourcing much before it became the norm for various government departments. 

Post-retirement too, Mr. Mehrishi has not been sitting idle. He has a number of consultancy assignments for which he keeps traveling between his native place Jaipur and his adopted place of residence New Delhi, and other cities where his work takes him. And on the side, he keeps making pickles as his favorite pastime. “It’s my best stress-buster,” he says, before signing off.


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
IAS Officers Indian Administrative Services
IAS Sanjay Garg Appointed OSD at BIS, to Take Over as DG in Nov; IAS Chandra Sekhar Gets Addl Charge as Parliamentary Affairs Secretary
NCST Holds Review Meeting with NHPC
NCST Holds Review Meeting with NHPC on Implementation of Safeguards for Scheduled Tribe Employees
MP CM Collector Award Niti Aayog
Sampurnata Abhiyan: Madhya Pradesh Leads NITI Aayog Campaign; Collectors from 8 Districts Win Gold
Mohan Yadav
MP CM Mohan Yadav Pushes for Sustainable, Community-Driven Rural Water Policy; Targets 100% Tap Coverage by March 2027
Ajay Bhadoo IAS
IAS Ajay Bhadoo Gets Extended Term as DGFT - What It Means & His Career Journey
THDCIL_Receives_ABMS_Certification_for_Integrity_and_Transparency
THDC India (THDCIL) Awarded ISO 37001:2016 Anti-Bribery Certification by BIS - Details Inside
Ministry of Environment
Environment Ministry Clarifies Petrol Vehicle Tender, Cites E-Vehicle Flexibility
Bokaro Steel Plant
PESB Selects Priya Ranjan to Head Bokaro Steel Plant, SAIL’s Key Production Unit
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Dr
Resisted Flawed Schemes, Transferred Thrice In Three Months, Found Solace In Writing
WhatsApp Image 2025-08-11 at 4.48
IAS SVR Srinivas on Mumbai Trans Harbour Link, Tough Calls, and the Real Power of IAS Officers | Video Interview
WhatsApp Image 2025-08-08 at 5.25
Dharavi Redevelopment: IAS Minds Turning 100-Year-Old Slum into a Modern City | Video Interview
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
IAS Officers Indian Administrative Services
IAS Sanjay Garg Appointed OSD at BIS, to Take Over as DG in Nov; IAS Chandra Sekhar Gets Addl Charge as Parliamentary Affairs Secretary
IFS S Krithiga
Eco-Friendly Cottages, Tribal Cuisine, and Conservation: Inside Tamil Nadu’s Pachamalai Project
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Dr
WhatsApp Image 2025-08-11 at 4.48
WhatsApp Image 2025-08-08 at 5.25
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT