https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

When A Passion Becomes An Occupation 

Indian Masterminds Stories

For a working professional, there can be no greater blessing than to be able to blend your hobby or passion into your vocation. In this way, one can achieve ultimate job satisfaction and every moment spent working can be an experience of sheer joy. 

This is exactly what happened with Ms. Nirupama Kotru, an IRS officer of 1992 batch. She loves to write and is passionate about poetry, literature, theatre, music, and films. She has always been a movie buff and this passion became a part of her job, when in 2012, she was posted as the Director of Films in the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Government of India. 

In an exclusive conversation with Indian Masterminds, Ms. Kotru spoke about her stint as Director of Films in I&B and in the Ministry of Culture.

PROMOTING HER PASSION

Watching and then talking about movies of different genres, languages and industries have always been a part of Ms. Kotru’s life. Hence, her excitement knew no bounds when she was appointed as the Director  of Films under the I&B ministry. Talking about it, she said, “I was really excited to take up the job. Today, when I look back, I feel very satisfied about the work I did there. Those are some of my best learning experiences and I still cherish those three years.” 

During her stint there, she ensured India’s participation in prestigious film festivals like Cannes, Berlin and Toronto, and also promoted Indian cinema at home by organizing three editions each of the International Film Festival of India in Goa and the National Film Awards. She also played an important role in the setting up of the India Pavilion in those particular film festivals. 

She also looked after the administration of media units of the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting such as NFDC, as well as policy matters like censorship. She helped set up a single window clearance system for film shooting and laid the groundwork for setting up of the National Institute of Animation, Gaming and Visual Effects, among others. 

GOT UNESCO RECOGNITION FOR DURGA PUJA

The ten days festival of Durga Puja has just ended. The Puja celebration in West Bengal and the ambience during those days are surreal. However, this heritage of our country was not recognised till Ms. Kotru pushed for it. As Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, she managed to get UNESCO recognition for many intangible heritages of our country and Durga Puja of West Bengal is one. The nomination was filed in 2019 and the confirmation came in 2021. Not only this, she also ensured recognition for Mumbai as a creative city of films and Srinagar as a creative city for art and craft under UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN). UNCCN is a project of UNESCO launched in 2004. The idea behind this is to promote cooperation among cities which recognized creativity as a major factor in their urban development.

On the recognition of Mumbai, Ms. Kotru said, “I was quite surprised to know that we hadn’t filled the nomination till then. It should have been done a decade back. Hundreds of films are made every year in that city and it’s not hard to get the recognition. Still, I had to push the local administration and the state government a lot to go for it.”

As Joint Secretary, Ministry of Culture, she helped redefine the roles of prestigious National Academies such as Sahitya Akademi, National School of Drama and Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts, where she introduced several initiatives such as Sangam App under National Audio Visual Archives, Vedic Heritage Portal, National Manuscripts Mission, etc. She also helped modernize iconic museums like the Victoria Memorial and the Indian Museum in Kolkata and the National Museum in Delhi, and was responsible for setting up several new galleries, such as Ajanta (AR-VR) gallery at the National Museum. In 2019, she facilitated India’s participation, after a hiatus of 8 years, at the prestigious Venice Biennale.

CURRENT GOALS

Currently, as Joint Secretary and Financial Advisor in the Coal Ministry with additional charge of JS&FA Ministries of Mines, Ms. Kotru’s agenda is focused on sustainability in the coal and mining industry, while diversifying in clean energy which can reduce carbon footprints. She also holds additional charge as JS&FA, Minority Affairs, which aims to educate and skill minorities (among other initiatives) for ensuring a better life for them.


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
Haryana gov resized
Haryana Set to Promote Two IPS Officers to Director General of Police
Complaint
Complaint Filed Against Senior IPS Officer for Sending Inappropriate Messages
Jammu and Kashmir Government
Three IAS Officers Assigned New Postings in J&K; Check Names Here
IAS Officers Indian Administrative Services
Senior IAS Officer Rajendra Ratnoo Opts for Voluntary Retirement
SEBI
SEBI Appoints 3 New Executive Directors: Amit Pradhan, Avneesh Pandey & Sanjay Purao Take Charge
Lateral_entry_resized
No Reservation in Lateral Govt Job Entries, Centre Tells Rajya Sabha Citing Single-Post Rule
DelhiPolice
Top-Level Shake-Up in Delhi Police: 3 IPS Officers Reassigned Amid Security Concerns; Chahal Named DG, Civil Defence
mp
MP’s ₹3 Lakh Crore Infrastructure Boom: 255 km Greenfield Highway, ₹5,500 Cr Tiger Corridor Among Key Road Projects
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
Haryana gov resized
Haryana Set to Promote Two IPS Officers to Director General of Police
Complaint
Complaint Filed Against Senior IPS Officer for Sending Inappropriate Messages
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