https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Become Fit to Develop Strong Immunity: An IAS Officer’s ‘Mantra’

Going to market to buy vegetables, going on long walks in this Himalayan region has been a regular practice with the IAS officer Ram Singh. Not only did it help him remain fit, it also gave him ideas to keep people healthy during the ongoing pandemic.
Indian Masterminds Stories

At a time where we are in the middle of a pandemic, what with India being listed as the second most affected country after the USA, maintaining good mental and physical health is paramount. Many civil servants have turned out as real warriors in fighting the disease, and some in spreading awareness among the population. Here is a shining example of an IAS officer of Assam and Meghalaya cadre, Mr. Ram Singh, who has been working immensely towards making his district cleaner, greener and healthier.

Mr. Singh has also been spreading the message of ensuring and maintaining fitness in his day to day life.

He is a 2008 batch IAS officer and was posted as the Deputy Commissioner at West Garo Hills in 2017 with its administrative headquarter in Tura town in the state of Meghalaya. Mr. Singh while speaking about the importance of maintaining fitness, said “At a time like this it is very important for people to change their behaviour and help in making a healthier environment. Maintaining fitness is something people should follow in their daily routine and not only during a pandemic. However, during Covid pandemic, it has become quite necessary for people to invest at least 1-2 hours daily in physical activities to build a strong immune system.”

Mr. Ram Singh during paddy harvesting season in Pagugre village

MONITORING THE DISTRICT DURING MORNING WALKS

Despite having a busy work schedule, Mr. Ram has a daily schedule of going on a morning walk along with his wife. During this time, he not only focuses on his physical fitness but also gets an opportunity to observe whether things are properly managed in the district. While speaking with Indian Masterminds, he said “A morning walk fixes many things for me. It helps me in having a fresh morning, maintain my mental and physical well-being, interact with people, and inspire them. My wife and I also pick different routes along the town and monitor how things are being operated in the district, like how the solid waste management is being done, the condition of the road, and whether there are lapses in services affecting people’s day to day life. Working in the public administration, our work is not only limited to the office but many things are there in the field which we need to take care of.”

Interacting with people

This approach of interacting with people in the field gives him the opportunity to know about various problems of people which is difficult for him to gather while working in the office.

WALKING 10 KMS TO BUY ORGANIC VEGETABLES FROM LOCAL VENDORS

Apart from taking out time for physical activities and interacting with local people, every week mostly on Saturdays, Mr. Singh and his wife walk 10 kilometers in the district to buy vegetables from the local vendors. This became quite popular after Mr. Singh’s social media post went viral last year in which he is carrying a ‘Kokcheng’ (a local bamboo basket) on his back and is seen buying the vegetables.

Mr. Ram Singh carrying a ‘Kokcheng’ and buying vegetables from local vendors

This initiative was a wonder in itself, as it aimed at mitigating the effects of high vehicular use and steep auto fares. Not only this, but it also helped the local vegetable vendors who used to sell vegetables at traditional weekly markets. Mr. Singh said, “Being a backward area, the tradition and culture of West Garo Hills is completely different from other areas. The usage of local vegetables is more than the vegetables used in the cities. With modernity, new vegetables started coming in the traditional market and one of my focus was to highlight it so that people get encouraged in buying it. Apart from this I also ensured not to use vehicles for short distances so that the person’s physique is also in order and there is less pollution. The state government also came out with schemes and programs in which people can call and get the vegetables, this has also helped in the modernization of the traditional markets.”

OTHER INITIATIVES

To make his district greener and healthier, Mr. Singh has been involved in various cleanliness drives. He has also initiated campaigns against plastic use. He actively takes part in these cleanliness drives to ensure that people are encouraged and do not feel that cleaning is defined for a specific category of people. Plastic reuse and recycle drives have also been conducted by Mr. Singh, in which they have used plastic bottles to make community toilets etc.

Mr. Ram Singh taking part in the cleanliness drive

Mr. Singh said, “At the community level people were earlier into shifting cultivation, which mainly consisted of slash and burn agricultural practices. While we visit villages in the area, we ensure people follow sustainable agriculture so that livelihood is secured, and also with the influx of new technology, people in these villages are exposed to modern agricultural practices. Similarly, we also encourage people to participate in animal husbandry for sustainable development.’’

In the current pandemic, Meghalaya is among the least affected states in the country. Mr. Singh said, “Meghalaya adapted completely different protocols, in which caution was the most important element. The movement among the people was not much, and also very few people had moved out of the state. Therefore those who returned were also very few. Everybody has been monitored and scanned. The ones who have been returning back to the state were kept in isolation centers and tested for Covid19. This checked the spread of disease. Till date, the district has around 150 active cases, which are being taken care of effectively.”

Not surprisingly, these fitness drives and other initiatives are being appreciated by many people- even outside Meghalaya.


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
ACC_Appointments Committee of Cabinet
IDES Aseem Kumar’s Tenure at MNRE Extended by 2 Years; IRSME Sushil Kumar Singh to Continue Addl Charge of Mumbai Port Authority
Indian Forest Services IFS officer
IFS Officer Priya Ranjan Gets Extension as Managing Director of National Horticulture Board - Know More!
RCIL RAILTel
RailTel Selects Techno Electric as Partner for 10MW Data Centre in Noida on Revenue-Sharing Basis - Details Inside
Squadron-Leader-Manisha-Padhi
Who Is Squadron Leader Manisha Padhi, Who Becomes India’s First Woman Aide-de-Camp?
Sundarban Forest
West Bengal to Replace 56 km of Nylon Nets in Sunderbans to Prevent Tiger Intrusion into Villages - Details Inside
IRS Officer Indian revenue Services
CBI Orders Attachment of ₹7 Crore Properties in Corruption Case Involving IRS Officer Amit Nigam - Details Inside
IAS B Ashok
Setback for Kerala Govt: CAT Quashes IAS B Ashok’s Appointment as LSG Reforms Commission Chairman - Details Inside
cybercrime
How a Fake Terror Probe Call Led to a Retired Doctor Being Duped of ₹2.2 Crore by Cyber Fraudsters Posing as IPS, NIA Officers
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Monika Singh
Monika Singh’s Life Beyond the Bureaucracy | Video Interview 
IAS Tushar G Nikhare
Modernising Governance: A Digital Transformation in Gangtok
IMG-20250523-WA0036
Abhishek Singh's SECRET: Vipassana, Anthropology & Smart Answer Writing | Video Interview 
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
Divyanshu pal Nagar IFS
Stumbled in CSE, Triumphed in IFS: The Inspiring Journey of Divyanshu Pal Nagar
Divyanshu Pal Nagar’s inspiring five-year UPSC journey shows how perseverance, disciplined self-study,...
ANUBHAV SINGH UPSC IFS 2024
9 Years, 8 Attempts, 7 Failures: How Anubhav Singh Cracked UPSC IFS 2024 with AIR 3 Against All Odds | Exclusive
Anubhav Singh’s inspiring journey to UPSC IFS Rank 3 showcases relentless perseverance, strategic preparation,...
Jogender Sihag
“I Cleared UPSC, But My Grandfather isn’t Here to Hear it,” Jogender Sihag, AIR 521, UPSC CSE 2024
"Life is short; make the most of it, whether in civil service or any other field. Just have a clear vision...
Social Media
Tiger jump Sundarban
Stunning Viral Video Shows Royal Bengal Tiger Making Spectacular 30-Foot Leap Across River in Sunderbans - See It Here
Retired Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer Susanta Nanda shared the clip online, which quickly went...
shubham kumar ias marriage
IAS Topper Weds BPSC Topper: Shubham Kumar Marries IRS Officer Priyangi Mehta in Patna; Wedding Video Goes Viral
Topper Couple Alert: Shubham Kumar, Priyangi Mehta’s Wedding Grabs Spotlight in Bihar
parveen kaswan elephant
Elephant Outsmarts Electric Fence! IFS Parveen Kaswan Shares Incredible Video!
In the now-viral 51-second clip, the intelligent giant approaches a wooden pole supporting high-voltage...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
Divyanshu pal Nagar IFS
Stumbled in CSE, Triumphed in IFS: The Inspiring Journey of Divyanshu Pal Nagar
ACC_Appointments Committee of Cabinet
IDES Aseem Kumar’s Tenure at MNRE Extended by 2 Years; IRSME Sushil Kumar Singh to Continue Addl Charge of Mumbai Port Authority
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Monika Singh
IAS Tushar G Nikhare
IMG-20250523-WA0036
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT