https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

This Young IAS officer Recently Got a Place in the PMO, And For A Reason

Mangesh Ghildiyal believes in taking unorthodox, and much quicker, steps to solve issues- whether it is asking his own wife to fill up a vacant teacher’s position in a school or ensuring efficient reconstruction of Kedarnath region after the unprecedented floods there.
Indian Masterminds Stories

At times, decisions taken in the heat of the moment hit the bulls’ eye, while long-drawn-out office meetings to sort out an issue only aggravate it further. This is what happened a few years ago in the hill town of Rudraprayag in Uttarakhand.

Mr. Mangesh Ghildiyal, the IAS officer posted there, went to the Government’s Girl Inter-College on an inspection, only to find that it was sorely missing the science teacher. Ghildiyal did not spend too much time on the problem; he asked his wife Ms. Usha if she could double up as a science teacher.

Mr. Mangesh Ghildiyal with his wife Ms. Usha

The wife agreed. And for the next two and a half years, the IAS officer’s wife Ms. Usha continued teaching in the school.

This is just one of the many examples of Mr. Ghildiyal’s resourcefulness. Subsequently, he got posting as district collector of Tehri, but the stories of this solution-oriented bureaucrats started spreading out. It, therefore, did not come as surprise to many when very recently he was handpicked and inducted in the Prime Minister’s Office, at a fairly young age of 34.

Speaking with Indian Masterminds, Mr. Ghildiyal made light the school incidents. “It was a regular inspection and when I found out that the students are facing trouble, I sent my wife to teach them. This benefitted the students in overall academics,” he said modestly.

GIVING A NEW FACE TO THE KEDARNATH TEMPLE

The massive floods in Uttarakhand in 2013, causing unprecedented damage and loss of life in the Kedarnath region, is still fresh in peoples’ minds. After the 2004 Tsunami, it’s counted as the biggest tragedy to have struck India- with over 5,000 people feared dead in Kedarnath. The recently deceased actor Sushant Singh Rajput played a pivotal role in the film `Kedarnath’, which highlighted this tragedy.

Kedarnath movie starring late actor Sushant Singh Rajput and Sara Ali Khan
Kedarnath movie starring late actor Sushant Singh Rajput and Sara Ali Khan

But a big credit to reconstruction work of the area in and around Kedarnath goes to the IAS officer Mangesh Ghildiyal. The crucial construction of protective walls around the Saraswati and Mandakini rivers were carried out during his tenure here.

The 2013 Kedarnath floods are among the worst natural disasters the country suffered after the 2004 Tsunami; more than 5,500 people were presumed dead by the heavy rainfall, after several cloudbursts in the area.

During his stint as the DM of Rudraprayag in 2017, he was made in charge of the reconstruction work which was to be done in Kedarnath where the massive destruction was caused. In his presence, the construction of protective walls of the Saraswati and Mandakini river was completed in the set duration.

Mr. Ghildiyal on reconstruction site inspection with other officials

Mr. Ghildiyal has famous for his style of work, which includes surprise field visits. During the Kedarnath ‘yatra’ of 2019, he dressed as a tourist (even putting on a tourist hat) and mingled with the crowd to see the arrangements for himself. Here, he discovered two water-tanks with not a drop of water in them and promptly recommended the suspension of two engineers of the Uttarakhand Jal Sansthan.

Kedarnath Yatra

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also visited the reconstruction site twice and took stock of the ongoing process through video conferencing. Perhaps it was during these interactions that Mr. Ghildiyal’s work was noticed, leading to his posting in the PMO.

SURPRISE RAID IN COVID CARE CENTER

Mr. Mangesh Ghildiyal, IAS Officer

Fond of making surprise checks, and often in disguise, Mr. Ghildiyal made one such visit to the Sursingdhar Covide Centre in Uttarakhand. To his shock, he discovered major regulations and safety measures were being flouted with impunity. So much so that instead of providing healthy food to the patients, the officials were feeding them with junk items like ‘chole bhature’. Not surprisingly, after Mr Ghildiyal’s unannounced visit and a rebuke to the canteen manager and other officials, the COVID centre was put on the correct path.


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
G S Roshni
Kerala’s Fearless Forest Officer G.S. Roshni Rescues 16-Foot King Cobra with Bare Hands, Garners Praise & Critique
IAS Officers Indian Administrative Services (IAS)
Haryana Govt Moves for Forced Retirement of IAS Officer Rani Nagar After Prolonged Absence
moil india
MOIL Ltd Bags Prestigious IBM 5-Star Rating Award for Excellence in Responsible Mining
One Nation One Election
Former CJIs Endorse 'One Nation, One Election' but Flag Concerns Over EC's Powers
NLC-INDIA-resized-neyvili
NLC India Approves ₹1,631 Crore Capital Boost for Renewable Subsidiary, Secures $100 Million ECB from Japan’s SMBC
NMDC Steel Ltd
Priyadarshini Gaddam Gets 6-Month Extension as Director (Finance) at NMDC Steel Ltd - Know More About Her
ips-officer Latest
ED Records Statement in New Money Laundering Case Against IPS Officer’s Husband
Sarbananda Sonowal
₹5,000 Crore Push for Northeast Waterways: Sonowal Unveils Major Connectivity, Tourism & Skill Development Plan
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
WhatsApp Image 2025-07-07 at 3.15
The Martial Artist IRS Officer Who Conquered North East India on a Cycle
WhatsApp Image 2025-07-03 at 13.33
IRS Sanjay Bahadur: The Officer With a Pen That Bites | Video Interview
Inderjit Singh Air India
Is Air India Carrying The Burden of Split Before Privatisation?
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
IAS SHWETA BHARTI Bihar
From Wipro to Civil Services: How Bihar's IAS Shweta Bharti Juggled a BPSC Job While Preparing for UPSC
IAS Shweta Bharti, from rural Bihar, balanced a full-time job and UPSC prep with discipline, cracked...
IPS Deepak Meghani
Deepak Meghani, IPS: A Journey of Focus, Failure, and Quiet Discipline
A passionate writer, he has authored several books in Gujarati, ranging from exam strategy guides to...
Sanish Kumar Singh
“If you want it badly enough, you’ll find a way,” Sanish Kumar Singh AIR 8, UPSC IFS 2024 
The real interview, he says, was much more humane. “The board was conversational. The chairman opened...
Social Media
G S Roshni
Kerala’s Fearless Forest Officer G.S. Roshni Rescues 16-Foot King Cobra with Bare Hands, Garners Praise & Critique
Beat Forest Officer G.S. Roshni’s first-ever king cobra rescue goes viral, earning her the title of ‘Green...
Kaziranga Baby Elephant
Chotu the Baby Elephant Reunited with Mother in Kaziranga: Retired IFS Officer’s Post Goes Viral
A baby elephant's emotional reunion with its mother in Kaziranga, shared by retired IFS officer Susanta...
PV Sindhu
PV Sindhu’s Visit to NADT Turns into a Wholesome Tribute to Legacy—and ‘Moolchandj
The Olympic champion shared nostalgic memories, met aspiring IRS officers, and sparked viral laughter...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
G S Roshni
Kerala’s Fearless Forest Officer G.S. Roshni Rescues 16-Foot King Cobra with Bare Hands, Garners Praise & Critique
IAS Officers Indian Administrative Services (IAS)
Haryana Govt Moves for Forced Retirement of IAS Officer Rani Nagar After Prolonged Absence
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
WhatsApp Image 2025-07-07 at 3.15
WhatsApp Image 2025-07-03 at 13.33
Inderjit Singh Air India
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT