https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

‘Mother, I have Become a Collector’

Son of manual labourers, the above is the title of IAS officer Rajesh Patil’s autobiographical work. His true story of many struggles, and victories over them, should be an inspiration for many among us.
Indian Masterminds Stories

Despite crushing poverty, Mr. Rajesh Patil nursed the burning ambition of becoming a civil servant. Beating all odds, he became an IAS officer in 2005, making his mother the happiest person ever. However, his journey was not a bed of roses. He had to toil really hard to reach wherever he is now. In a conversation with Indian Masterminds, Mr. Rajesh opens up about his life, work, and journey so far.

Sold Bread to Support the Family

Mr. Patil hailed from an extremely impoverished family, where both his parents worked hard as manual laborers.

“We belong to a small village in Jalgaon in the Khandesh region in Maharashtra. My parents had a small patch of agricultural land, and often had to fall back on manual labor to make sure that we received education. The struggle for survival was hard” he recalled.

As a child, seeing his parents struggle to make ends meet, Mr. Patil ended up selling bread and vegetables to support his family. It was then that he realized he wished to enter into civil services because he wanted to do something for the people fighting with poverty. He studied hard and finally cleared his UPSC examination in 2005.

Rajesh Patil with his wife and mother

Ensuring Water Supply

Mr. Patil joined the service under Odisha cadre and worked as the Sub-Divisional Magistrate in Athgarh, Koraput, in 2006. Since then, he has worked in various fields to provide relief and help the citizens in need. In 2014, he brought water supply without using electricity to a tribal village called Kendhujhari in Mayurbhanj District in Odisha. Its remote location forced residents to fetch water from a stream named Belda, which dried up during peak summer and brought famine-like conditions, every year. He worked at preserving spring water, filtering it, creating pressure, and routing it through the terrain to the households and farms. He envisioned the project in 2014 and it got completed in 2015. The villagers, who used to walk 5km to fetch water, now get it at home and the land is flourishing with lush green crops.

The tribal village receives water throughout the year now.

MGNREGA implementation

Under the care of Mr. Patil, Mayurbhanj was adjudged as the best district for effective implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee (MGNREGA) Scheme in 2015. Under it, the district provided employment to 2.9 lakh people of two lakh households.

“The district has achieved path-breaking results with respect to need-based planning at the grassroots through special initiative of Gram Sabha and Palli Sabha, effective execution in ensuring social audit through ‘Ama Kama, Ama Grama, Ame Tadarakh Kariaba,’ the innovative way of monitoring and supervision,” said Mr. Patil.

IAS Rajesh Patil effectively implemented MGNREGA

Making Mayurbhanj India’s first Child Labor Free District

Year 2016 brought another feather in Mr. Patil’s cap, and that was when he made Mayurbhanj a child labor free district. He was able to manage the rescue of 365 child labors working in brick cleaning. Their parents were counseled and these children were freed so they could pursue their education. Not only that, the administration also provided them with basic requirements so that they would not have to struggle to survive.

“We were able to rescue children who came from from Jharkhand, Bengal, Maharashtra and Gujarat. All govt staffs like BDOs, Tehsildars, School Inspectors, and NGOs have joined hands in protecting children and rescuing those working in dhabas, hotels, tea stalls and brick kilns,” he said.

Mr. Patil with the child labors he rescued

Tai, Mi Collector Vhayanu

Mr. Patil has written an autobiographical book called ‘Tai, Mi Collector Vhayanu’ which translates to ‘Ma, I have become a collector’. It is not just another success story, but a riveting account of rural India where, at many places, no enlightening thought has reached till this date. It portrays social, political and cultural reality in a typical village in Maharashtra, in a clear and forthright manner. The book is written to present this picture to those educated urban people who have not seen it. The book aims to reveal how the real India is different; she is unknown to most of us who live in cities. With a view to serving this section of the society, the writer fought relentlessly with all odds to get his IAS and serve in underdeveloped parts of India as a Collector. The book was originally written in Marathi and has been translated into Gujarati, Odia, and Hindi.

His book ‘Ma, I have become a collector’

At present, Mr. Rajesh Patil is posted as the Director of the National Rural Livelihood Mission.


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
NALCO
NALCO Refutes Reports of Capex Deferral, Confirms Rs 30,000 Crore Smelter Expansion is on Track - Know the Matter
Northern-Coalfields-Limited-NCL-Resized
NCL Signs MoU to Support Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities in Singrauli - All Details Inside
Ruchika Chauhan IAS
Leading By Example: Gwalior DC Ruchika Chauhan Arrives At Her Office Boarding An E-Rickshaw! Delivers A Strong Message On World Environment Day
KVIC Khadi and Village Industries
KVIC Disburses Rs. 300 Crore Margin Money Subsidy Under PMEGP to Boost Self-Employment - Details Inside
HUDCO New Logo
HUDCO Champions Green Urban Development on World Environment Day 2025
Mayur Dixit IAS
Who is IAS Mayur Dixit, the New DM of Haridwar? Uttarakhand Bureaucracy in Buzz Amid Land Scam Fallout
Prime Minister’s Museum & Library, Delhi1
IRSME Ashwani Lohani Appointed Director of Prime Minister’s Museum & Library, Delhi - Know More About Him & the Historic Institution
World Environment Day
PSUs Observe World Environment Day 2025 with Strong Commitment to Sustainability and Green Practices - Check Here!
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
5 Years, 5 Mains, 4 Interviews: How Divyanshu Pal Nagar Stumbled in CSE, Triumphed in IFS - A Lesson for Every Aspirant
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
NALCO
NALCO Refutes Reports of Capex Deferral, Confirms Rs 30,000 Crore Smelter Expansion is on Track - Know the Matter
Northern-Coalfields-Limited-NCL-Resized
NCL Signs MoU to Support Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities in Singrauli - All Details Inside
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Monika Singh
IAS Tushar G Nikhare
IMG-20250523-WA0036
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT