https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Reviving Captain Simpson’s Pond

A beautiful, but subsequently damaged and forgotten pond of British era, has just been brought back to its original condition. Also brought down on the mat are the unscrupulous sand mafias- and all this is done by IAS officer Ms Vijaya Jadhav.
Indian Masterminds Stories

In 1857, the year of India’s first war of Independence, a British officer known as Captain J Simpson got a pond constructed in the Hazaribagh district of Bihar (now in Jharkhand). With the passage of decades, both Simpson and the pond slipped into the forgotten pages of history. Until the 2015-batch IAS officer currently posted in Hazaribagh, Ms Vijay Jadhav gave one hard look at the decaying and forlorn water body and decided it was worth a resurrection.

AN ALMOST DEAD POND IS BROUGHT BACK TO LIFE

For several decades after Simpson’s decades, the pond remained a major tourist destination of the region. People would come here from near and far, marveling at its beauty. And then, it fell into the hands of meat vendors.

Ms Jadhav was apparently aghast at the brutality carried out on this piece of history. She found that the meat vendors had been using the pond as a dumping ground. With the result that the colour of its water changed, what with all the waste and blood from the butchers’ shops reaching here endlessly all these years.

Ms. Jadhav is currently the Director of Urban Development & housing department, Jharkhand

Determined to give new life to the pond, Ms. Jadhav took this project in her hands. After a cleansing process which went on for many months, the pond was restored to its pristine glory. The squatters too were booted out. Ms Jadhav did not stop here. An amusement park and cafeteria has also been constructed within the boundary of this pond. With flowers, trees and beautifully constructed siting areas now adorning the place, this pond is fast regaining its lost popularity among the people. The name of pond and park has been now changed as Zila Parishad Park after the opposition of people there.

Hailing from Pune in Maharashtra, Ms Jadhav is a Jharkhand cadre officer. She got her first independent posting as SDM Giridih, where she controlled several illegal activities, including those carried out by sand mafias.

During the lockdown Ms Jadhav set up a community kitchen to help the needy in Hazaribagh. Every day, she could be seen there chopping vegetables or making chapatis for the poor. Around 40,000 packets of food were distributed from this kitchen during the lockdown period. 

Ms. Vijaya Jadhav is an IAS of Jharkhand cadre and 2015 batch

CHANGING THE FACE OF GIRIDIH

Ms. Jadhav came to Giridih, Jharkhand as SDM in 2017. The district is one of most backward in India. Due to the lack of infrastructure and a robust system, it become the den of many illegal activities. In November 2017, Ms. Jadhav suddenly visited a bank of the river used for sand mining. This activity of hers put the mafias in shock. Straightway, she seized around 40 trucks of sands which were overloaded and being send to Bihar without proper permission. 

She also took strict action against all the people associated with this crime. 

In the similar way, Ms Jadhav she raided other illegal business involved in selling firecrackers as well as cow-slaughters. With her fearless attitude and demonstration of no-nonsense approach, the criminals in Giridih promptly fell in line. Also observed was a marked decrease in the incidents of corruption in the Government departments there. 

In Hazaribagh, Ms Jadhav was posted as the Deputy Development Commissioner. At present, she is with the Urban Development & Housing Department of Jharkhand Governor. 


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
Indian Police Services IPS Officer
Bihar: 12 IPS Officers Transferred in Major Reshuffle, Vaibhav Sharma Made SP, Research Control, CID, Patna
Mohan Yadav
CM Mohan Yadav Inaugurates “Building Cities of Tomorrow” Exhibition at MP Growth Conclave 2025
Mohan-Yadav-resized-1
MP CM Mohan Yadav: Under PM Modi’s Vision, MP Working to Secure a Golden Future for Children
MP Growth Conclave 2025
MP Growth Conclave 2025: Rs30,000 Cr Investment Proposals & Urban Push in Indore, CM Yadav Vows Real Estate & Infra Boom
TAX
India’s Direct Tax Collection for FY 2025-26 Reaches ₹6.64 Lakh Crore
hindustan aeronautics limited - HAL
HAL Declares Rs15 Final Dividend for FY25, Total Payout Reaches Record Rs40/Share; Shareholders Must Submit Tax Declarations by Aug 21
Numaligarh Refinery
Numaligarh Refinery Ltd (NRL) Wins ‘Efficient Refinery of the Year’ at GRPC 2025
Railtel
RailTel Gets Rs10.27 Cr Work Order from Indian Overseas Bank, Execution by Aug 7
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Ravi Kapoor
Why Ex-IRS Officer Ravi Kapoor Walked Away from Power
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
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
Sushmitha and Ishwarya Ramanathan
Their Home Was Washed Away — Sushmitha & Ishwarya Built a Legacy Instead
Sushmitha and Ishwarya lost their home to the 2004 tsunami. But with books, belief, and each other, they...
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...
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
Indian Police Services IPS Officer
Bihar: 12 IPS Officers Transferred in Major Reshuffle, Vaibhav Sharma Made SP, Research Control, CID, Patna
Mohan Yadav
CM Mohan Yadav Inaugurates “Building Cities of Tomorrow” Exhibition at MP Growth Conclave 2025
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Ravi Kapoor
WhatsApp Image 2025-07-07 at 3.15
WhatsApp Image 2025-07-03 at 13.33
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT