https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Seeing Hope in Darkness

IAS officer Chhavi Bhardwaj, has proved that the most dismal situations can be looked upon as opportunities. It was this attitude which helped her in changing the lives of people in Dindori, one of the most backward districts of Madhya Pradesh.
Indian Masterminds Stories

There are places in India nobody wants to go to, even the civil servants. One such unwanted place is Dindori district of Madhya Pradesh. Two distinct features characterize this district: lack of social life and influence of naxalism. Is it, therefore, any wonder that the past two decades have seen postings of 15 collectors here? 

But this trend finally got broken when Ms Chavi Bhardwaj became the Collector of Dindori. She held this position till recently- and she has been the longest serving collector of the district, for close to three years. One attribute which made Ms Bhardwaj different from her predecessors was her outlook. She took her her stint in Dindori as an opportunity, rather than a punishment which should be suffered in silence or run away from.

During her tenure here, she proved to be a highly efficient and pro-development officer. One of her most successful initiatives has been Project `Akanksha’.

Project `Akanksha’

The literacy rate of Dindori is around 71 %, which is more than many regions of Madhya Pradesh. But still it is one of the most backward areas in terms of development and naxalism here is also a big concern. In an interview, Ms. Bhardwaj said, “It was a challenging posting. The social life is zero here but that has proved to be a blessing in disguise for me. It helped me a lot in solving the grassroot problems like corruption”. 

She is currently additional commissioner Tribal Development

Ms. Bhardwaj, who was an engineer before joining civil services, had a shocking experience in her early days as a bureaucrat when a municipal officer offered her bribe. She didn’t let go of this and took strict action him. Unlike other district collectos, she was very punctual while serving in the district. She would be in office before 10 am. On Thursdays and Saturdays, she would go for field visits and meet peoples in the villages. People had immense trust and faith on her. They would listen to whatever she said and acted accordingly. 

When she launched Project ‘Akanksha’, people came forward to help her in every way. Under this scheme, 100 meritorious students were chosen for IIT training in collaboration with Resonance, a Kota-based coaching institute. 

“Since the district is categorised as a left-wing extremism affected district, it was important to pay urgent attention to the young and jobless. It is these men who are recruited by Maoists, who have a serious presence in the neighbouring Chhattisgarh. Thus was born `Akankha ‘(aspirations)”, she said. 

To keep Project `Akanksha’ alive and running, Ms Bhardwaj utilised funds from the integrated action plan for tackling naxalism. Apart from this she also initiated many other projects in Dindori.

A 2008 batch officer, Ms Bhardwaj is currently posted as additional commissioner (Tribal Development) in Madhya Pradesh. Earlier, she was also associated with the state government as Deputy Secretary. 


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
BPCL_resized
BPCL’s Sanjay Khanna Conferred with “TITAN - Refining Innovation Award” for Pioneering Excellence in HSE and Refining
Vartika Shukla CMD of EIL (1)
Vartika Shukla, CMD of EIL, Honored with Women’s Leadership Award at IOGTC 2025 - Know About Her
Judiciary_india
Karnataka Bar Council Urges Supreme Court Collegium to Reconsider Transfer of Four High Court Judges
NTPC Green Energy Ltd NGEL
NTPC Green Board to Consider Rs 5,000 Crore Bond Issue in FY26
Govt
5 Officers Reshuffled in Uttarakhand Secretariat
Indian Oil IOCL
Indian Oil to Invest Rs. 24,000 Crore in Gujarat for Refinery Expansion and Petrochemical Projects
IFS Indian Forest Service resized (IFoS)
14 IFS and 6 State Forest Service Officers Transferred in Madhya Pradesh, HU Khan Made CF&CEO (CAMPA) at HQ, Bhopal
Concor and gail MoU
CONCOR and GAIL Sign MoU to Promote Clean Fuel and Green Logistics
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
WAVES 2025 (Ashutosh Mohile)
A Davos-Like Media & Entertainment Summit in Mumbai
Aditya Vikram Agarwal
The Shouts of Joy Were Real: Aditya’s UPSC Rank 9 Was a Family Celebration
Dr Lokesh M IAS
E-Rickshaw Chaos, Waterlogging, Traffic Mess — Can Noida Fix Its Daily Chaos? | Exclusive with Dr Lokesh M, IAS
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
Aditya Vikram Agarwal
The Shouts of Joy Were Real: Aditya’s UPSC Rank 9 Was a Family Celebration
“UPSC is not the only path. If you are in any field… UPSC is not the only way to serve the nation. Be...
Raj Krishna Jha UPSC
Managing Study with a Full-Time Job, 4 Failures, & a Dream: UPSC Topper Raj Krishna Jha's Journey | Exclusive
From repeated failures to AIR 8, Raj Krishna Jha’s UPSC success proves that perseverance and strategic...
Utkarsh Yadav UPSC Rajasthan
Brother of Dausa DM Cracks UPSC with AIR 32: Utkarsh Yadav’s Inspiring Journey from Hamindpur to IAS
Utkarsh Yadav, an IIT Roorkee graduate from rural Rajasthan, secured AIR 32 in UPSC 2024 after three...
Social Media
GozJlgrXYAAHoKv
Murals for Cleanliness: Thoothukudi District Launches Art-Inspired Sanitation Drive in Panchayats
Local artists add colour and messages to village walls, promoting hygiene and community pride
Himanshu Nagpal IAS
Varanasi's Beggar Rehabilitation Initiative Recognised by UIDAI, CDO Himanshu Nagpal Shares the News
Mr. Himanshu Nagpal is a 2019-batch IAS officer
IAS Vaishali Chopra
Young IAS Vaishali Chopra Takes a Stand Against Caste Bias During Field Training in Uttar Pradesh
While the issue itself may seem small, the post is resonating widely online for its honest reflection...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
WAVES 2025 (Ashutosh Mohile)
A Davos-Like Media & Entertainment Summit in Mumbai
BPCL_resized
BPCL’s Sanjay Khanna Conferred with “TITAN - Refining Innovation Award” for Pioneering Excellence in HSE and Refining
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
WAVES 2025 (Ashutosh Mohile)
Aditya Vikram Agarwal
Dr Lokesh M IAS
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT