New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the 17th Civil Services Day on 21st April, 2025, at Vigyan Bhawan, where he praised the nation’s civil servants for their vital contribution to the vision of ‘Viksit Bharat @2047’ (Developed India by 2047).
During the event, he also conferred the Prime Minister’s Awards for Excellence in Public Administration to distinguished officers and districts for their innovative and impactful governance practices.
Many award-winning IAS officers conveyed their appreciation and emphasized the alignment of their initiatives with the Prime Minister’s vision.
Inspiring Stories from Award-Winning Officers
Civil servants from across the country who received the Prime Minister’s Award shared their experiences and innovative practices that helped transform their districts.
- Athar Aamir Khan, District Magistrate of Kulgam, Jammu & Kashmir, said: “It’s a great honour to receive this award from PM Modi. His encouragement has inspired us. Under his vision of ‘Viksit Bharat @2047’, schemes like PM Mudra Yojana are empowering youth across the country.”
- Ayushi Sudan, IAS officer from Kupwara, J&K, spoke about the emphasis on education and capacity building: “We’ve developed over 300 smart classrooms, robotics and innovation labs to improve education. Using trackers and monitoring tools, we aim for better grassroots governance.”
- Swapneel Paul, from Tinsukia, Assam, highlighted his district’s achievement in ensuring clean water access during monsoons: “Through schemes like Jal Shala and Jaldoot, uninterrupted water supply is now available in flood-prone villages, reducing waterborne diseases significantly.”
- Prabhav Joshi, District Magistrate, Rajkot, Gujarat, celebrated successes in renewable energy and housing: “We installed over 33 solar rooftops, cutting power bills to zero. Under PM Awas Yojana, 9,200 houses were built, transforming slum living conditions.”
- Neha Meena, IAS, from Jhabua, Madhya Pradesh, shared her community-led fight against anaemia: “Our ‘Moti Aai’ campaign used local folk songs and peer counselling to combat malnutrition among tribal children.”
- Rajarshi Shah, District Collector, Adilabad, Telangana, spoke about development in tribal areas: “In Narnoor Block, improvements in health, education, and infrastructure helped us achieve saturation targets. Our ‘Mahua Laddu’ initiative for anaemic girls was recognised in PM’s Mann Ki Baat.”
- Shashank Shubhankar, IAS, from Nalanda, Bihar, reflected on impactful governance: “This award reflects our district’s success in delivering schemes effectively. Real governance, as PM said, is about ensuring programs reach and uplift people.”
A Call for Modern, Responsive Governance
The Prime Minister underlined that India’s civil services must evolve with changing times and aspirations. He urged officers to shed outdated approaches and integrate technology, innovation, and citizen-centric solutions into administration.
“We are not just running a government, we are shaping a future. A developed India must be built from the grassroots,” PM Modi concluded.
The Civil Services Day celebrations served as both a moment of recognition and a call to action, aligning India’s bureaucracy with the national vision of inclusive and empowered development by 2047.
Civil Servants: India’s ‘Steel Frame’
In his keynote address, PM Modi paid tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, who famously referred to India’s civil services as the “steel frame” of the nation. He emphasised that a developed India by 2047 is not possible without the synergy of all administrative arms and a commitment to technology-driven, future-ready governance.
“Governance cannot continue with outdated practices. As the world and youth evolve with rapid technological advancements, our bureaucracy must adapt at the same pace,” the Prime Minister stated.
