A Journey of Grit, Grace, and Service – Reflections on Civil Services Day

A Journey of Grit, Grace, and Service – Reflections on Civil Services Day

Each year, on Civil Services Day, I find myself pausing to reflect on my fulfilling journey as a civil servant that began with a spark lit in a little girl's heart. I vividly remember, I was in the fifth standard when a senior, freshly selected into the Indian Administrative Service, visited our school to share his experience. His words reflecting the aura of service, the pride of purpose and the opportunity for making a difference in society ignited my imagination. The seed for my desire to become a civil servant were sown there.

The encouragement from my father and the subtle nudges of providence carried me through years of relentless preparation. I faced failures with two unsuccessful attempts at the UPSC which ended with interviews, and another shadowed by an accident just a day before the Main examination. I still remember the hospital ceiling, my  pain and frustration of watching my final chance at the UPSC slip away. But in the quiet moments that followed, I also discovered resilience. Providence, in its mysterious ways, led me to the State Civil Services and it was there that my real journey as a civil servant began.
At that time I was unfamiliar with Marathi as a language which was counted for final ranking in MPSC and that posed the biggest challenge. Adversity is often know as the best teacher but  with teachers and friends willing to support me  overcoming the language barrier also became possible and I found my path through the State Civil Services.

The early years as a Deputy Collector were my real classrooms. After a grueling training of two years my career as a civil servant began as a Tahsildar before I went on to become a Sub-Divisional Officer.  There were very few women in the state services during that time and I was therefore looked at with awe.
I learnt the ropes of revenue administration in the Tahsil which included an array of responsibilities. Subsequently I worked for land acquisition of several important projects including CIDCO or the  Mumbai-Pune Express Highway. Our duties are always interspersed with other responsibilities like election, managing natural calamities etc and these gave me great perspectives. I also got the opportunity to work for several social welfare schemes, administer Film City and also undertake the complex yet fulfilling task of rehabilitating project-affected persons. Each responsibility was a step forward, grounding me deeply in the ethos of public service.
Years passed, and responsibilities grew. I served in diverse departments, eventually becoming the Collector of Nagpur, and today, I stand as the Resident Commissioner in Delhi, also serving as Secretary, Government of Maharashtra with the huge responsibility of representing our state in our Country's Capital. But titles have never mattered to me as much as the impact since I could be a part of policies and programs that touched lives across the spectrum.

Social welfare has been a constant in my career  whether through schemes like  MGNREGA, NRLM,  DDUGKY, Jal Jeevan Mission, PMEGP, CMEGP or Bee--keeping.  

However it was during my tenure as Chief Executive Officer of the Maharashtra State Rural Livelihoods Mission that my passion for women's empowerment found full expression. We created nearly five lakh self-help groups and community organizations, connecting over 50 lakh families. These collectives enabled sustainable livelihoods for over 18 lakh households  including 14 lakh women farmers practicing climate-resilient agriculture with a turnover that then exceeded Rs.1100 crore.

I also had the distinct honour of organising a Mahila Melawa that brought together an inspiring gathering of one lakh women in the presence of the Honourable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. Held at Chatrapati Sambhaji Nagar under the dynamic leadership of the then Rural Development Minister, Smt. Pankaja Munde, this event stood out as a landmark moment. Among the many firsts, it was one of the earliest and most ambitious congregations of its kind, conceptualised, planned, and executed within just one week. The energy, unity, and collective spirit of the women present made it a truly unforgettable experience and a great learning. 

Representing India internationally  in the United States of America, Japan, Germany, Mauritius, and South Korea has been an enriching extension of this journey. Leading delegations of empowered rural women reminded me how local change can create a global impact.
Yet, no matter where I go, my heart remains in the villages, amidst the fields, the smiles, and the silent revolutions.

It was during this phase that I met many deserted women, married women abandoned by their spouses, often left invisible to society. Their pain haunted me. Their resilience astonished me. I realized they deserved more than sympathy, they deserved dignity, opportunities, and economic independence. That’s what led me to IIT Bombay, where I am now pursuing a PhD on the socio-economic transformation of deserted women, exploring how social entrepreneurship can be their bridge to a new life.
Civil services, for me, has never been about power or prestige but about people. Whether promoting pure, chemical-free honey and village-made products as Chief Executive Officer of the Maharashtra Khadi and Village Industries Board, or working for the universalisation of quality education as the State Project Director under Samagra Shiksha , each role has been an opportunity to serve and to innovate.

Poetry, blogging, and public speaking  including my TEDx talks have allowed me to share these stories of change beyond the files and reports. Receiving the Arun Bongirwar Public Service Excellence Award was a moment of validation not just for me, but for every woman, every child, every marginalised individual whose story has intersected with mine.
Civil services gave me more than a career, it gave me a life of meaning. It gave me an opportunity of walking with the downtrodden, listening to voices often unheard, and helping light a path where there was once darkness. Doing so, not only shaped me as a public servant, but as a better human being.
On this Civil Services Day, I bow to the spirit of service : a spirit that lit a flame in a schoolgirl’s heart and continues to guide her across borders, maybe through ups and downs and challenges, but nevertheless towards endless hope...

"शीलम् परम भूषणम्"...

Jai Hind...

R. Vimala, IAS  
Compassionate Civil Servant & PhD Scholar at IIT Bombay