Chinmay passed out from IIFM in 2007 and started preparing for Civil Services. He cleared NABARD exam and worked there for almost a year before joining the Indian Revenue Service (Income Tax) in 2010.
He went for higher studies on tax policy in August 2022 at the Martin School of Public Policy and Administration, University of Kentucky, USA as a Ph.D. student by availing study leave from the Indian Government.
FB: https://www.facebook.com/chinmaynandkumar.korgaonakar
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chinmay-korgaonkar-0a0989181/
Q. How has been your journey from IIFM to this role?
A. It has been an eventful journey, quite different from my career plans when I started at IIFM. When I joined IIFM in June 2005, I was keen on serving in the development sector. I had even emailed PRADAN within the first month at IIFM itself that I aspired to join their organization after passing out of IIFM. Their work in the poorest districts of India was inspiring to me.
During my second year at IIFM, I was one of the coordinators for the Convocation for eight to ten previous batches of IIFM. At that time, I had the opportunity to interact with Ashish Sinha Sir (PFM 1998-2000), who is with the Indian Foreign Service. Sir actively encouraged me to think of Civil Service as a career option. He opined that the IIFM degree ensures job security, so there is no harm in trying for Civil Services Examination. He also advised me to go to Delhi for UPSC preparation.
Following his advice, I opted out of campus placements at IIFM and headed to Delhi in May 2007. I took my first UPSC attempt in 2007 and joined the Indian Revenue Service (Income Tax) in 2010 on my third attempt. In between, I worked as a program officer with an NGO, Children’s Future India, in my hometown in the Raigad district of Maharashtra for about four months. I also worked with NABARD, Ahmedabad, as Assistant Manager (Rural Development Banking Service) for about 11 months.
Q. What were some of the key milestones/learning in this journey that you would like to share with us?
A. After joining the Indian Revenue Service (IRS), I worked in the field offices of Income Tax department for five years. My tenure in the Investigation wing of the department, which carries out nationwide search and seizure operations (commonly known as income tax raids) coincided with demonetization initiative of the Indian Government. Our teams conducted verification of cash deposits in demonetized currency notes.
I also served as a faculty at the National Academy of Direct Taxes (NADT), Nagpur for five years. NADT is the country’s apex training academy for IRS (Income Tax) officers.
I immensely enjoyed my stint at Institutional Development Department at NABARD where we engaged with Rural Financial Institutions in Gujarat.
While working as a program officer with the NGO in my hometown, I was tasked with the preparation of development plans for two remote tribal hamlets. Following the advice from the classes I took at IIFM, I spent a couple of nights in each hamlet. It was a remarkable experience. People opened up during our post-dinner conversations and provided key insights which resulted in better proposals.
University of Kentucky, USA
Q. What is the most satisfying part of your current role?
A. An IRS officer contributes to tax collections through voluntary tax compliance and enforcement-based measures of the tax agency. As Chanakya’s Arthashastra says, revenue is the foundation of the state. Contributing to the capacity building of young generations of IRS at the Training Academy was also immensely satisfying.
Q. Has your learning at IIFM helped in shaping how you approach your professional roles?
A. The learning experiences inside and outside classrooms at IIFM shaped me in several ways. I will give an example. I opted for Rural Marketing, taught by Prof. Parag Dubey. In the last lecture of his course, he told us something that has stayed with me ever since then. He said, “Every year, several IIFM graduates from previous batches come to meet me. They narrate their professional success. When I recall their tenure at IIFM, they were not particularly exceptional in academics. But then what made them so successful? It is their positive attitude. So always have a positive attitude no matter in what situation you are in.” During the ups and downs of my professional and personal life, my mind invariably travels to Prof. Dubey’s lecture, and this has worked wonders for me.
Q. What would be your advice to freshers and IIFM graduates who are looking to choose similar sectors/roles?
A. Civil Services offer an excellent opportunity for personal and professional growth. NABARD is a wonderful organization too. I also cherish my first job with the development sector NGO. As I read from the IIFMIGHT in Focus series, our alums have excelled in diverse fields.
Also, pursuing further higher studies after work experience offers fresh perspectives on professional and overall life.
Q. What are your favorite memories during your IIFM days?
A. Ours was a small batch of 45, and I enjoyed interacting with all my batchmates. I have received so much love and priceless support from them during my IIFM stay and ever since then. IIFM campus is one of the prettiest campuses in the country. I had a great time working in the Mess Committee and the field visits during the course. The two Organizational Trainings with ActionAid India and TERI were wonderful learning experiences too.
Q. In hindsight, what was the biggest contribution (courses, faculty, library, friends, and alumni. Anything else!!) or take away from IIFM that you think played a critical role in shaping you as an individual or professional?
A. Whatever I am today, it is due to IIFM. Words cannot fully express my gratitude towards our institute. As mentioned, an IIFM alumnus-Ashish Sinha– inspired me to take the Civil Services examination. Sandeep Mahajan Sir(PFM 2002-04) connected me to his friends preparing for the examination.
For Organizational Training-II at IIFM, I opted for TERI to stay in Delhi to begin UPSC preparations. My batchmate, Rishi, introduced me to his friends there, who provided me with all the required assistance. Clearing UPSC would have been much more difficult without Rishi’s support.
The IIFM brand helped me get into the other two organizations where I worked before joining civil services. Samrat Mukherjee Sir (PFM 1994-1996), currently with NABARD, guided me for the NABARD interview.
I applied to public policy programs during three application seasons starting in 2019. Our faculty at IIFM, Prof. P K Biswas wrote over 45 letters of recommendation for me over this period. Not even once he complained about taking time out of his busy schedule to write them. He personalized all letters by including the name of the university. It must have been difficult for him to defend, let alone recommend a student with a 2.72/4.33 GPA but he wrote the best possible letter. He sent letters even when he and Ma’am had tested positive for covid. Prof. Rekha Singhal, another faculty at IIFM, too wrote a letter recommendation for my Fulbright scholarship application. As we know that professors write letters for their best students, but this was not the case with me. Also, more than a decade had passed since I took their classes. Thus Prof. Biswas and Prof. Singhal exemplify the extraordinary commitment of IIFM faculty toward their students.
My batchmate, Dr. Abhishek Kar, guided me during Ph.D. applications and reviewed my writing sample for the application. My other batchmates, Rishi and Bigsna Gill, also extended invaluable support during the application phase. The list can go on and on.
When I joined IIFM, I was still heartbroken over not being able to convert the IRMA interview call. But over the years, I have had no regrets about it, and I remain ever thankful to our alma mater for how it has enriched my professional and personal life.
Q. As an alumnus, what is your advice to freshers or those are joining IIFM to get best out of the 2 years there?
A. Please do not ignore your grades. You never know when you will need them. I neglected my academics at IIFM and ended up with a 2.72/4.33 GPA. Although these grades did not matter in the UPSC selection process, they made a significant difference when I applied for higher studies abroad.
Q. And how about weekends, Hobbies, Family and anything else you want to add.
A. I love spending my weekend with my small family. My wife, Dr. Disha, is a dentist by training and a counselor by practice. We have a five-year-old daughter, Preesha.
Q. Favorite Books, movies, authors.
A. Favorite books: The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter, The Catcher in the Rye, 1984
Movies: No country for old men, The Shawshank Redemption
Authors: Chinua Achebe
Q. IIFM is driven by alumni’s passion and commitments towards its goal. How would you like to contribute to IIFM or IIFM alumni, students?
A. I will be happy to contribute in whatever way I can so feel free to connect with me.
Q. What do you think is different at IIFM now vs when you studied there? What do you think is a positive change and what is not?
A. The Alumni Association has been playing a commendable role, something which was probably missing when we were at IIFM.