Bhaskar worked for almost 4 years post IIFM before getting into Indian Administrative Service in year 2010. He is now working in Finance Department of GoMP as Commissioner and Additional Secretary after stints in various other departments and districts as District Magistrate in more than a decade of Service.
Q. How has been your journey from IIFM to this role?
A. IIFM offered a wonderful pedestal for me to explore and carve a path for myself. The logic of cause and design helped me in understanding the social and environmental issues in a relatively better way. Initially I had an opinion of continuing in private sector only but I gradually realized my inclination towards working in a larger sphere for the society and hence worked to join the civil services.
Q. What were some of the key milestones/learning in this journey that you would like to share with us?
A. The learnings are immense in the service as we have such a diverse set of challenges unique to every region. IIFM has a wonderful quality of diversity in the syllabus of PGDFM which is well rounded and vast covering a huge spectrum. Professional colleges are different in the way that you get friend and colleagues both and the same is true for me too.
Q. What is the most satisfying part of your current role?
A. The most satisfying aspect of my current job is the opportunity to contribute directly for the public good. I am able to make the decisions that have a larger impact on the well being of the common people.
In year 2015-16, I was director of Professional Examination Board of MO where we conduct exams for selection in government service. We brought a change in the existing system and started conducting online exams to enhance the transparency. We also realized that a candidate has to appear in many different entrance exams as every department was having their own exam so we merged several exams together to save the time and expenditure for the aspirants.
This is one of the many such incident which made me understand the scale of impact that one’s decision can have over the larger society.
Q. Has your learning at IIFM helped in shaping how you approach your professional roles?
A. Immensely, it gave me a better and clearer perspective through the course curriculum, Organizational trainings (as we used to call those days) as well as the field visits where we interacted with the stakeholders to understand their views.
Q. Who (or what) are the biggest influences or drivers in your careers. What would be your advice to freshers and IIFM graduates who are looking to choose similar sectors/roles?
A. I would suggest the IIFM students to explore the library more vigorously and develop a sound logical understanding of the various challenges that we as a country or society face. This will help them in developing the ‘right approach’ in their career ahead irrespective of the sectors, they choose for them.
Q. What are your favorite memories during your IIFM days?
A. There is plethora of such memories. Me, Parth and Ushnish and few others singing in the room on weeked nights with full josh! Akhand Tiwari and me having excuses of not completing the assignments! Afternoon siesta, at the cost of bunking the strategic management day long classes! Occasional visit to Sakshi dhaba for better dinner. Resolutions of everyday to start gym and jogging.. Resolution still continues..
My poetry recitals and speech/debates on many occasions at IIFM. Preparations for the Kalptaru, where I wrote and directed a play. Vibrant GBMs, again an indispensable and interesting part of the campus life that identifies IIFM as a live example of participatory democratic ethos. I still remember these GBM, full of heated arguments, emotive burst outs and sometimes wit and humour.
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. The course curriculum was designed in such a manner that it indirectly helped me in the preparation of civil services later in my life. Library was another wonderful place where I used to enjoy immensely in between newspapers, journals and many great books mostly non academic which helped me a lot.
Q. The best friends / seniors /faculty at IIFM? Some memorable tidbits that you like to share.
A. Prof CSR, Prof Amitabh Pande and Prof YD had the best ‘engaging’ classes. Rest faculties were also good. Most of the faculty were wonderful in what they were teaching and the common trait was their concern for our well being.
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. I would suggest them to enjoy the campus life with a cautious eye on the target. It is an exceptional place. Sometimes in curriculum you may feel that the course/particular topic isn’t relevant, still that shouldn’t be the ground to reject that course in toto as you will realize later in your life.
Q. What is your typical day at the office? (We want to know what your day job looks like)
A. Typical office days starts at 10 am and goes on till 7 pm on most days. Meetings, files, discussions, presentation and so on….and ofcourse lot many visitors, who come with some complaints.
Q. And how about weekends, Hobbies, Family and anything else you want to add
A. I love to trek in the nearby forests and natural spots. I also enjoy classical vocal music and obviously spending time with family.
And the musical evenings with some friends in weekend are special.
Q. Favorite Books, movies, authors.
A. Very difficult to juxtapose this all here but my reading sphere includes diverse subjects! From Project financing to Sanskrit Classics. And thats true for the movies too.
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 can try my best to take out time and interact with students while they are at IIFM if that helps them in some way.
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. In last few years IIFM has faced some massive challenges; especially when it comes to number of applicants declining consistently in last decade. It is great to know that since last year the campus is again bustling with students and the present Director sir is striving very hard to take IIFM forward. I was pleasantly surprised to know almost 200 students taking admission this year which is almost 5 times what we used to have in our time.
Q. Any suggestions on who you want to get profiled/interviewed here?