Avinash Dharmadhikari

Avinash Dharmadhikari is a former Indian Administrative Services officer.^[1] After serving on various posts during his administrative career of ten years he resigned from IAS in 1996 for the reason that can be best described in Arun Shourie's words "to be able to serve Indian society better".^[2] He was Deputy Secretary to the Chief Minister of Maharashtra at the time of his resignation.^[3] He is founder and director of Chanakya Mandal Pariwar, a public charitable trust working in the field of Career Guidance and Personality Development. He unsuccessfully contested for Lok Sabha as an independent candidate against Suresh Kalmadi.^[4] He was Director General of Neharu Yuva Kendra Sangathan in 2001 under Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs, Government of India. He was a Shiv Sena member between March 2009 and April 2011.^[5] As an activist he has been part of many movements such as farmers' movements and movements against corruption. He was also a part of Team Anna during India against corruption movement. He has been carring out many study tours all over the world and attending many important International conferences such as UNGA, UNFCCC recently. Avinash Dharmadhikari has authored many books which includes Aswastha Dashakachi Diary, Nava Vijaypath, Ek Vijaypath, Swatantra Nagarik, Jinkanara Samaj Ghadawanari Shikshanpadhhati, Aani Aapan Saglech, Ratra Gahirichya Tisarya Prahari(a collection of poems) ^[6] Aswastha Dashakachi Diary has been translated into English by Gauri Deshpande titled: Diary of a Decade of Agony.^[7][8] Apart from being an Ex-IAS, Educationist, Activist, Journalist and Author he has been widely admired as a great Orator.

Life before IAS

Avinash Dharmadhikari was a full time voluntary activist for ten years, before joining IAS. He was also a free-lance journalist during the same period. He undertook extensive study tours of the country. The outcome was the book, ‘Aswastha Dashakachi Diary’, based on the reflections on experiences of these visits.

Before joining the highest Civil Service Avinash Dharmadhikari was actively involved in solving Punjab Crisis along with his wife Mrs. Poorna Dharmadhikari between 1978 to 1986. Both Mr. and Mrs. Dharmadhikari worked for national integration staying in Punjab right during the thick of Bhindranwala phase(1983 to 1985).^[9] They undertook extensive ‘Padayatras’ throughout Punjab, learnt Punjabi and Gurumukhi script,stayed in Gurudwaras and also at the Golden Temple. They were in contact with Sant Harchandsingh, Sant Longowal, Sant Gurucharansingh Tohra, Sant Jurnelsingh Bhindranwala, Sant Harmidersingh Sandhu of All India Sikh’s Federation. Since then both of them have continued and active association with Punjab.^[9]

Administrative Career

In his administrative career he had been known for his efficient, transparent and creative work in Maharashtra. During these 10 years he had served on many posts such as - Sub-Divisional officer, Phaltan; Officer on Special Duty for state’s Chief Secretary; Director, State Archives, Mumbai; CEO at Ratnagiri and Amaravati zilla parishads; Additional Collector, Pune; Director, Women and Child Welfare Dept, Maharashtra; District Collector, Raigad (Alibag); Deputy Secretary to Chief Minister, Maharashtra.^[10]

While in service, initiated many experiments in responsive administration: Field level functioning of government machinery to reorient the operations and methodologies in bureaucracy. Long-pending land disputes resolved speedily through reconciliatory measures, adopting revenue-court system. Active participation in literacy, globalization of education, women-farmers-consumer movements, water conservation, movements against corruption and superstitions. Implemented a special program for neo-literates so they do not re-lapse into illiteracy and was appreciated as a ‘model scheme’, by the National Literacy Mission.^[10]

Life After IAS

After resigning from IAS in 1996, he founded Chanakya Mandal Pariwar, a public charitable trust and a network organization working in the filed of Career Guidance, Competitive Exam(Civil Services Examination) Training, Entrepreneurship Building and Personality Development. It was the disappointment he felt for being the only one from Maharashtra to get selected for the Civil Services in 1986, along with rampant corruption and apathy among the civil servants towards issues of the common man that led him to found the Chanakya Mandal Pariwar in 1996, with a motive to send honest and efficient cadres to the services and contribute in the nation building in his own way. ^[10]

Working as the Director General of Neharu Yuva Kendra Sangathan in 2001 under Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs; Government of India, he initiated some major programs to encourage youths to join sports.^[9]

In November 2012 he was inducted into what is known as Team Anna that led a revolutionary India Against Corruption movement against the then UPA-II government along with former IPS Kiran Bedi , Justice (Rtd) Santosh Hegde , Activist Medha Patkar, former Army Chief Gen Vijay Kumar Singh , former DGP(Punjab) Shashikant, Lt Col Brijendra Khokhar, Akhil Gogoi, Sunita Godara, Arvind Gaur, Rakesh Rafiq when Arvind Kejriwal, Yogendra Yadav and some other members separated from Anna Hazare to form a political party.^[11]

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