B. P. Acharya
B. P. Acharya is a senior officer of the 1983 batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and was the home secretary of Andhra Pradesh state. Acharya is currently the Principal secretary, Planning in Telangana State . He also served as Principal secretary for Youth, Culture & Tourism till September 2015. He was also commissioner of Information & Public Relations till November 2015.
He is a writer, cartoonist and a keen researcher of history. The senior officer has been regarded highly by successive Chief Ministers and peers for his competence.
He completed his schooling and graduation at Bhubaneswar, Orissa, and topped the University in the Intermediate Examination, as well as in B A (Hons.) in Political Science and History. He was awarded the Chancellor's Cup as the Best Debater (English) of Utkal University in the year 1978, and was a National Scholarship holder from 1975.
He did his M A in International Studies (Politics) from Jawaharlal Nehru University (New Delhi), which he topped, and has an M Phil from the Center for Diplomatic Studies, School of International Studies, JNU (New Delhi).
He also worked as Editor with internationally famous authors Larry Collins and Dominique Lapierre (of Freedom at Midnight fame) for editing the personal papers of Lord Mountbatten (Mountbatten and Partition of India).
INDIAN ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICE
In 1983, Acharya was selected for the Indian Administrative Service. He was awarded the Director's Medal for the best term paper in Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration as an IAS probationer. He worked as Secretary of the House Journal Society and Editor of the Journal 'Spectrum'. He underwent training as Assistant Collector in Chittoor District in 1984–85, and later served in Bhadrachalam and Warangal. He brought out important publications on the cultural heritage of the Kakatiyas, on behalf of INTACH. While he was Managing Director, AP Travel & Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) in 1993, he commissioned the Son-Et-Lumiere at the Golconda Fort.
He had also stints as Director, Marketing, as Special Commissioner, Information and Public Relations Dept., as Commissioner for Relief, as Managing Director, AP Dairy Development Coop. Federation, as Secretary, Industries & Commerce Dept, and as Managing Director, Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board.
He was the Managing Director of APIIC from May 2005 (and was designated as Chairman & Managing Director of APIIC from 7 June 2007) till December 2009. He was later Principal Secretary, Industries and Commerce Department. Currently, Acharya is Principal Secretary, Tourism Department.
Acharya's hobbies include painting, cartoons & caricatures and poetry. His cartoon series 'Obtuse Angle', was published regularly in 'Money Life' in Mumbai. His poems have been published in Triveni and other journals.
As the District Collector of Warangal, according to his bio, he conducted a Kakatiya Festival, and also helped in bringing publications on the cultural heritage of the Kakatiyas, engineering & technical achievements of the Kakatiya period, and a Telugu publication on the literary treasures of the Kakatiya period. He was responsible for starting the Sound & Light show at the Thousand Pillar Temple and Fort at Warangal, and also for the completion of the construction of Pothana Memorial in the region.
As MD of the Tourism Development Corporation, he commissioned the Sound & Light show at Golconda fort, and conducted the Golconda festival. When he was the Commissioner, Information & Public Relations, he undertook initiatives for designing the trophy for the NTR National Award, as well as the logo for the Janmabhoomi programme.
He was a Member of the Jury for the International Cartoon competitions conducted by Cartoonists' Forum. As CMD, APIIC, he took steps for installing artistic sculptures titled "Technology for the Masses" in different Industrial Parks of the State. As a member of the Kalinga Cultural Trust, he coordinated the construction of the Jagannath Temple in Banjara Hills.
As the Tourism and Culture Principle Secretary of Telangana, he is responsible for bringing in huge investments(Rs 350 crore) to improve infrastructure to appeal to international tourists.[1] He even participated in a road show in Toronto, Canada to woo travellers to destinations in Telangana.[2]
References
- ↑ "Telangana all set to create its tourism brand - The Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 2015-12-11.
- ↑ "TS woos Canadians with Toronto show". The Hindu. 2015-06-13. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2015-12-11.