Unassuming yet perky, demure yet skittish, reticent yet eloquent, this officer has set example with his acts for new generation administrators to work and share their contributions in making of a New India.
By Jay P Gupta
One fine morning at Jharkhand Bhawan in New Delhi I was introduced to an officer by then Principal Resident Commissioner Mr Rajiv Gauba. “Meet him. He is Amit Khare flying today for USA on a year – long training (study) programme Rajiv told me and left me to add few next lines, which as a journalist I was well aware of Mr Khare in his role in cracking the fodder scam. It was my first meeting with Mr Khare followed by another after a decade at Project Bhawan in Ranchi in the office of then Chief Secretary Mr Gauba.
Unassuming yet perky, demure yet skittish, reticent yet eloquent, this officer has set example with his acts for new generation administrators to work and share their contributions in making of a New India.
He was fearless when taking action in the infamous scam, which virtually brought an end to the political careers of many leaders including Laloo Yadav. Besides, many officials and bureaucrats also came in the firing line after Mr Khare got FIR registered in the case.
In his own words, ” People ask me: Was I not afraid for my career and the security of my family? Some even commented that the state police would implicate me in these cases.
To be honest, none of these thoughts came to my mind when I began. When I was a student of IIM Ahmadabad, one of my teachers (Professor Kuchhal) used to say that “too much of analysis leads to decision paralysis”. I am glad I did not waste my time thinking about my career or my family, or of my future. Otherwise, I would not have been able to take the decision of starting the inquiry into the fodder scam.
Why did I do it? The answer is that most of us joined the civil services as a career with a dream of making a new India. And as deputy commissioner, who is the administrative head of the district, it was my duty.
The political administration has since been trying to impact his career even after the state was bifurcated and he joined the Jharkhand cadre. Some months back he was tipped to be the Chief Secretary of the state but ‘he missed the bus’ people around say. But Mr Khare sees no issue in them. Only issue is that he wants to work sincerely and justify his role in job entrusted to him.
He was promoted in the rank of Secretary at the Centre and posted as the new Information and Broadcasting Secretary last month. The ministry has been in the controversy since last couple of months which ended only after it was realigned at ministerial level.
He has a long list of current issues, particularly in a year, when general elections will be around and his role as implementer of government programmes and policies will mean a much more.
The 1961 born officer married to 1992 batch Jharkhand cadre officer Ms Nidhi Khare , who hails from J&K. A Physics Graduate, Khare also holds a MBA degree from prestigious IIM, Ahmedabad.
