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Indian Masterminds is a national digital media platform focused on governance, public policy, leadership, and sustainability in India, highlighting exemplary work of civil servants, public institutions, and change-makers.

AI is helping Tadoba spot danger before it turns into a human-wildlife conflict. Behind this shift is a simple idea from...
08/09/2026

AI is helping Tadoba spot danger before it turns into a human-wildlife conflict. Behind this shift is a simple idea from IFS officer Lt. Kushagra Pathak: give people and wildlife enough time to coexist safely.

For decades, human-wildlife conflict meant villagers and forest teams reacting after tragedy struck. Lt. Kushagra Pathak, an IFS officer of the 2016 batch and Deputy Director (Buffer) at TATR, decided to flip that script entirely.

Working across the Chandrapur Tiger Landscape, he introduced India's first AI-powered wildlife surveillance system, and the results have been remarkable. AI-powered cameras now detect tigers, leopards and sloth bears, identify the species, and send alerts to forest officials within seconds.

The system goes a step further too. It triggers a gentle sound alert near villages, just enough to nudge people to change their route or stay indoors, without disturbing the animal itself.

Launched in 2023, the initiative uses Wildlife Eye, an AI-powered video intelligence platform, to monitor vulnerable forest-fringe zones around the clock. The numbers are striking: over 100 alerts every month, an 87% drop in cattle kills in Mul, and a 90% fall in crop damage in Chandrapur.

For Lt. Pathak, though, this was never about replacing people. It's about helping them act sooner.

As he explained, “This initiative is based on the Chandrapur Tiger Landscape. It targets the problem of human-wildlife conflict and looks for solutions. Basically, it focuses on co-existence.”

The initiative was even mentioned in PM Modi's Mann Ki Baat address in 2024. The effort is now evolving through Garuda, a smart alerting system designed to make wildlife warnings more affordable, localised and actionable.

With its new technology, Tadoba is showing what conservation can look like when it becomes a tool for prevention rather than reaction.

08/09/2026

Orangutans are not found in Indian forests. Yet, five baby orangutans were rescued in a forest in Odisha’s Balasore district. So, now the bigger question is, how did they get there?

The five babies were found near Badapai village in Balasore district around 6 am during forest patrolling. They are only about 1 to 1.5 feet tall and are estimated to be around one to two years old.

The sight quickly attracted thousands of people. Forest officials stepped in and rescued the animals, taking them to the forest office.

Balasore DFO Pratik Prakash Indalkar reportedly said that four of the five babies are healthy. The animals were eating food and drinking ORS, while veterinary doctors examined and treated them.

Orangutans are critically endangered great apes native to the rainforests of Indonesia, Malaysia, Borneo and Sumatra. They are not found in India. That is why the Forest Department suspects a possible international wildlife smuggling operation.

Odisha Forest and Environment Minister Ganesh Ram Singh Khuntia reportedly said each orangutan could be worth around ₹20 to ₹25 lakh in the international market.

The state has asked the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau to investigate how they reached Odisha. Authorities are also checking possible air, rail, water and port routes.

For now, the priority is keeping the five safe. According to reports, they will be shifted to Nandankanan Zoological Park in Bhubaneswar and kept under quarantine before a decision is taken on their future care.

She cracked the IIT-JEE, became a civil engineer, and built a career at ExxonMobil. But Officer Cadet Athira Suresh chos...
08/09/2026

She cracked the IIT-JEE, became a civil engineer, and built a career at ExxonMobil. But Officer Cadet Athira Suresh chose to leave the corporate world behind because her dream of serving the nation was stronger than the comfort of a successful career.

Born in Kerala, Athira Suresh graduated as a civil engineer from NIT Calicut after clearing IIT-JEE, one of the toughest examinations in the country.

She had every reason to settle into a comfortable corporate life, and for a while, she did exactly that at a global giant. But somewhere along the way, a quieter calling grew louder, one shaped by watching her father, Naik Suresh of the Corps of Signals, serve the nation in uniform.

She had already built a promising career when she decided to test her determination and appear for the Services Selection Board. She cleared the SSB in her very first attempt.

But getting selected was only the beginning.

At the Officers Training Academy in Gaya, that clarity was tested in every possible way, physically, mentally and emotionally. Yet each challenge only sharpened her resolve instead of shaking it.

Today, as an Officer Cadet at OTA Gaya, she represents a generation that is willing to step away from conventional definitions of success to pursue something larger than themselves.

In 2018, Dr. Vinod K. Paul made history by elevating India's status on the global health stage. He became the first Indi...
08/09/2026

In 2018, Dr. Vinod K. Paul made history by elevating India's status on the global health stage. He became the first Indian to receive the prestigious Ihsan Doğramacı Family Health Foundation Prize from the World Health Organization.

The honour recognised his contribution to family health, especially his work to improve the lives of mothers and children in developing countries.

An internationally renowned researcher, clinician, educator and public health advocate, Dr Paul spent decades working in the field of family health, with a special focus on newborn health.

He served on the faculty of the Department of Paediatrics at AIIMS, New Delhi, from 1985 to 2020 and headed the department for nearly a decade.

His efforts helped bring newborn health to the centre of global discussions around the Millennium Development Goals and Sustainable Development Goals. He was also instrumental in establishing the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health.

Dr Paul’s contribution also shaped public health in India. As a Member of NITI Aayog, he played an important role in major initiatives, including Ayushman Bharat, POSHAN Abhiyaan and Ayushman Arogya Mandir.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, he became part of the core team guiding India’s response. He chaired the National Task Force on COVID 19, the Empowered Group on Vaccination and the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID 19.

His journey and achievements proved how work done in India can make an impact far beyond its borders. And now, that recognition is not just a personal honour but a proud moment that inspires every Indian on the global stage.

Between 2010 and 2026, at least 32 IAS officers officially left the service. But there is another side to that number.So...
08/09/2026

Between 2010 and 2026, at least 32 IAS officers officially left the service. But there is another side to that number.

Some officers announced their resignations, submitted them and even made headlines, but did not ultimately leave the IAS. A new RTI response obtained by India Today gives a glimpse into this rarely discussed side of the civil service.

The RTI provides the names of the officers, their cadres and the dates on which their resignations were accepted. West Bengal recorded the highest number of accepted resignations, followed by Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh and Karnataka.

The year 2010 saw the biggest wave, with six resignations accepted. Four were accepted in 2018, while three officers left the service in 2024. In most years, only one to four resignations were accepted.

But the government data has a gap. It does not centrally maintain records of officers who submitted resignations and later withdrew them.

Shah Faesal is one such case. The 2010 batch IAS officer and UPSC topper resigned in January 2019 and later entered politics. His resignation remained pending for a long time.

Then, he changed course.

Faesal withdrew his resignation, and in April 2022, the government accepted his request and reinstated him into the IAS. He was later posted as deputy secretary in the Tourism Ministry.

His name, therefore, does not appear among the 32.

A similar question now surrounds IAS officer Divya Mittal, who announced her resignation this year after calling her 13-year journey in the civil service “unforgettable”. Her resignation is yet to receive final acceptance at the state level.

And that is what makes this data interesting. The 32 officers are not everyone who tried to leave. They are the ones whose resignations were finally accepted and who actually left the service.

She was already serving as an ACP with the Delhi Police when she decided to take the UPSC Civil Services Examination onc...
08/09/2026

She was already serving as an ACP with the Delhi Police when she decided to take the UPSC Civil Services Examination once again. This time, Apurva Verma secured AIR 42 while balancing one of the country’s most demanding jobs.

Originally from Narkatiaganj in Champaran, Bihar, Apurva grew up in a family that placed a strong emphasis on education.

Her father is a civil engineer, while her grandfather, who was the principal of TP Verma College in Champaran, was among the people who inspired her academic journey.

After completing her schooling at Delhi Public School, Bokaro, Apurva graduated from NIT Manipur.

She had already cracked the UPSC in 2022 and joined the Indian Police Service, but her real ambition was always to become an IAS officer, and that dream kept pushing her forward.

So, while continuing her police duties, Apurva prepared for UPSC CSE 2025.

Managing field responsibilities, study hours, and the demands of a competitive examination required tremendous discipline. She spoke about where her drive came from, sharing that her grandfather and maternal grandfather were major influences and that her parents built a home environment that valued education deeply.

“This attempt was very special because I made it while carrying out my duties,” Apurva said. She also credited her department and her husband, who is a civil servant, for supporting her preparation.

From clearing UPSC once to serving as an IPS officer and then returning to the exam to pursue her IAS dream, Apurva Verma has shown what persistence looks like in public service.

IAS officer Neha Marvya Singh has questioned her fourth transfer in a year, reportedly saying she feels “very disturbed”...
07/09/2026

IAS officer Neha Marvya Singh has questioned her fourth transfer in a year, reportedly saying she feels “very disturbed” and “demotivated” by the latest move. The 2011 batch Madhya Pradesh cadre officer was transferred again just 50 days after joining her latest posting.

According to reports, she shared her concerns with the Madhya Pradesh IAS Officers’ Association after her name appeared in the September 5 transfer list.

Ms Singh reportedly alleged that some of her subordinates had organised what she called a “mutiny” against her. She claimed they had threatened to get her transferred and also alleged withholding of files, indiscipline and mistreatment.

According to her message, she had already reported these issues through the proper channel and was expecting action against those responsible. Instead, she was transferred again.

The repeated transfers also made her question how much power an officer really has in such a situation. “Is an IAS officer so vulnerable that even his subordinates can get him or her transferred by organising a mutiny?” she reportedly asked.

Reports also say that Ms Singh said frequent transfers leave officers with little time to understand their work and make a difference. “By the time I understand the charge, I get removed,” she wrote.

As per the September 5 transfer order, Ms Singh has now been appointed Managing Director of the Madhya Pradesh Scheduled Tribes Finance and Development Corporation, with the status of Additional Secretary.

She has said she has always accepted government orders and performed her duties wherever she was posted. But this time, she said she felt humiliated. “Conspirators always win, and I fail. The system has failed me. Today it's me; tomorrow another IAS officer will be the target,” she said.

Her message has now put the spotlight on the difficulties officers can face when frequent transfers leave them with little time to settle into a posting.

Meidinliu Newmai is more than 50 years old and works as an ASHA worker in Manipur. She had one job: reach a remote villa...
07/09/2026

Meidinliu Newmai is more than 50 years old and works as an ASHA worker in Manipur. She had one job: reach a remote village and make sure the children received their polio drops. There was no motorcycle for her, and not even a proper road. So she walked about 28 kilometres.

For nearly eight hours, she made her way through dense forests, climbed difficult terrain and crossed five rivers on foot. All the while, she carried the temperature-sensitive vaccines with her, making sure they stayed safe.

Meidinliu has been working as an ASHA worker under Tamei Primary Health Centre since 2007. She knows these difficult paths well. But she also knows that the children in her village need her.

During the rainy season, reaching the village becomes even harder. Yet, she keeps going.

According to reports, during the latest polio immunisation drive, she reached all 17 children. Ten were between 0 and 3 years old, while seven were between 3 and 5.

“I would like to render my service as much as possible with the least skill I have,” she reportedly said. The words show the mindset that keeps her going.

A photograph of Meidinliu carrying the vaccine carrier later went viral, and the Manipur Governor also appreciated her dedication.

But perhaps the most powerful part of her story is how deeply she is committed to her public service. For those 17 children, healthcare did not arrive on the road. It arrived on her shoulders.

He joined the Indian Army as an Agniveer and served as a T-90 tank gunner. Today, Vikas Gautam is on his way to becoming...
07/09/2026

He joined the Indian Army as an Agniveer and served as a T-90 tank gunner. Today, Vikas Gautam is on his way to becoming an officer in the Indian Army.

For Vikas, the dream of wearing the Olive Green began in a small village in Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh.

After completing his Engineering in Computer Science, he joined the Indian Army as an Agniveer.

He was posted as a T-90 Bhishma tank gunner with the Scinde Horse (14 Horse), one of the prestigious regiments of the Armoured Corps.

The demanding role and the regiment’s discipline strengthened his teamwork, sense of responsibility and determination to lead.

While serving as an Agniveer, Vikas continued working towards his goal and eventually cleared the Services Selection Board (SSB) interview.

He then joined the Officers Training Academy, Gaya, where his instructors and senior cadets helped further develop his confidence, endurance, decision-making and leadership skills.

And he did not just complete his training. He made his mark there.

Vikas went on to lead the academy to a gold medal in cross-country running, earned a Merit Card in physical training, and set a new record in the Battle Obstacle Course.

07/09/2026

When Nepal, our neighbouring country, was facing devastating floods, a 6-year-old boy from Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh, decided to do something about it.

Arbaz Sheikh had a piggy bank. Inside were the small coins and notes he had been collecting for a year. Maybe he was saving for a toy he wanted. Some chocolates. A bicycle.

But then Arbaz saw something that changed his mind. He saw people in Nepal losing their homes, struggling through the floods and waiting for help.

And suddenly, his own little wishes did not seem as important. He picked up his piggy bank and walked into the District Magistrate’s office in Kushinagar.

He handed it over to DM Mahendra Singh Tanwar and asked that his savings be sent to the flood victims in Nepal.

“I used to save whatever money I received in my piggy bank. I have been saving it for a year. I donated the money to Nepal flood victims,” Arbaz reportedly said.

Think about that for a moment.

A child had spent a year putting away every little coin he received. And when the time came, he acted with maturity and kindness, choosing to give it all away.

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