From UPSC Topper to Transformational Administrator: The Remarkable Journey of Smita Sabharwal
Smita Sabharwal is a renowned IAS officer of the 2001 batch, Telangana cadre, born on June 19, 1977, into a Bengali family in Darjeeling, West Bengal. She completed her schooling in Hyderabad and earned a bachelor’s degree in Commerce from St. Francis College for Women. Due to her work, she is also known as the “People’s Officer.” At the age of 23, she became the youngest person to secure the fourth rank in the 2000 UPSC examination. Currently, she serves as the Secretary of the Department of Tourism and Culture in the Government of Telangana. Her husband, Akun Sabharwal, is also an IPS officer. She is the first female IAS officer to be appointed to the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO). During her tenure as the Collector of Karimnagar, she initiated schemes such as “Fund Your City,” under which urban infrastructure—including roads and parks—was improved through public participation. Additionally, through a program named “Ammalallana,” she made significant contributions toward addressing the health issues and educational needs of rural women. Given her illustrious career and unwavering integrity, she serves as an inspiration to UPSC aspirants. Major Awards and Honors
Role as India’s External Affairs Minister and Foreign Policy Leader : Subrahmanyam Jaishankar
Subrahmanyam Jaishankar is an Indian diplomat and politician who is currently serving as the External Affairs Minister of India. Born on 9 January 1955 in Delhi, he joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1977 and held important diplomatic positions in countries like the United States, China, and Czech Republic. He became India’s Foreign Minister in 2019 and is known for his strong role in shaping India’s foreign policy and international relations. Diplomatic Career (1977-2018) Subrahmanyam Jaishankar joined Indian Foreign Service (IFS) in 1977 and served as a career diplomat for over four decades. He served in several important diplomatic positions in countries such as Russia, United States, Sri Lanka, Hungary, and Japan. He also worked in India’s Ministry of External Affairs and served as press secretary to former President Shankar Dayal Sharma. In 2000, he became India’s ambassador to the Czech Republic. Later, he played an important role in the 2005 Indo-U.S. civil nuclear deal and served as India’s High Commissioner to Singapore from 2007 to 2009. Ambassador of Czech Republic (2001-2004) Subrahmanyam Jaishankar served as India’s Ambassador to the Czech Republic from 2001 to 2004. During his tenure, he worked to strengthen diplomatic, economic, and cultural relations between India and the Czech Republic. He focused on improving trade cooperation, promoting Indian interests in Central Europe, and expanding bilateral ties between the two countries. Joint secretary at Ministry (2004-2007) S. Jaishankar served as Joint Secretary in India’s Ministry of External Affairs from 2004 to 2007. During this period, he handled important matters related to India’s relationship with the United States.He played a major role in negotiating the historic India–US Civil Nuclear Agreement, which helped improve cooperation between the two countries in nuclear energy and strategic affairs. His work during this time strengthened diplomatic ties between India and the United States and increased India’s global influence. Higher Commissioner to Singapore(2007-2009) From 2007 to 2009, S. Jaishankar served as India’s High Commissioner to Singapore. During his tenure, he worked to strengthen economic, strategic and cultural ties between the two countries.He helped implement the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA), which increased trade, investment and business cooperation between India and Singapore. He also oversaw a defence arrangement that allowed Singapore to keep some of its military equipment and training facilities in India.Jaishankar promoted closer people-to-people relations and encouraged the participation of the Indian community in Singapore through events like Pravasi Bharatiya Divas. His work further improved Singapore’s role as an important economic and strategic partner for India. Ambassador of China (2009-2013) S. Jaishankar served as India’s ambassador to China from 2009 to 2013, becoming India’s longest-serving envoy there. During his tenure, he worked to strengthen trade, economic and cultural ties while also handling sensitive border disputes between the two countries.He played a key role in resolving several diplomatic issues, including China’s stapled visa policy for people from Jammu and Kashmir and tensions over Chinese maps showing Arunachal Pradesh and Aksai Chin as Chinese territory. In 2013, he helped defuse the Depsang Plains standoff in Ladakh before Chinese Premier Li Keqiang visited India.Jaishankar also promoted stronger cooperation with China while insisting that India’s core interests and balanced trade relations be respected. Ambassador to the USA(2013-2014) S. Jaishankar became India’s Ambassador to the United States in September 2013 and officially took charge in December that year, succeeding Nirupama Rao.He arrived during the sensitive Devyani Khobragade incident and helped negotiate the Indian diplomat’s exit from the United States, which eased tensions between the two countries.In 2014, Jaishankar spoke at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, where he said India–US relations were strong but needed better public understanding. He also formally presented his diplomatic credentials to then US President Barack Obama at the White House.Jaishankar played an important role in organising Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first visit to the United States in September 2014 and helped strengthen ties with the Indian-American community. Foreign Secretary (2015-2018) S. Jaishankar was appointed India’s Foreign Secretary on 29 January 2015 during the government of Narendra Modi. His appointment was announced after a meeting of the Cabinet Appointments Committee.His selection was unusual because it came just three days before his retirement date and also ended the tenure of then Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh before her term was completed.During his time as Foreign Secretary, the working style of the Ministry of External Affairs changed significantly and became more active in diplomacy. However, some analysts in Nepal criticised him over the 2015 Nepal blockade issue and called him one of its main planners. His tenure ended in January 2018. President of global corporate affairs with tata groups (2018-2019) After completing his term as Foreign Secretary in 2018, S. Jaishankar joined Tata Sons. as the President of Global Corporate Affairs. In this role, he handled the company’s international relations and global business strategies. He worked on strengthening Tata Group’s connections with foreign governments, international organizations and global business partners. His diplomatic experience helped the company manage international affairs and expand its global presence. However, he held this position for only a short time because in 2019 he entered politics and became India’s External Affairs Minister in the government led by Narendra Modi. Ministry of external affairs Since (2019 -present) Member of BJP S. Jaishankar became a member of the Rajya Sabha in July 2019 during the second government of Narendra Modi. He was elected from the state of Gujarat as a representative of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). After joining Parliament, he continued serving as India’s External Affairs Minister in the government led by Narendra Modi . In the Rajya Sabha, he has spoken on important foreign policy matters, including India’s relations with neighboring countries, global diplomacy, trade, and national security. He was the first former Foreign Secretary to later lead the Ministry of External Affairs as a Cabinet Minister.As minister, Jaishankar played an important role in strengthening India’s foreign relations and security partnerships. In 2020 he signed the BECA defence agreement with the United States along with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. The agreement improved
From Electrical Overload to Poor Rescue Access: Why City Fires Turn Deadly in India
Every major fire accident in cities that causes deaths shows different reasons and problems behind it. The recent fire in Shahdara, East Delhi, showed that there was not enough planning for safely evacuating people during emergencies, especially fires. Nine people died and around 15 others were seriously injured in the accident.The residential building had a ground floor and four upper floors with eight houses. Some security features of the building became dangerous during the fire. The electronic door locks could not be opened, the terrace was difficult to reach, and metal grills around the balconies and building blocked rescue work. Firefighters had to cut the grills to save people.Another fire in Palam in March, where nine members of a family died, showed the difficulties fire services face in Delhi. The building, which was used for both residential and commercial purposes, did not have enough firefighting equipment. Witnesses also said that the hydraulic lifts used by firefighters were not working properly.Although fire services said they reached the Shahdara fire on time, response times in Delhi have often been slow. In another fire in Dwarka in 2025, fire engines could not enter a housing society because its name board blocked the way.There is definitely a need to improve fire safety and firefighting systems in Delhi, but one major issue that is often ignored is electrical faults, which cause many fires in Indian cities. During summer, people usually blame air-conditioners for such fires, like in the Shahdara fire. The real problem is often overloading. On very hot days, appliances like air-conditioners use a lot of electricity. Many electrical wires are not strong enough to handle this heavy load, so they heat up and catch fire. Circuit breakers, which are supposed to automatically stop the power supply for safety, often fail to work properly.In many Indian homes, too many high-power appliances are used even when the electrical system is not designed for them. People usually want appliances to keep running all the time, but the automatic tripping of overloaded equipment is actually an important safety feature.City authorities talk about using modern technology like drones and robots to fight fires, but even basic safety measures and prevention systems are still missing in many places.
Kerala Assembly Polls: UDF Back in Power
Riding a strong anti-government wave, the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) returned to power in Kerala on May 4 after spending 10 years out of government. After its big defeat in 2021, the alliance carefully planned its comeback. It won four bye-elections, the 2024 general election, and local body polls last year before winning the Assembly election through smart campaigning and teamwork. The UDF also benefited from growing public anger against the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government led by CPI(M) leader Pinarayi Vijayan.The BJP also improved its position by winning three seats, finishing second in six constituencies, and gaining a noticeable share of votes in different parts of Kerala. Even though its vote share is still low, the party is slowly growing in the State. The outgoing Left government had focused on development by improving infrastructure, attracting private investment, and promoting sustainable industries while continuing welfare schemes and public services. However, many people were unhappy with the lack of accountability and the arrogant attitude of some senior CPI(M) leaders.The Left also tried to attract Hindu voters through programmes like the Global Ayyappa Devotees’ Meet, while attacking the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), accusing it of supporting political Islam. In response, the IUML worked hard to defeat the Left not only in its stronghold of Malappuram but also in other areas of Kerala. Before the election, there was also unrest within the Left because of allegations of nepotism and too much power being concentrated in one leader who was treated like a cult figure. The UDF used these issues effectively during the campaign. As a result, several long-time Left strongholds fell, creating a wider impact across the State.Now back in power, the Congress and the UDF must focus on fulfilling their promise of teamwork and choosing an efficient and popular leader for the Cabinet. Winning 102 seats, including support from independents, gives the alliance a strong mandate to form a government that is accessible, capable, and connected to the people.However, after voting ended and before the results were announced, senior Congress leaders publicly competed for the Chief Minister’s post, which attracted criticism from the public and disappointed party leaders and allies. For democracy to work better, Congress leaders should put aside personal ambitions and work together for the larger public good.