Gangs of Sefaipur, Return of the Don: UP officers accept humorous citations

Who says, IAS can't make fun?

THIS photo taken during UP IAS Association Week, 2006, shows a few officers participating in a one-act play. The banner behind reads: Buda Na Mano, IAS Weak Hai, which if translated will read like this: “Don’t feel bad, IAS officers are weak”. Despite numerous challenges being faced…
by officers in India’s most populous state, Uttar Pradesh, they have demonstrated a sense of humour whenever they have a get-together. Last week, they met, organized cultural shows and musical nites, and played a friendly cricket match with chief minister Akhilesh Yadav’s men. The entire audience burst out laughing when each IAS officer was given a funny citation. The citations were printed in the menu card of the event. Here are some of those most talked about titles:

Ghar aaya mera pardesi: To chief secretary and 1978 batch IAS Jawed Usmani on his homecoming. He was in the PMO and then in the World Bank’s headquarters in Washington for many years before returning home as state chief secretary.   
Main zindagi ka saath nibhata chala gaya, har fikr ko dhuen mein udata chala gaya: To DG (jail) RM Srivastava, a 1982 batch IAS, who is a known chain-smoker.  
Man of All Seasons: To Alok Ranjan, a 1978 batch IAS, for his immense popularity.
Return of the Don: 1982 batch IAS Deepak Singhal who was a joint secretary in chemicals and fertiliser ministry at the Centre before moving back to the state.
Rampur Ka Vasi Hoon Main: To principal secretary, urban development and 1982 batch IAS Pravir Kumar enjoys a personal rappot with his minister and man from Rampur, Azam Khan.
Finally, a quiz? Who are the influential IAS trio working closely with chief minister Akhilesh Yadav? They were given a citation: Gangs of Sefaipur. For the record, Sefai is the native village of chief minister Akhilesh Yadav.