Who’s IAS Rajeshwari B, and why she is praised by secretary Parameswaran Iyer?

Rajeshwari with Iyer

SECRETARY of the ministry of drinking water and sanitation Parameswaran Iyer recently praised a young collector — Rajeshwari B of Jharkhand cadre in Twitter, saying that it’s inspirational to hear “champion collectors” like Rajeshwari. The praise was showered on her for her role in making Ramgarh district the first open defecation free (ODF) district in Jharkhand. Iyer, a 1981 batch Uttar Pradesh cadre IAS who took voluntary retirement before joining the government again on a contract basis, handles the Swachh Bharat Mission, mainly in rural areas. But who’s Rajeshwari B?…

Let’s first reproduce what secretary Iyer had to say: “Inspirational to hear how champion Collectors like Rajeshwari made their districts, Ramgarh (first in Jharkhand) ODF! I learned so much today from the young Collectors of 115 aspirational districts. @swachhbharat”. Iyer was referring to the conference organised by NITI Aayog where collectors of 115 backward districts of India came to Delhi to attend. Ramgarh was represented by DC Rajeshwari.

Rajeshwari, 32, is a Jharkhand cadre IAS of 2011 batch. She originally belongs to Karnataka. A masters in political science, she is presently the deputy commissioner of Ramgarh district, a Jharkhand district carved out of erstwhile district of Hazaribagh a decade ago. TISCO, West Bokaro Colliery, Ghatotand, Jindal Power and Steel Ltd. Balkudra, Patratu and Indo-Ashahee Glass Company, Bhadaninagar — are all located in Ramgarh district. 

Earlier, Rajeshwari B was the deputy commissioner of Garhwa district where she was the first woman DC, according to local media reports.

Ramgarh district which was declared ODF recently, adopted many an innovative mechanism to make this happen. For example, Nukkad Natak (street plays) on sanitation and hygiene  practices by school students is one such step. On the World Toilet Day on November 20, the officer motivated the locals by honouring the winners of painting and essay writing and the best documentary filmmaker on Swachh Bharat Mission. Also, Swacchta Raths were flagged off to motivate the residents for ODF.