Sarvesh Kaushal

Former Chief Secretary of Punjab

What I want

I want to laugh; I want to cry.
I want to feel good; I want to feel bad.
I want to love; I want to hate.
I want to enjoy; I want to suffer.
I want friends; I want enemies.
I want to curse; I want to praise.
I want to remember; I want to forget.
I want company; I want to be alone.
I want to fly in bliss; I want to drown in melancholy.
I want to be quiet; I want to be the shrillest voice in cacophony.

I want to be a shooting star; I want to defy gravity for ever.

What I don’t want

I don’t want to learn any art of living artificially.
I don’t want my canvas painted red, blue or green, white or black. I don’t want the strings of my heart fiddled.
I don’t want my soul tamed by hope or fear.
I don’t want to lose my natural impulse, instinct and whims.
I don’t wish to get excited by artificial smiles and hollow words.
I don’t want to dissolve myself into a chorus.

My life’s philosophy

Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high;

Where knowledge is free;
Where the world has not been broken up
into fragments by narrow domestic walls;
Where words come out from the depth of truth;
Where tireless striving stretches its arms toward perfection; Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way
into the dreary desert sand of dead habit;
Where the mind is led forward by Thee
into ever-widening thought and action —
Into that heaven of freedom,
my Father, let my country awake.

From Gitanjali (Song Offerings) by Rabindranath Tagore. Translated from Bengali to English by the author circa 1911. Original poem titled, “Indian Prayer.”

Academics

M.A. History (University Gold Medalist) M.A. Economics (Ist Division) LL.B. (Ist Division)

Training Attended:

Attended Training Programme on “Infrastructure in a Market Economy” held at Harvard Kennedy School, Harvard, USA in July, 2013.
Attended Training Programme on “Governance Challenges for India” held at Harvard University, Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad in 2009.
Attended Training Programme on “Regulation and Reforms in Infrastructure Sectors” held at The Energy and Resources Institute, New Delhi in 2008
Attended Training Programme on “Public-Private Partnership” held at Administrative Staff College of India, Bella Vista, Hyderabad in 2005.
Attended Training Programme on “Administrative Law” held at National Law School of India University (NLSIU), Nagarbhavi, Bangalore in 2001
Attended National Level Training Programme on “Gender Issues” held at Institute of Management in Government, Thiruvananthapuram in 2000.
Attended Training Programme on “Infrastructure Development Special Emphasis on Energy” held at Tata Energy Research Institute, New Delhi in 1998.
Attended training on “Introduction to Database Management” held at CMC Limited, New Delhi in 1991.
Attended 3 weeks In-Service Training Programme in 1990 at Centre for Management Studies, The HCM Rajasthan State Institute of Public Administration, Jaipur.
Attended Training on Development of Banking and Institutional Credit, held at National Institute of Bank Management, Pune in 1990
Attended Training on “Public Distribution System” held at Institute of Management in Government, Thiruvananthapuram in 1988.
Attended Training programme on “Behavioural Sciences” held at Xavier Labour Relations Institute, Jamshedpur in 1987.

Chief Secretary to the Government of Punjab
(2014 to 2017)

In addition to the duties of Chief Secretary to the Government of Punjab, performed duties as Administrativel Secretary, Departments of Personnel, Vigilance, General Administration, Irrigation, Governance Reforms and as Director General, Mahatma Gandhi State Institute of Public Administration, Punjab.
Headed more than hundred State Level Committees including Punjab ICT Education Society (PICTES), Punjab Bus Metro Society, Invest Punjab, ICDS Scheme, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyaan Authority, Jang-e-Azadi Memorial Foundation, Punjab Bureau of Investment Promotion, Punjab Heritage and Tourism Promotion Board, Punjab Infrastructure Development Board (PIDB), Punjab State e-Governance Society (PSEGS), Punjab Urban Development Authority, Shivalik (Dhauldhar) Tourism Development Board, State Food Security Mission, State Disaster Management Fund, Punjab State Transport Society, State Health Society, Swachh Bharat Mission, Screening Committee for promotions of various cadres of IAS/IPS officers, Screening Committee of Awards on 15th August, Screening Committee to consider Mega Project proposals, Apex Committee on Digital India, Standing Committee of Ranjit Sagar Dam Construction Board, Selection Committee for selection of Directors in Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd., State Level Committee under Rajiv Gandhi Khel Abhiyaan Scheme, State Level Committee for Border Area Development Programme, State Level Committee for Pradhan Mantri Sadak Yojna (PMGSY), State Level Committee for Pradhan Mantri Adarsh Gram Yojna, Steering Committee on Wetlands of Punjab, Punjab Skill Development Mission, Unique Identification (UID) Implementation Committee, etc.
Chaired Search and Selection Committee Meetings for appointment of Chairpersons and Members of Punjab Public Service Commission, Right to Service Commission and Right to Information Commission and other such committees and commissions of the State Government.
2147 Sewa Kendras (Integrated Service Delivery Centres) of State were made operational and 77 integrated services delivered through these Urban and Rural Sewa Kendras.
Six new android based Mobile Apps, i.e. e-Sewa, School Education’s Directory, School Education’s Staff Login, School Education’s SMS2Parents, Punjab Tourism, InvestPunjab got launched.
Successful implementation of e-District project, which was rated as number one project in the country by the Department of Information Technology, Govt. of India.
In the field of Capacity Building in e-Governance, various Training Programmes were chalked out and got conducted for the PCS and other officers of the State Government.
Strengthened the PAWAN Network for futuristic usage by Mission Critical application.
Implementation of Aadhaar based Biometric Attendance System (BAS) in 11 departments.
Coordinated the efforts of Aadhaar enrolment and integration of the State which resulted in 100% achievement of Aadhaar enrolment in the State, making Punjab as No. 2 in the country in Aadhaar enrolment in persons with age more than 18 years.
Coordinated the State effort, with the team of the best lawyers of the country for SYL Presidential Reference in the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India.
Anti-water logging project to clear 60 thousand hectares of land affected by water logging in districts Sri Muktsar Sahib and Fazilka got implemented.
Initiative has been taken to dispose off old machinery, old inspection vehicles lying surplus/ abandoned for so many years on Ranjit Sagar Dam & SYL Project etc.
All three major cities of Punjab, i.e. Amritsar, Ludhiana and Jalandhar have been selected based on merit of their Smart City proposals.
Monitored the transparent recruitment process of faculty members of IKG Punjab Technical University campuses.
Implementation of Transparent Systems and Policy on Distance Education Program in IKG Punjab Technical University, Jalandhar.
In an effective anti-corruption drive 34 cases under Prevention of Corruption Act, 03 gazetted officers, 33 non-gazetted officials and 17 private persons got convicted and were awarded imprisonment by the Hon’ble Courts ranging from 1 to 5 year and fine from Rs. 500/- to Rs. 40,000/-. One gazetted officer and 9 non-gazetted officials were dismissed from service by the concerned departments in pursuance of their conviction under PC Act by Hon’ble Courts.
Monitored the Department of Investment Promotion to implement 340 points for “ease of doing business” released by Department of Industrial Promotion / World Bank.
Effective implementation of Punjab Right to Service Act, 2011 was undertaken through regular monitoring. The number of services under this Act was increased from 149 to 351.
Effectively attended to the issues related to farmers’ agitation related to cotton / sugarcane.
Ensured that all wings of the Government work as well oiled machine during the militant attacks in Dinanagar and Pathankot in the State.
Implementation of “Affidavit free regime” in the State of Punjab got Prime Minister Award of Excellence in Public Administration. Coordinate with all the departments to ensure that non-statutory affidavits are not insisted upon.
Effected the implementation of Atal Pension Yojna, Prime Minister Suraksha Bima Yojna, Prime Minister Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojna and other related schemes of Govt. of Inida. Punjab is the 3rd State in the country where all households have a Bank account under Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojna.
Implementation of Swachh Bharat Mission across the State of Punjab. Annual toilet construction targets has been achieved.
A new Maharaja Ranjit Singh State Technical University was set up and as Chairman of Board of Governors, set up basic infrastructure, Academic Councils, appointed VCs, Deans and Registrar.
As Director General of Mahatma Gandhi State Institute of Public Administration, Punjab, for the Is time MGSIPA conducted Department of Personnel and Training, Govt. of India sponsored National Level Mid-Career Interaction between the Armed Forces and Civil Services Officers on the theme “Drug Trafficking”
The State was the first to set up a unit to manage the “State / Center coordination issues portal “e-Samiksha”.
Monitored the implementation of 340 points for “ease of doing business” as released by Department of Industrial Promotion / World Bank.
Initiated a major project for Extension, Renovation and Modernization (ERM) of various canal systems, restoring storage capacity of reservoir and lining of water course along with allied work.
Development of intelligent and smart irrigation systems namely drip and sprinkler irrigation aimed at conservation of water continued as an integral part of the agriculture reform agenda of the State.
E-Stamping has been initiated in the State in the Department of Revenue for registration of lands.
Tremendous effort was made for setting up infrastructure for cancer patients. A separate fund for Cancer and Drug Addiction Treatment was created. 100 bedded Advance Cancer Diagnostic Treatment & Research Centre at Bathinda has been set up.
Project for setting up of 200 bedded Tata Memorial Cancer Research Centre at Mullanpur, Mohali was conceptualised.
Punjab Skill Development Mission conceptualised and set up.

When in doubt, choose change.

Influence

I faked it until I made it. The speech was accepted by the audience very well, I was proud of making it. That was the day when I realized that everything is possible and all you need is to work hard, clearly see the final goal and every day make at least small step towards it. After graduation I worked for a couple of big banks and companies and continued to give speeches about my experience, life and business. After that I found my startup Big Fish, found investors, created successful business model and sold it.

Success

Today I’m financially independent, happily married, travel a lot and leadershiping. I believe that my mission today is to teach as many people as I can how to succeed in life, how to be happy and live every single day with a purpose. Believe me, it isn’t hard and reading my story is already a forst step. Congratulations! You are on the right way, Looking forward to hearing from you. Cheers!