Tukaram Mundhe
Tukaram Haribhau Mundhe | |
|---|---|
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| Personal details | |
| Born | 3 June 1975 Beed, Maharashtra, India |
| Education | B.A., M.A. from Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University, Aurangabad |
| Occupation | Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer |
Known for | Strict administrative reforms and public service initiatives |
Tukaram Haribhau Mundhe (born 3 June 1975) is an Indian Administrative Service officer who is currently serving as the Commissioner of Food and Drug Administration, Maharashtra.[1]
Early life
Tukaram Haribhau Mundhe was born on 3 June 1975 in Beed, Marathwada, Maharashtra.[2] His father, Haribhau, was a farmer, while his mother, Aasrabai, was a homemaker.[3] He grew up working on his family's subsistence farm and sold vegetables. As a child, he would walk barefoot to his Zila Parishad High School. Seeing his family's difficulties inspired him to join the Indian Administrative Service.[1] He has an elder brother, Ashok.[3]
In 1996, Mundhe earned a bachelor's degree from the Government College of Arts and Science, Aurangabad. He completed his Master of Arts in Political science from Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University in 1998.[1]
Without any coaching, he cleared the UPSC Civil Service Aptitude Test in 2004, securing the 20th rank in the country.[1] He joined the Maharashtra cadre of IAS in 2005.[2]
Career
While Mundhe has been awarded and gained significant recognition for his work, his approach has not been received well. As of August 2026, he had been transferred 25 times in 21 years of service, and has not been able to complete a full tenure in any of his postings.[1] He is sometimes referred to as "Singham", after the Bollywood film character from the movie of the same name.[4] For his work in conservation of water, he has also been referred to as the "waterman of Maharashtra".[1]
As part of his first posting in Solapur, he opposed the sand mafia, facing death threats. In 2016, when posted as the Municipal Commissioner of Navi Mumbai, he opposed two multi-crore projects that had already been approved, stating them as unnecessary and redirecting the funds to public infrastructure and to make the city more accessible for persons with disabilities. As part of his "Walk with the Commissioner" initiative, he would go for morning walks every Sunday, inviting citizens to join him to discuss public issues. While corporators across political parties called for a bandh against him, citizens started an online petition in his support, gathering over 6000 signatures. He was transferred in 2017.[1]
Later, in 2017-18, he laid off 158 contract drivers of the Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) for chronic absenteeism. This was met with opposition from unions. In 2022, when he was made the Health Commissioner, he took steps against corruption and took action against government doctors who ran private clinics during government working hours; he was transferred in 2023.[1]
As the Commissioner of Food and Drug Administration, Maharashtra, in 2026, he closed multiple popular eateries for violations of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.[5][6]
Awards and accolades
In 2015-16, he received the Best Collector Award from the Government of Maharashtra. He was also awarded the National Award for Social Justice and Empowerment by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. While he was the Municipal Commissioner, the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation received the SKOCH Order of Merit for its seismic retrofitting initiatives and EToilets. Further, he was awarded the National Award for the Best Integrated Traffic Management System in 2017.[1]
Legacy
A book on his life was released on 17 July 2026. Written by author-journalist Shafi Pathan, it is titled Tukaram.[3]
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Pandit, Vinaya Deshpande (15 August 2026). "Who is Tukaram Mundhe, the IAS officer leading Maharashtra's FDA crackdown?". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 17 August 2026.
- 1 2 "Meet Tukaram Mundhe: From a farmer's son in Maharashtra's drought-hit Beed to one of India's most recognisable IAS officers". The Times of India. 11 August 2026. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 17 August 2026.
- 1 2 3 Saikia, Parishmita (13 August 2026). "Why Did Pune Give Tukaram Mundhe A Standing Ovation? The Backstory Behind Maharashtra's Popular IAS Officer". News18.
- ↑ Parthsarthi, Pratik (31 July 2026). "Who is Tukaram Mundhe? 'Singham' IAS officer with 25 transfers in 20 years leading Maharashtra food crackdown". Moneycontrol.
- ↑ Dalal, Sucheta (7 August 2026). "The Tukaram Mundhe Effect: When Enforcement Becomes Credible". Moneylife NEWS & VIEWS. Retrieved 17 August 2026.
- ↑ Phadnis, Aneesh (30 July 2026). "From clubs to canteens : Maharashtra's FDA chief Tukaram Mundhe is on clean up drive". BusinessLine. Retrieved 17 August 2026.