logo
Idli, dosa & governance: Telangana IAS officers are getting insights & tips from CS Rao, over breakfast

Idli, dosa & governance: Telangana IAS officers are getting insights & tips from CS Rao, over breakfast

The Print14-07-2025
Informally referred to as 'Idli with Insights', the once-in-a-week, batch-wise huddle of Telangana IAS officers has become the talk of the bureaucracy there.
The menu for their breakfast, arranged at the Dr Marri Channa Reddy HRD Institute, a premier administrative training organisation located in the city's Jubilee Hills, includes dosa, paratha, bread-butter and so on, but the main purpose of the get-together is to relish the interaction with their head in the state, Chief Secretary (CS) K. Ramakrishna Rao.
Hyderabad: For the past several weeks, Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers posted across Telangana are gathering in batches in the morning in Hyderabad, chatting while savouring some idlis, and then getting back to work—all very inconspicuously.
The meetings originated from Rao's idea to build a two-side rapport and understand each officer's background, education, interests, skills, capabilities, and potential, as well as allow the CS to play guide and mentor to the officers to steer them towards their best performance in public service.
Since he took over as the seventh CS of Telangana on 30 April this year, Rao, a 1991-batch officer, has met with nine batches of IAS officers from the Telangana cadre, beginning from the youngest batch, of 2024.
The latest to have met Rao for the informal conversation is the 2016 batch.
'As the head of the service in Telangana, I take it as my duty to mentor the officers, especially the younger ones, for them to contribute immensely in the state and to the nation's development. Thus, came the idea, and 'Idli with Insights', as some of us are calling it now, happened,' Rao told ThePrint.
The CS termed efficient human resource management in the government sector as his top priority.
In Telangana, for a population of 3.5 crore (2011 Census), there are about 3.5 lakh government employees while the all-India service officers, including the IAS, Indian Police Service and Indian Foreign Service, are just about 350, said Rao, stating the figures to emphasise on the enormous responsibility on these top officers in running the state.
'Except for the once in a while collectors' (meet) or such conferences, and that too briefly, we hardly get to converse with juniors posted in all corners of Telangana. As the CS, my role should not be confined to reviewing their annual performance reports. I wanted to have an actual understanding of the officer,' Rao explained.
Whenever such a meeting is scheduled, the CS's office informs the members of the particular IAS batch, typically two days in advance to give them enough time to plan and travel. The officers are expected to report back to their duties after the breakfast dialogue of an hour or so.
P. Gouthami (IAS 2021), who attended one such session in mid-May along with her batchmates, told ThePrint that the 'interactive session was actually very insightful'.
'It wasn't your boss lecturing you, it was like a team lead's pep talk; your senior sharing his wisdom, from his vast experience, and trying to help you in good earnest. I was consuming that knowledge and don't exactly remember if I had idlis or something else,' Gouthami, hailing from Hyderabad and now posted as Joint Managing Director, Musi Riverfront Development Corporation, said.
Uma Shankar Prasad (IAS 2022), hailing from Rae Bareli, said the CS, with a sharp development vision, appeared focused on tapping the potential of the young officers with fresh minds.
'We are in the initial, learning stage of our careers. Sir wanted us to adapt, and quickly, to AI etc., tools for a faster pace in administration, delivery of public services. His inputs will help me while dealing with land acquisition, civil supplies matters,' Prasad, now posted as sub-collector in Tandur, said.
Chekka Priyanka (IAS 2018), special commissioner, information &PR department, told ThePrint that 'the best aspect of the meeting was CS sir eagerly seeking feedback, opinion on different aspects in the state and governance'.
Also Read: K Ramakrishna Rao, the IAS officer behind every Telangana budget, is its new chief secretary
Tips on finances & books
Guidance in governance apart, Rao, who headed the Telangana finance department since the state was carved out of Andhra Pradesh in 2014 and is the man behind every budget presented till now, also gives valuable tips in managing personal finances and investment for financial stability from the hard-earned salaries, according to an officer.
Discussions also revolve around books, with reading suggestions from geo-politics to economics to fiction. One of the books the CS wanted his juniors to read was Arshia Sattar's Valmiki Ramayana, an abridged translation of the revered epic.
Rao said that he has plans to have similar sessions with IPS and IFS officers, along with the Director General of Police and Principal Chief Conservator of Forests.
'I am looking forward to the breakfast interaction with CS sir… very much appreciate the effort he took to keep us officers encouraged, and more so after having seen some inaccessible and some not so inspirational CSs here,' a mid-level IAS officer told ThePrint.
(Edited by Nida Fatima Siddiqui)
Also Read: Weeks after resharing X post critical of govt, Telangana IAS officer Smita Sabharwal transferred
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Uttarakhand's sports journey is rooted in discipline, structure, and belief.
Uttarakhand's sports journey is rooted in discipline, structure, and belief.

Time of India

time35 minutes ago

  • Time of India

Uttarakhand's sports journey is rooted in discipline, structure, and belief.

PM Modi's Maldives Visit | India's Strong Message To China in Indian Ocean | Why Is It Significant? Prime Minister Narendra Modi is heading to the Maldives on July 25, 2025 — his first visit since President Mohamed Muizzu, once a vocal face of the 'India Out' campaign, came to power. The diplomatic tide has turned. From troop withdrawal demands to signing a maritime vision pact, India and Maldives are scripting a new chapter — just in time for the 60th anniversary of Maldivian independence and India-Maldives ties. As China expands its 'string of pearls,' Modi's visit is more than ceremonial, it's a geopolitical message. India is backing Maldives with billions in economic support and strategic muscle. Will Maldives continue drifting towards India? Or is this just another pivot in a high-stakes regional chess game?#pmmodi #narendramodi #modimaldivesvisit #maldives #china #indianocean #indusoceanstrategy #lothalroutes #neighbourhoodfirst #indiadiplomacy #modiinmaldives #maldivesindependenceday #civilizationalties #southasiageopolitics #ancientmaritimelinks #toi #toibharat #bharat #trending #breakingnews #indianews #toi #toibharat #bharat #trending #breakingnews #indianews 2.8K views | 16 hours ago

Vendetta, not proof, behind Andhra liquor case arrests: Jagan Reddy's party leader
Vendetta, not proof, behind Andhra liquor case arrests: Jagan Reddy's party leader

India Today

time35 minutes ago

  • India Today

Vendetta, not proof, behind Andhra liquor case arrests: Jagan Reddy's party leader

Jagan Mohan Reddy-led YSRCP has condemned the arrests of its leaders in connection with a liquor scam case as illegal, arbitrary, and politically motivated. The party alleged that the arrests of MP PV Midhun Reddy, former MLA Chevireddy Bhaskar Reddy, retired IAS officer K Dhanunjaya Reddy, Officer on Special Duty Krishna Mohan Reddy, and others under a 2024 FIR were part of a targeted crackdown by the TDP-led government in Andhra arrests are not rooted in facts or evidence but are clearly part of a vindictive political agenda orchestrated by the TDP-led government to intimidate the opposition and dismantle our party's grassroots strength,' said YSRCP MP YV Subba Reddy, speaking to India HAD NO ROLE IN EXCISE MATTERS, SAYS YSRCPDismissing any link between the arrested individuals and the state's liquor policy, Subba Reddy questioned, 'What role did these leaders play in liquor policy or Excise? None. Yet they are being hounded as part of a calculated conspiracy. This is political vendetta, pure and simple.' The YSRCP further claimed that the liquor scam case was fabricated and constructed around coerced statements, with no material evidence such as documents or financial trails linking their leaders to any wrongdoing. A former IT advisor, Kesireddy Rajasekhar Reddy, was allegedly made to sign an unsigned statement under duress, which he later retracted before a magistrate. 'This isn't an investigation; it's a screenplay — written by the TDP and executed through abuse of power. This is vendetta politics,' Subba Reddy DEFENDS LIQUOR POLICY RECORDDefending its record from 2019 to 2024, the YSRCP highlighted what it termed a responsible and transparent liquor policy. According to the party, the number of liquor outlets was reduced from 4,380 to 2,934, while 43,000 illegal belt shops and 4,380 permit rooms were shut down. Reforms such as mandatory electronic payments and tax streamlining were introduced to curb cash-based corruption. No new distilleries were licensed during the period, the party said, and state revenues reportedly increased from Rs 16,912 crore in 2018–19 to Rs 24,760 crore in 2023–24. The Competition Commission of India had also affirmed that the policy aligned with fair market practices, the party noted.'Our government broke the liquor syndicate's backbone and brought transparency. That's what Naidu is trying to undo — by jailing those who implemented reforms,' Subba Reddy REGIME ACCUSED OF COLLUDING WITH LIQUOR MAFIAThe YSRCP contrasted its record with the alleged practices during the previous TDP government's term from 2014 to 2019. The party accused the TDP of colluding with the liquor mafia, citing instances such as the waiver of Rs 1,300 crore in privilege fees annually without cabinet approval, leading to an estimated Rs 5,000 crore in losses. It also accused a firm linked to a TDP-affiliated Member of Parliament of cornering 68 per cent of the liquor supply through manipulated lotteries. 'Naidu's regime was a free-for-all for liquor barons. The only people who gained were his cronies,' Subba Reddy said. 'Now that we stopped the loot, they want revenge.'advertisementThe YSRCP alleged that since the TDP's return to power in 2024, key reforms were being reversed. Private liquor shops have resurfaced through what the party called manipulated lottery systems, vendor profit margins have been raised from 9 per cent to 14 per cent, and illegal belt shops and permit rooms are proliferating. 'Every reform we put in place is being dismantled. The liquor mafia is back — and so is corruption,' warned Subba ACCUSED OF POLITICAL PERSECUTIONThe party also levelled serious allegations against the functioning of the Special Investigation Team (SIT), claiming it had become an instrument of political persecution. The directors of Sharvani Alco Brew Private Limited were reportedly forced to sign blank documents, prompting the High Court to intervene in Writ Petition No. 8586 of 2025. A retired police officer was said to have been detained illegally, and Head Constable N Madan Reddy was allegedly physically assaulted to extract a confession. The High Court has now ordered court-supervised investigations. 'The SIT has become a political weapon. This isn't justice, it's persecution,' said Subba Reddy. 'Even the courts are stepping in to stop this abuse.'advertisementNAIDU OUT ON BAIL, OPPOSITION TARGETED: YSRCPAccording to the YSRCP, this case is not about accountability but a calculated move to silence the Opposition. It claimed that leaders with no role in liquor regulation are being arrested, while Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu himself is out on bail in a liquor-related case from his previous tenure, registered as Crime No. 18 of 2023. 'It's ironic — the man accused of running the liquor scam is now targeting the people who cleaned it up,' said Subba that it will not be cowed by 'authoritarian tactics', the YSRCP reaffirmed its commitment to the people of Andhra Pradesh. The party demanded a judicial inquiry into what it described as a fabricated case, the immediate release of arrested leaders, and action against SIT officials accused of misusing their powers.'This is a test of democracy. But we have faith — in the people, in the courts, and in the truth,' said Subba Reddy. 'Come the next election, Andhra Pradesh will respond to this injustice with a resounding verdict,' he concluded. - Ends advertisementIN THIS STORY#Andhra Pradesh

Netanyahu 'SURRENDERS' To Trump's Pressure; Israel & Syria Hold First Meeting After Sweida Clash
Netanyahu 'SURRENDERS' To Trump's Pressure; Israel & Syria Hold First Meeting After Sweida Clash

Time of India

time35 minutes ago

  • Time of India

Netanyahu 'SURRENDERS' To Trump's Pressure; Israel & Syria Hold First Meeting After Sweida Clash

PM Modi's Maldives Visit | India's Strong Message To China in Indian Ocean | Why Is It Significant? Prime Minister Narendra Modi is heading to the Maldives on July 25, 2025 — his first visit since President Mohamed Muizzu, once a vocal face of the 'India Out' campaign, came to power. The diplomatic tide has turned. From troop withdrawal demands to signing a maritime vision pact, India and Maldives are scripting a new chapter — just in time for the 60th anniversary of Maldivian independence and India-Maldives ties. As China expands its 'string of pearls,' Modi's visit is more than ceremonial, it's a geopolitical message. India is backing Maldives with billions in economic support and strategic muscle. Will Maldives continue drifting towards India? Or is this just another pivot in a high-stakes regional chess game?#pmmodi #narendramodi #modimaldivesvisit #maldives #china #indianocean #indusoceanstrategy #lothalroutes #neighbourhoodfirst #indiadiplomacy #modiinmaldives #maldivesindependenceday #civilizationalties #southasiageopolitics #ancientmaritimelinks #toi #toibharat #bharat #trending #breakingnews #indianews #toi #toibharat #bharat #trending #breakingnews #indianews 2.8K views | 17 hours ago

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store