Mohandas Rajasekharan Moses an upright administrative officer with discipline & dedication, also a philanthropist.

Mohandas Moses

Mohandas Rajasekharan Moses, IAS (Retd.)

Mohandas Moses was born in Rangoon Burma in 1936 where his father was posted. He first studied at St Paul's School, Rangoon, and later at Madras Christian College, University of Madras where he obtained a First-Class Bachelors degree in Economics, Mathematics, Political Science, English.

Achievements in the Indian Administrative Service

Advisor to the Governor of Jammu-Kashmir-Ladakh (January 1994 - October 1996)

  • Mohandas Moses served as Advisor to the Governor of Jammu and Kashmir during the years of militancy, from January 1994 to October 1996.
  • He held the portfolios of Finance, Planning, Energy, Health, Education, Culture, Transport, Food Distribution.
  • He undertook large scale development measures, and personally supervised effective public distribution of food grains, re-opening of schools and hospitals, construction of roads and bridges, commenced the operation of new bus routes to facilitate communication, and stabilizing the finances of the State of J& K.
  • Under his personal supervision Health Centers were established in areas where militancy was raging. Various Artificial Limb Centres and Post-Trauma Centers for rehabilitation of those injured in militant attacks were established in the state of Jammu and Kashmir.
  • He organized the first and massive pulse polio immunization program for children in the Kashmir Valley and Jammu.
  • As Advisor in charge of Education, Mr Moses personally supervised the opening of schools in the Kashmir Valley which had been closed due to the threat of militancy. Midday meals were served as an incentive for school attendance which increased significantly during this time.
  • General Krishna Rao, former Chief of Army Staff and then Governor of Jammu and Kashmir had high praise for Mr Moses's achievements, efficiency, courage and states that Mr Moses made a significant and major contribution to the normalization of the situation in Jammu-Kashmir-Ladakh. The situation improved and stability came, enabling the holding of state assembly elections after almost a decade.
  • Dr Manmohan Singh, then Union Finance Minister of India, congratulated Mr Moses as Advisor in charge of finance and planning for his excellent work. "Never have the finances of Jammu-Kashmir been on such a sound basis. He has brought financial stability to J & K".
  • As Special Adviser, Ladakh Affairs, Shri Moses established the Autonomous Hill Development Council of Ladakh which expedited development programs for Ladakh. He undertook conservation and restoration of Buddhist monasteries or Gomphas of Shey, Hemis and Thipse.
  • He is remembered in Ladakh for the socio - economic measures taken up for the welfare of the people of Ladakh. In addition to development projects, he initiated establishment of hydro - electric and thermal schemes to generate power in Ladakh that would stimulate establishment of industries, special schemes for production and marketing of pashmina - goat wool, and fruit cooperatives.
  • It was widely commented that Shri Moses was uncaring of personal safety during the years in Jammu and Kashmir when militancy was rife, and that he travelled far and wide in the troubled state to personally supervise all the activities that came under his portfolios.

Secretary to Government of India, Ministry of Agriculture. (1990 - 1992)

  • Mohandas Moses headed the Oilseeds Technology Mission, when production of oilseeds was stepped up in Gujarat and the southern states. Made notable achievements in the field of oil seeds and pulse production.

Secretary to Government of India, Ministry of Welfare. (1993 - 1994)

  • He did special work on the rehabilitation side, especially in the setting up of units dealing with prosthetics. At the SAARC meeting for control of narcotics, held in Islamabad in December 1993, the Pakistani Chairman of the Conference invited Mr Moses to be Chairman of the conference as recognition of the strategy he had outlined for control of narcotics.
  • As Secretary Welfare, he was asked by the Prime Minister's office to submit a report on the welfare and rehabilitation measures taken up in the Sardar Sarovar Irrigation Project in the Narmada Valley.
  • A former Chief Secretary of Gujarat, describes Mr Moses as "trudging from village to village, from one rehabilitation center to another to see conditions for himself. At the end of it, he gave a superb and unbiased report which enabled the state governments to proceed with this vast project."
  • Mohandas Moses was responsible for taking initial action for framing the "People with Disabilities Act." For the first time, there was a coordinated approach to the rehabilitation of the variously handicapped by working in unison with the various All India Institutes of the Handicapped. He organized the strengthening and expansion of treatment facilities for people with spinal injuries. He initiated Braille libraries in numerous schools for the visually impaired.

Managing Director, Food Corporation of India. (1986 - 1989)

  • As M.D. of Food Corporation of India, he streamlined the functioning of the organization, plugged losses and pilferage and put the public distribution on a firm footing throughout the country, with particular attention to the north east and chronic starvation areas such as Barmer in Rajasthan and Kalahandi in Orissa.
  • The Union Cabinet congratulated him in a letter for the excellent work he did on the food distribution field during the acute drought year of 1987. Mohandas Moses led the historic Food and Medical Relief Mission to Jaffna in June 1987. For this too, the Prime Minister of India and the Cabinet Secretary conveyed their deep appreciation of his "courage, enterprise, and service beyond the call of duty."
  • The Managing Director refused to accept the enhanced pay given by the Pay Commission until the revision of pay recommended by the Pay Commission was implemented and benefitted the officials of the Food Corporation of India. When the niggardly Union Finance Secretary tried to delay the matter, Mr Moses told his colleague: "you can economise on non-essentials but not on food, medicine and guns." The intimidated niggardly secretary complied soon after with the legitimate claims of the FCI officials and employees.
  • Even nearly four decades later Mohandas Moses is remembered and revered as the most efficient and compassionate Managing Director of the FCI.

Managing Director, Karnataka Power Corporation of India. (1983 - 1986)

  • As M.D. of Karnataka Power Corporation, Mohandas Moses made a major breakthrough in power generation by completion of the Supa Dam, (Kalinadi Project) and establishment of Raichur Thermal Station. The long pending power generation were completed in record time. The industries that were crippled by perpetual power shortage were able to forge ahead. Industrialists said that he changed the power generation scenario in Karnataka.
  • In collaboration with Dr M.R. Srinivasan, Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission, and Dr Raja Ramanna, he helped to locate Kaiga for the nuclear power station.
  • In August 1985, the Government of Karnataka formally congratulated him in the Legislative Assembly on his remarkable achievements in the field of power generation.

Home Secretary, Government of Karnataka. (1980 - 1983)

  • He was responsible for revising transport and tourism policy to suit new needs. Brought in changes in police administration and recruitment.

As Joint & Additional Secretary, Finance Department, Karnataka State. (1974 - 1977)

  • He wrote the Taxation Enquiry Report on which the Government of Karnataka formulated its fiscal and revenue policy.
  • Mohandas Moses was considered an expert in financial management and fiscal policy. He drafted the Karnataka State Treasury Code.

Related Photos