Pallavi Akurathi- The sensation in Karnataka. Generally, an IAS cadre officer who is appointed to any cadre post, shall hold the office for at least two years unless he or she is promoted, retired or sent on deputation outside the state. Pallavi Akurathi went through 9 transfers in 6 years of her career. This was the gift she received for her sincerity.
Pallavi is a native of Guntur Dist. She will be an inspirational figure for all the Telugu medium students for a long time to come. Not only did she complete her education in Telugu medium, she even chose to write the examination in her mother tongue. She was the first woman who become an IAS officer by taking the Civils exam in Telugu medium. She disagrees that writing in Telugu is a disadvantage. She cleared her exam in the fourth attempt and was appointed to the Karnataka cadre.
As an Endowment commissioner of Karnataka she saved Crores of Endowment property. Before she took charge as Endowment Commissioner, the Endowment building (head Office) was occupied by a politician. She fought it in court and won it back. The buildings worth is nearly 100 Crores.
Paper leakage in examinations is a very common thing in Karnataka. When Pallavi was the director of the Kanataka Pre University board, the Chemistry paper was leaked twice. She took it seriously and began an inquiry into the leakage. In the process of inquiry she got several threats from the leakage mafia. She however didn’t back down.
When she was in Sakleshpur, she fought the encroachment of a local politician on behalf of an old Muslim lady as the SDM there. The Politician had encroached the approach way towards her crop lands. She was humbled when the lady came to her home to meet and took her hands into hers and started crying that am leaving that place.
The usual perception is that Civils aspirants are book worms and they don’t have any creativity at all. Pallavi however, is a highly talented artist as well. A Kuchipudi dancer, poetess in Telugu, good in chant singing, painting, rangoli, mehendi designing, little bit embroidery, flower arrangement etc., there seems to be nothing this woman cannot do.
She has a good heart too. She would often go the school for deaf peoplein Gulbarga and teach Kuchupudi to the students there. In February this year, she got married in a simple temple wedding ceremony with no lavish spending. Instead she used the money to educate two children from poor, impoverished families.
She is a true inspiration. Isn’t she?
