Industrialist Harsh Goenka praised civil servant Tukaram Mundhe as a hero for combating food adulteration and unsafe kitchens. Goenka noted that such dedication highlights a lack of similar examples in administration. In response, Mundhe humbly deflected this praise, emphasizing that public service remains a collective responsibility.
Industrialist Harsh Goenka has praised IAS officer Tukaram Mundhe for his efforts to tackle food adulteration and unsafe kitchens, calling him a “people’s hero”. However, it was the bureaucrat’s humble response to the appreciation that caught the attention of social media users.
Goenka shared his thoughts on X after meeting Mundhe for the first time at an event. He said the officer became the centre of attention, with several people eager to meet him because of his work against food adulteration, unsafe food practices and influential establishments.
“I met Tukaram Mundhe for the first time, and he was undoubtedly the hero of the evening. Everyone wanted to meet him. Why? Because he is doing what citizens expect from their civil servants. Taking on food adulteration, unsafe kitchens and powerful establishments,” Goenka wrote.
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He further observed, “It is remarkable that an officer simply doing his job with honesty and conviction becomes a people’s hero. But how badly does this reflect on the larger civil services, where such examples are so few?”
Responding to the praise, Mundhe shifted the focus from individual recognition to the collective responsibility of public servants. He wrote, “Public service is never about an individual. It is about a collective commitment to serve citizens with integrity, courage and conviction.”
He also acknowledged the contributions of other officers, saying, “There are countless civil servants across the country who are doing exemplary work, perhaps even better than I am, but whose efforts rarely receive the recognition they deserve.”
Mundhe added that he was “only a small part of a much larger team” and credited collective effort for the work achieved.
Concluding his message, he stressed, “The trust and expectations of citizens are our greatest responsibility. An honest, accountable and citizen-centric public service should never be an exception. It must be the norm.”
The exchange has drawn appreciation online, with users highlighting the importance of integrity in administration and institutional support for officers carrying out their duties.