From a techie to IAS officer, Dinesh Waghmare has had an unconventional career path

‘It gives satisfaction’

From a techie to IAS officer, Dinesh Waghmare has had an unconventional career path. He is currently working as secretary, social justice and special assistance, of the Maharashtra government. Waghmare was a technologist with a BE in electrical engineering and a PG in Computer Science from IIT-Kharagpur. While working as a lecturer with the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute in Nagpur, Waghmare was influenced by his friends and decided to appear for the Indian Civil Services Examination in 1994. “We went on a tour of the collector’s bungalow, and divisional offices and I was attracted to the civil services. I became aware that I would be able to help society by working in the public sector. In my current role, I am able to formulate policies, work with the ministers and bring about actual changes in the society. It gives me immense job satisfaction,” he said. “There is more money in the private sector, but there is prestige in civil services. It may not offer pay packages compared to the IIM’s but it offers a lots of other facilities for instance, a collector has a bungalow, a chauffeur driven car, and also respect,” he says.