Vejayanantham IFS

The journey of Vejayanantham TR IFS presented by MindVoices

Like Music and Art,

Love of nature is a common language
that can transcend political or social boundaries.

Vejayanantham TR, the software developer turned into Indian Forest Service Officer

The young and energetic officer Vejayanantham TR was born and brought up in Namakkal district in Tamil Nadu. He completed Computer Science Engineering at Anna University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Later, he started working as a Software developer for about one and a half years.

Since childhood, he inspired by the works of his father and his Uncle who both were Group C employee. Once, his father was an executive head of the Tribal Self Help Group of Kolli hills in Tamil Nadu. During those times, Vejayanantham studied Vth standard accompanied by his father to Women SHG. He got an opportunity to spent time with them while they were processing tribal produce like honey and other local arts. With his father's intervention, their tribal products received remuneration which helped them for their survival. At a very small age, these incidents made a footprint in his heart led to a realization that true happiness exists from serving the people. In order to directly engage in the field of public service and meeting people from various corners of life, he aspired to become a civil servant. So he started preparing for civil service examination during weekends. For the whole week, he will be working in a Software company. His moral courage encourages him to quit the job and take up a full-time civil service examination. Initially, he came to write a civil service examination to became an IAS officer. But nature's call and his personal interest in Ecological conservation & tribal development, he wrote and cleared the Indian Forest Service examination conducted by UPSC in the year 2017 and made him a part of the Indian Forest Service fraternity.

This man, this work shall thus work out, let thoughtful king command,

Then leave the matter wholly in his hands.

After getting an Indian Forest Service, he didn't appear again for getting the Indian Administrative Service. Instead, he believed bright minds are needed the most in the poorest and remote tribal villages. He went ahead with the opportunity of the Indian Forest Service to work for the tribal development, ecological conservation of forest and wildlife, sustainable development to the community living in hilly terrain areas.

Life in Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy, Uttarakhand

The foundation course provides him with the opportunity to meet different people from all over India who have cleared the Indian Forest Service Examination. During the period of training, he visited over 21 States covering Hemis National Park in North to Gulf of Mannar in South, 5 Union Territories, 3 countries which provides good understanding about the forest, wildlife and culture of people.

He took a leadership role in the Foundational course and awarded Silver Medal for Showing Camaraderie to fellow officer trainees. He was awarded a Bronze medal for initiating diverse activities in Nature's club. The most memorable part of him was awarded a Gold medal for FETE conducted to raise funds for NGO and for Schoolchildren in MCR FC.

With the best coordination from his team, he made Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy win the Second Prize in Inter-Service meet held in Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA), Mussoorie. Based on his merit, he was selected for the Hari Singh fellowship for the prestigious PG Diploma in Advance Wildlife Management in Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun.

"Pay attention to the things you are naturally drawn to. They are often connected to your path, purpose, and passion in life"

Vejayanatham TR has the moral courage to follow the path which created a beautiful journey to serve the most marginalized community in India. He strongly believed that the whole of India is the same, just we differ in language and culture. There is beauty that lies in every heart of Indian and one life is not enough to enjoy her beauty.

In 2020, he is posted as Range in Incharge of Ghugri range, East Mandla Division, Madhya Pradesh. As a Forest officer, his prime responsibility is to protect the Indian's beauty in her pristine form.